A few springtail questions.

[SkittlesTheJumpingSpider]

Hello everyone! I recently posted a thread like this for isopods, but I have a few questions about springtails.

1. I am going to get springtails soon, and I would like to keep some of them for a culture (I'm going to add the rest to my isopod's enclosure). Most of the research I did on springtails recommended charcoal as substrate for cultures, but I would prefer using coconut fiber, as I don't have any charcoal and I do have coconut fiber. Is coconut fiber a good substrate for them? How do you harvest them from it?

2. Should I add air holes in a springtail culture's enclosure? I know that they need oxygen, but I also know that air holes will allow pests such as fungus gnats and mites inside. I've heard that if you open their enclosure daily then that will give them proper oxygen? Or should I add small air holes and add mesh?

3. What is the difference between Tropical Pink springtails and white springtails? The place I'm going to get springtails from only has tropical pink springtails in stock. Are those a good species to live with isopods?

Thanks,
-SkittlesTheJumpingSpider

 

[Spoodfood]

1.) To make “harvesting” them easier, charcoal really is the best option. You water them by pouring water in until it covers a good portion of the bottom of the charcoal, and if you want to put some in an enclosure you add some water, then pour some out. The springtails float on the water and will transfer along with it as you pour it. I’m not sure how you would go about doing this with coco fiber. And a bag of charcoal will last you literally forever, and is cheaper than coco fiber. Charcoal is also sold in grocery stores and even gas stations sometimes. It’s easier to come by.

2.) They do not need ventilation holes. On the contrary, ventilation holes would allow constant escapes with no way to regulate reproduction, feeding, or moisture levels. It could end up being detrimental to the amount of springtails you have. If you want to have a colony that produces well and is thriving, occasionally opening the lid to drop in food or water is substantial for oxygen. If you aren’t seeing any springtails when you do this don’t worry. I have had many colonies seem completely dormant or dead only to come to life shortly after opening the lid. If you just ordered them and aren’t seeing any, open them up, add water and food if needed, and you will see plenty within a week or two. They are very low maintenance, and surprisingly resilient.

3.) I’m not well versed in different species, as I’ve only kept tropical whites. But as a general rule of thumb, I would say that if you have tropical isopods and tropical springtails, they will do perfectly fine in an enclosure together. As far as housing the colonies themselves, I’d recommend against it as they are kept differently and transferred to enclosures differently.

Also keep in mind there have been negative experiences with keeping isopods with invertebrates. I had dwarf white isopods in my tropical scorpion enclosures the first year or so of keeping them with no issues. But after learning that there’s a possibility of them harming the inverts while molting, I decided I’d rather be safe then sorry. It is completely up to you but if you do decide to keep isos with inverts don’t get complacent with the moisture levels. You don’t want them to seek moisture in the form of a molting T or scorp.

 

[SkittlesTheJumpingSpider]

1.) To make “harvesting” them easier, charcoal really is the best option. You water them by pouring water in until it covers a good portion of the bottom of the charcoal, and if you want to put some in an enclosure you add some water, then pour some out. The springtails float on the water and will transfer along with it as you pour it. I’m not sure how you would go about doing this with coco fiber. And a bag of charcoal will last you literally forever, and is cheaper than coco fiber. Charcoal is also sold in grocery stores and even gas stations sometimes. It’s easier to come by.

2.) They do not need ventilation holes. On the contrary, ventilation holes would allow constant escapes with no way to regulate reproduction, feeding, or moisture levels. It could end up being detrimental to the amount of springtails you have. If you want to have a colony that produces well and is thriving, occasionally opening the lid to drop in food or water is substantial for oxygen. If you aren’t seeing any springtails when you do this don’t worry. I have had many colonies seem completely dormant or dead only to come to life shortly after opening the lid. If you just ordered them and aren’t seeing any, open them up, add water and food if needed, and you will see plenty within a week or two. They are very low maintenance, and surprisingly resilient.

3.) I’m not well versed in different species, as I’ve only kept tropical whites. But as a general rule of thumb, I would say that if you have tropical isopods and tropical springtails, they will do perfectly fine in an enclosure together. As far as housing the colonies themselves, I’d recommend against it as they are kept differently and transferred to enclosures differently.

Also keep in mind there have been negative experiences with keeping isopods with invertebrates. I had dwarf white isopods in my tropical scorpion enclosures the first year or so of keeping them with no issues. But after learning that there’s a possibility of them harming the inverts while molting, I decided I’d rather be safe then sorry. It is completely up to you but if you do decide to keep isos with inverts don’t get complacent with the moisture levels. You don’t want them to seek moisture in the form of a molting T or scorp.

Thank you so much for the extremely detailed reply! I'm only keeping the isopods as pets, so no risk to any inverts.
Thanks again!

 

[xXTristinaXx]

Thank you so much for the extremely detailed reply! I'm only keeping the isopods as pets, so no risk to any inverts.
Thanks again!

Don’t use coco fiber for springtails or isopods, I use substrate for my springtails but charcoal works great too

 

[SkittlesTheJumpingSpider]

Don’t use coco fiber for springtails or isopods, I use substrate for my springtails but charcoal works great too

How come?

