# Springtail culture



## Guest (Jul 14, 2004)

This might be a really stupid question, but what exactly do you do with the sprongtail culture??  I have one in my room and I have no clue how to even go about using it. :?


----------



## ChrisMc (Mar 7, 2004)

There are several ways to get the springtails into the frog tank:
1. If you are using charcoal, just place a piece with sprintails into the tank and let the frogs pick them off.
2. Bang two pieces of charcoal together inside the tank so that the springtails fall in.
3. Springtails also float so that you can mist them down and spoon out the clumps of springtails.

Hope this helps


----------



## Guest (Jul 14, 2004)

So I guess the cultures doing well  Just take a pinch of the soil, which will have a bunch of little springtails on and in it, and place it in your tank. When the soil gets low in the culture, just add some more. I haven't found a way to dust springtails, but I don't think its really required (unless you are exclusively feeding springs - not good idea).


----------



## Guest (Jul 14, 2004)

Where is a good place to get springtails


----------



## Guest (Jul 14, 2004)

Mick had a good point when we were talking about it yesterday. He uses charcoal wood pieces and then when you want to use them you just fill the culture with water and pour all of the collembola and water into the vivarium. It's much easier than the methods I've done in the past.
j


----------



## Guest (Jul 14, 2004)

Would you be introducing a large amount of bacteria into your vivs by doing this?


----------



## mindcrash (Mar 3, 2004)

furrizl:

try http://www.edsflymeatinc.com

That is where i purchased mine, i got the starter kit, and the thing is booming.


----------



## Devin Edmonds (Mar 2, 2004)

Another option is to blow the springtails out of the culture and into your feeding container or terrarium with a turkey baster, that's what I do.


----------



## Arklier (Mar 1, 2004)

I got my springtail culture from Ed's at last NWFF. It consists of a shoebox size plastic container, pieces of lump charcoal, and water. Put the charcoal in, about 2" of pieces. Cover the bottom with about 1/2" of water. I mist the container before I feed them by sprinkling yeast over the wet charcoal pieces. When I want to feed them out, I push the charcoal around or mist it, which causes them to fall in the water, where I suck them up with a turkey baster. I have a piece of lump charcoal in my frog tanks, and I just spray the springtails right on it where the frogs can just pick them off. The frogs love it.


----------



## Homer (Feb 15, 2004)

hicksonj said:


> Would you be introducing a large amount of bacteria into your vivs by doing this?


You won't be introducing any more (or different) bacteria than by tranferring the soil as you propose in your method.

Besides, a large portion of bacteria that exists in the world is beneficial, or at least non-detrimental. A healthy viv will have a strong microbe base anyway. Now, if you're using fresh dung as your substrate for springtails, that changes things. :lol: However, if you're using the typical charcoal substrate, I wouldn't think pouring off water from the cultures would be a significant problem. That's how I feed off my springtail cultures, and it works quite well.


----------



## Guest (Jul 15, 2004)

hicksonj said:


> So I guess the cultures doing well  Just take a pinch of the soil, which will have a bunch of little springtails on and in it, and place it in your tank. When the soil gets low in the culture, just add some more. I haven't found a way to dust springtails, but I don't think its really required (unless you are exclusively feeding springs - not good idea).


Yeah it is I just have no clue how to use it LOL :lol:


----------



## Arklier (Mar 1, 2004)

And BTW, shouldn't this be in the food section?


----------



## Guest (Jul 15, 2004)

Yeah your probably right but I didnt realize until after I posted it and I didn't think it would be a big deal


----------



## Guest (Jul 17, 2004)

*springtail culture*

you couldc consider placing your frogs in some temporary accomodation for a while and letting springtails populate their vivarium. if the soil isn't too wet then the frogs will never be able to eat them all and wipe them out.


----------

