Microfauna needs to Breathe !

[Philsuma]

Just lost a few deli cups of dwarf white isopods due to sealing up the lids to prevent FF from coming in the holes.

All microfauna should have fabric ventilated tops IMO - just like for FF cx's. They need oxygen.

[scarloc]

My springtails are kept in containers (not specifically airtight but without holes) that i open everyday and blow into to remove CO2. But I've had a large culture collapse for no reason though i assume its due to lack of oxygen.

[Eric Walker]

Ive had a few larger white woodlice cultures suffocate.

All the bugs found dead on the surface looking like a nuclear disaster. Kept in sealed tupperware and media filling about 80% of the container.

I now have weed blocker covering a series of 1/8" holes on all my cultures and try and leave about 50% empty.

[frogfreak]

My springs are sealed and I haven't had any issues. They're opened 2-3 times a week and there's a decent size air gap.

I use KISS containers for Iso'd and I think the lid fits just loose enough to get good air exchange.

[joneill809]

It's possible my cultures have not been setup for long enough, but I have a Orange and Giant Canyons culturing for about 5 months in sterilite shoeboxes with drilled 1" vent holes covered with filter paper hot glued to the lid. I saw this on a forum post somewhere (can't remember where) so I figured I would give it a go. Here's what they look like:

The filter paper has held up well so I have not had to change it out yet. I open the lids about once a week. No observed escapees

I used a similar concept for the tops to the storage bins I use for storing my FF cultures. I don't want the kids getting near the mite paper, so I keep the cultures buttoned up in an opaque storage bin with a vented top. This has worked out well too. No FF crashes, but I do open these bins daily.

[Philsuma]

Nice. I always like to have that cloth (FF Cup) ventilation holes and otherwise tightly sealed. You do NOT want stray FF crawling inside and mite-ing up everything.