Dart Den
Serving the Dart Frog Community Since 2004...
Dart Den

Serving the Dart Frog Community Since 2004...

Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Most productive food for springtails
#61
I'm 100% set on "soil like" ABG type substrate for ALL my Isopod and Springtails. I just don't think all-charcoal works....neither do I like one single type stuff like 100% coco coir or leca ect.

I think that bugs do best on what mother nature intended them to live on - 'Dirt"....
https://www.facebook.com/dartden/

https://twitter.com/DartDen


"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
Reply
#62
BcsTx Wrote:I have been using watermellon rinds occaisionally, they really get the springs blooming faster than anything else.
I alternate with mushrooms and nutritional yeast.

Hi Beth again thanks for the imput,i think that most of the curbit family are good for them,although as i noted earlier i've recently got some tiny white worms in a culture,we I'd lay odds has to do with food source,quietly I'm quite pleased because the little tads love em,and the culture seems to be doing ok on the springs front to so no great hardship.

Glenn i would expect that your set up for culturing is so mite proof that you'll get no problems,tell me how you get on in a while please.

I'm sure your right,springtails being natures clean up squad for so much that is decaying,vegative wise anyway. Oh i got a photo for you mate a bit later maybe when I'm finished

I'll repeat that earlier question does anybody microwave their yeast,im wondering is there is any potential for mites to come in this way?
Beth Glenn thanks guys
Stu

Ps for iso Phil I'm with you i have a method all natural stuff thats cranking them out,but i can't quite get those results with springtails yet,i'm looking into another few species though which might help us along the way,springtails are a work in progress for me mate,mind I'm not really taking just a few now. I'll be pushing the boat out on this one for a while i think,trying different methods.The main thing is we are ahead we are consistantly producing enough and a good suplus
Reply
#63
Springs, however, are so much easier to collect in a water/charcoal arrangement. I leave some ABG piled in a corner, but the remainder of the tank is solely charcoal and water. Have all the springs I need.
Reply
#64
A double layer of Mag leaves or some cardboard squares on top of the dirt....sprinkle the food on the leaves or cardboard and moisten lightly...pick up the leaf or cardboard loaded with springs and shake off into the viv...there is no easier collection method that I know of.
https://www.facebook.com/dartden/

https://twitter.com/DartDen


"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
Reply
#65
Scooping them off the surface of the water is easier than fooling around with springs jumping off cardboard all over the place. Just my personal preference. Cut the bottom off of a tablespoon measuring spoon and replaced the hole with noseum netting: result, a tiny spring net. Scoops hundreds at a time from the surface.
Reply
#66
Seeing as we're chatting about springs and it was spring day, I thought I's snap a couple of cell phone pics. These springs came from a dozen 32oz cultures on leca.

[Image: 015hxe.jpg]

And a little contraption I made so I don't saturate the froglet bins with water. I'm trying 190's now.

[Image: 013vht.jpg]

Oops, dropped one. lol
Glenn
Reply
#67
Stu&Shaz Wrote:Glenn i would expect that your set up for culturing is so mite proof that you'll get no problems,tell me how you get on in a while please.

I think you have seen my tray that I use. Mite powder is used on the tray with the cultures elevated with egg crate. I feed only nutritional yeast and Reapahy superfly and have had no issues with mites. I had some very large cultures in the past not on the mite powder and they got infested! To be honest Stu, I'm more concerned about nematodes. I've had them and they seriously s l o w down a culture. I microwave my coco chunks until steamy hot and pour boiling water over the leca to try and kill any eggs that may be present. It's not going to happen with leca, but what the hay...why not. I don't microvave the yeast. I don't see a need for it and have had no issues.

Cheers
Glenn
Reply
#68
frogfreak Wrote:
Stu&Shaz Wrote:Glenn i would expect that your set up for culturing is so mite proof that you'll get no problems,tell me how you get on in a while please.

I think you have seen my tray that I use. Mite powder is used on the tray with the cultures elevated with egg crate. I feed only nutritional yeast and Reapahy superfly and have had no issues with mites. I had some very large cultures in the past not on the mite powder and they got infested! To be honest Stu, I'm more concerned about nematodes. I've had them and they seriously s l o w down a culture. I microwave my coco chunks until steamy hot and pour boiling water over the leca to try and kill any eggs that may be present. It's not going to happen with leca, but what the hay...why not. I don't microvave the yeast. I don't see a need for it and have had no issues.

Cheers
yeah exactly i have seen pics of your set up and the repashy is fairly recent i think hence my question as to keep me informed.
I have never seen nemataodes(do you mean nemerteans) other than inviv,although i know of folks here whom have had this blummin pest in cultures with the expected problems.I take the same view as really mate,I nuke everything,except the yeast,so wondered if there was a possibility of mites coming in with the yeast,
Stu
Reply
#69
Could be nemerteans, Stu. Little white worms. Culture killers...
Glenn
Reply
#70
A foot note to this that I started a good while back. We are settled on the charcoal method,big cultures,feeding Allinson's bread yeast(for those brits here) and some grated cuttle bone as Ca source,results are fantastic now,across 3 species of springtail,there are nuances I have noted between species such as some preferring it a tiny bit drier and a form of ,I believe, sinnella seems to be amazingly productive. We mist frequently and change water every 2/4weeks.

Thanks for all the help guys

Stu
Reply
#71
Anyone using Josh frogs 'spring to life' powdered springtails food?

Stu... what is 'redibrek' ? Some sort of cereal?
https://www.facebook.com/dartden/

https://twitter.com/DartDen


"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
Reply
#72
I've considered buying it to start mine. So I am interested in any opinions on this aswell.
Reply
#73
redibrek is a type of cereal/ oatmeal if I remember right. the josh's stuff ok for me. it does turn black/brown after it gets wet. the bugs like it.
Reply
#74
I have used it for over a two years now never had a problem with it


IJEEPIN
Paul Sandyck
Membership Officer
/|_|,[______],
I--I--L--OIIIIIIIO-
( )_) ( )_)--o--)_)
Reply



User Panel Messages

Announcements
Announcement #1 8/1/2020
Announcement #2 8/2/2020
Announcement #3 8/6/2020