 

[xXTristinaXx]

It does literally nothing, the isopods won’t eat that, I use peat moss mixed in with mulch and charcoal, simple and not as good as some stuff out there but it works well

 

[SkittlesTheJumpingSpider]

It does literally nothing, the isopods won’t eat that, I use peat moss mixed in with mulch and charcoal, simple and not as good as some stuff out there but it works well

Can I mix coconut fiber with anything? I have it and I would prefer if it didn't go to waste.

 

[xXTristinaXx]

Can I mix coconut fiber with anything? I have it and I would prefer if it didn't go to waste.

Yes, but only as a filler, I don’t use it at all but it would only make up a small percentage of the blend

 

[SkittlesTheJumpingSpider]

Yes, but only as a filler, I don’t use it at all but it would only make up a small percentage of the blend

Thanks for the replies.

Would it be fine for them if I mixed it with sphagnum moss and leaves?

 

[xXTristinaXx]

Thanks for the replies.

Would it be fine for them if I mixed it with sphagnum moss and leaves?

Ehhhhh, You can but just remember the coco fiber will be completely useless to them, and the sphagnum moss they’ll eat it but it’ll take a super long time to decompose.

 

[Hisserdude]

Can I mix coconut fiber with anything? I have it and I would prefer if it didn't go to waste.

I keep all my isopods on coconut fiber with no issues, a vast majority of isopods in the hobby don't even eat their substrate in the wild, keep in mind the soil in their native habitats is usually like clay... It's the detritus on top of the substrate that they actually eat, so coconut fiber topped with edible stuff like leaf litter, rotten wood, etc., that's all they need. The base substrate just needs to serve as humidity retention IMO, isopods aren't like millipedes where the first few instars are immobile and can't find food unless they're surrounded by it, yet it seems like a lot of people are quick to push millipede care onto isopods (and now there's a big market for organically rich substrates that aren't even that useful to a lot of isopods). As long as there is decaying leaf litter on top of the substrate, you can use completely inedible substrates just fine.

Springtails care even less because the vast majority of hobby species mainly feed on supplemental foods and more fresh waste products (like invertebrate frass). I keep most of mine on coco fiber and most of them thrive the best when kept with larger inverts, since they thrive when provided with leftovers, random mold growth, and invertebrate frass and dead bodies to feed on.

And regarding charcoal cultures, that only works for certain species that like very high humidity. Some springtails do need good airflow too, all depends on the species of springtails you are getting.

 

[Smotzer]

So I keep my Collembola for use in enclosures on charcoal and on clay, both work extremely well, I would say if your intention is to add them to isopod enclosures as you go then having a charcoal culture is the way to go. And it will produce as much for you as you want because you can split it up many times and easily transfer them out by pouring some water out.

 

[SkittlesTheJumpingSpider]

So I keep my Collembola for use in enclosures on charcoal and on clay, both work extremely well, I would say if your intention is to add them to isopod enclosures as you go then having a charcoal culture is the way to go. And it will produce as much for you as you want because you can split it up many times and easily transfer them out by pouring some water out.

I keep all my isopods on coconut fiber with no issues, a vast majority of isopods in the hobby don't even eat their substrate in the wild, keep in mind the soil in their native habitats is usually like clay... It's the detritus on top of the substrate that they actually eat, so coconut fiber topped with edible stuff like leaf litter, rotten wood, etc., that's all they need. The base substrate just needs to serve as humidity retention IMO, isopods aren't like millipedes where the first few instars are immobile and can't find food unless they're surrounded by it, yet it seems like a lot of people are quick to push millipede care onto isopods (and now there's a big market for organically rich substrates that aren't even that useful to a lot of isopods). As long as there is decaying leaf litter on top of the substrate, you can use completely inedible substrates just fine.

Springtails care even less because the vast majority of hobby species mainly feed on supplemental foods and more fresh waste products (like invertebrate frass). I keep most of mine on coco fiber and most of them thrive the best when kept with larger inverts, since they thrive when provided with leftovers, random mold growth, and invertebrate frass and dead bodies to feed on.

And regarding charcoal cultures, that only works for certain species that like very high humidity. Some springtails do need good airflow too, all depends on the species of springtails you are getting.

Thanks for the replies! That's very helpful!

 

[Pmurinushmacla]

Thanks for the replies.

Would it be fine for them if I mixed it with sphagnum moss and leaves?

U have jumping spiders? coco is probably fine for them, i dont think they burrow. Straight coco is fine for most t species if you have any. I keep my arboreals and heavy webbing fossorials. For less heavy webbing species or terrestrials I wouldn't, they need more stability imo.

 

[SkittlesTheJumpingSpider]

U have jumping spiders? coco is probably fine for them, i dont think they burrow. Straight coco is fine for most t species if you have any. I keep my arboreals and heavy webbing fossorials. For less heavy webbing species or terrestrials I wouldn't, they need more stability imo.

I was talking about springtails and isopods, but I did used to have a jumping spider named Skittles.
Thanks for the reply!

 

[Pmurinushmacla]

I was talking about springtails and isopods, but I did used to have a jumping spider named Skittles.
Thanks for the reply!

I understand, but you said you didnt wanna waste it. I was just letting you know it can be used for your jumper or most ts u may have.

 

[SkittlesTheJumpingSpider]

I understand, but you said you didnt wanna waste it. I was just letting you know it can be used for your jumper or most ts u may have.

Oh, okay, thank you!