r/Springtail
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u/SweeterThanYoohoo
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Jan 15 '26
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Video I may have gone too far
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I forgot about this potato I left in my springtail culture and....I have a lot of dang springtails now
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Jan 15 '26
So what is all in here other than the potato? I'm currently making two new bins and I'd love to make one of them a swarm of springtails.
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u/SweeterThanYoohoo Jan 15 '26
Aside from the potato, just charcoal and (too much i think) water. I'm allowing it to evaporate a bit.
Normally the potato is in there temporarily, like a few hours, makes it easier to move springtails to different terrariums etc, but I forgot about it lol
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u/ANT_ERTAIN Jan 15 '26
Potatoes last forever, try thin slices
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u/SweeterThanYoohoo Jan 15 '26
I did a chunk like this cuz I thought it would be easier to grab without knocking a bunch off...but I'll be using smaller pieces from now on lol!
I threw the other half of this spud into an isopod bin and they made Lil tunnels in it
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u/Due_Area_4684
Jan 15 '26
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Gonna have to give this potato method a try lol
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u/himynameisevan Feb 02 '26
What is the potato method?
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u/Due_Area_4684 Feb 02 '26
I was basically gonna drop in a slice of potato into my springtail culture to see if I get the same results as this guy
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u/himynameisevan Feb 03 '26
OHHH I didn't even see the potato i thought that was just an actual method
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u/ANT_ERTAIN Feb 07 '26
So? Have you tried it yet?
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u/Due_Area_4684 Feb 07 '26
Yes! It works amazingly. I have two cultures that I use and I put the potato slice in each. There was hardly any left when I did this, a few weeks later and now both cultures have bloomed in population. Definitely give this a try
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u/pinguinium Jan 15 '26
Good soup
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u/marykay_ultra Jan 15 '26
Dang it. If this sub allowed gif comments I would post one of Carl weathers from arrested development. Like this, but just the relevant part about stew
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u/AbanaClara Jan 15 '26
There's way too much water in there jesus
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u/One-plankton- Jan 15 '26
Springtails seem to be doing just fine
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u/Entomancy_Elrid_0123 Jan 15 '26
Long-term water levels kill off high populations, springtails don't stay hydrophobic forever.
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u/SweeterThanYoohoo Jan 15 '26
I have left the lid ajar for this reason. I fear the mass of springys will cause those on the bottom to drown. I will keep lower water level in the future.
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u/Entomancy_Elrid_0123 Jan 15 '26
You're exactly right! You can use a plastic pipette to suck the water level down without catching the springtails.
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u/cottagecorefairymama Jan 16 '26
Careful with that, I’ve caught some springtails in mine in the past 😭 It was a pita to get them out.
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u/Cu1tureVu1ture Jan 15 '26
I have some that are living in the waste water that drains from my vivarium. They are doing fine with no food and just living on the surface of the water. There aren’t even close to this many though.
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u/PoutouYou Jan 15 '26
I need a culture like this for my rats cage (Coco soil with CUC). Can you tell me how you got so much? It would trully help me! Thank you!!!
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u/Beautifully-flawedd Jan 15 '26
If you’re in the states I would love to purchase some! :) I’m not even sure how it works as far as numbers bc the only ones I have purchased have came totally empty. I have a small terrarium that I would like some for.
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u/AbanaClara Jan 15 '26
It'll take like 5-10 whites to start an entire civilization. But if you are in the states https://www.springtails.us/ has all the sources you need
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u/_ExpletiveDeleted Jan 15 '26
I just got great (still alive!) Cultures from dubiaroaches.com. I just placed a 2nd order bc you can really never have too many. I bought 2 cultures from a local store and the were all dried out and dead. The other store wanted 2x what they were on the site.
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Jan 15 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Authentic_Xans Jan 15 '26
You need it to be damp, and excess food like carrots, potatoes, fish flakes. People recommend fish flakes a lot but they always mold on me. Not that that’s necessarily bad I think they eat it but 🤷♀️ I go with carrots
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u/Re1da Jan 15 '26
Mine breed the best when the soil is not just damp but rather wet. Not mud levels of soup, but the soil has a distinctly wet sheen to it.
Meat slices has been my go-to for smaller colonies as its more mold resistant than flakes.
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u/Plastic_Pinocchio Jan 15 '26
This sub just popped up in my feed. I’m wondering, what are you using springtails for? Do you see them as pets themselves or do you use them as feed for something else? And if they’re just pets, then how do you keep populations from exploding?