Springtail Culture Struggles

[CricketEater35]

I have been trying to create a bountiful Springtail culture to add to my bioactive enclosures, but I am failing to see much growth with all my efforts. I have seen dozens of youtube videos with Tupperwares full of springtails and I just can't get to that point. I have them in a 1.5L rubbermaid container with a tight lid, 1/2 full of lump charcoal with about an inch of water in it. I have been checking on them daily to let in air and have provided a few grains of white rice from time to time. Should I be providing a different food source like brewer's yeast? Is there enough rice in the culture? Is there too much rice?
Please let me know what you think and what I could do to create a growing culture of springtails.

 

[DerGraf]

I tend to struggle with the charcoal set-ups as well, no idea why. I switched to small containers with airy soil again, that's what my local seller does as well.

I noticed my springstails do better when I add a little bit of protein based food from time to time. That's what the yeast is for, I usually use fish flakes.

 

[CricketEater35]

I tend to struggle with the charcoal set-ups as well, no idea why. I switched to small containers with airy soil again, that's what my local seller does as well.

I noticed my springstails do better when I add a little bit of protein based food from time to time. That's what the yeast is for, I usually use fish flakes.

I will give that a try. Thank you for the suggestion.

 

[jbooth]

I scraped some off the bottom of a board in the backyard and they breed like crazy everywhere I put them. I found they really like a sprinkle of Repashy Morning Wood, for the yeast and everything else. Have yet to try the charcoal method, I haven't really needed a master culture, I just shake them off a piece of bark in my hissers usually. They often migrate to new enclosures on their own too.

 

[Frogdaddy]

Mushrooms are a great food for springs.

 

[Moakmeister]

My springtails don’t seem to eat brewer’s yeast. They don’t gather around it like they do with rice grains. Is it because the yeast comes as a powder rather than flakes?

 

[jbooth]

My springtails don’t seem to eat brewer’s yeast. They don’t gather around it like they do with rice grains. Is it because the yeast comes as a powder rather than flakes?

The yeast starts growing a mold, and they eat that. Not sure they eat it before it's active but I could be wrong. The idea would be that the yeast is growing on the rice...

 

[jbooth]

The thing I don't understand, is that alcohol likely kills springtails. You mix sugar with yeast and water... you will have alcohol in short order. I'm not sure if this is the reason, but the only culture I ever left completely airtight like some of the videos show, all my springtails died. When I keep them with anything else, especially isopods, with decent ventilation, they thrive.

 

[Moakmeister]

The yeast starts growing a mold, and they eat that. Not sure they eat it before it's active but I could be wrong. The idea would be that the yeast is growing on the rice...

i know about the mold thing, but that begs the question of why you’d need to give them anything other than rice if it’s just the mold they’re eating. Do different kinds of food grow different molds on them? Should I put a little piece of bread in there?

 

[jbooth]

i know about the mold thing, but that begs the question of why you’d need to give them anything other than rice if it’s just the mold they’re eating. Do different kinds of food grow different molds on them? Should I put a little piece of bread in there?

I really don't know. Yes they can grow different kinds, but what they want I haven't a clue.

 

[ccTroi]

I use the NOW brand brewer's yeast and sprinkle it on the charcoal. I don't think they eat the brewer's yeast itself but rather the mold that grows from it. It takes a couple weeks for a newly set up colony to really see progress. I have used rice grains as well. IME, brewer's yeast helps to jump start a new colony because mold grows from it sooner than from rice grains. I think you have enough amount of rice in your enclosure. Continue checking once daily for airflow. I have never used soil to culture springtails personally. Whenever I obtain a colony of springtails cultured in soil/coco fiber, I notice it has a tendency for mites compared to charcoal.

 

[DerGraf]

My springtails don’t seem to eat brewer’s yeast. They don’t gather around it like they do with rice grains. Is it because the yeast comes as a powder rather than flakes?

I've never tried yeast, so I can't speak about that. Mine sure gather at fish flakes, usually it's eaten before it can develop visible mold. I can't imagine though it matter if it's a powder or flake. They don't really care if I ground the flakes up before feeding or not.

I have never used soil to culture springtails personally. Whenever I obtain a colony of springtails cultured in soil/coco fiber, I notice it has a tendency for mites compared to charcoal.

This sounds like a possible risk. I got mites only once, but both in a charcoal and soil set-up at the same time, so I assume an outside source. I make sure to disinfect my soil in the oven before I set up a colony.

 

[bjjpokemon910]

Honestly I'd recommend the substrate method, I've had the same springtail culture for two years. All I do is sprinkle some food and ad biodegradables.