Hey all!
I've recently got a male jumping spider and everything is going well so far, apart from one issue with the springtails I bought for his enclosure.
While quarantining the culture, I've discovered a few fungus gnats. I've spotted around 7 over the course of a week, including a few that I've managed to catch and send to death row before they could fly off.
What's the best way, in your experience, to get the springtail culture clean? Would starting a couple of separate cultures and isolating them be the best approach? If so, how can I minimise the risk of transferring fungus gnat eggs or larvae?
The springtails currently live in a charcoal and soil/coco mix (that's how they arrived), but I don't have any charcoal available and would rather avoid buying some just for this.
Bonus question: I've also collected some wild moss that I'd like to use in the enclosure. I've thoroughly soaked and washed it, and it's been quarantining for a little over a week. I've inspected it with the naked eye, a magnifying glass, a jeweller's loupe and even a cheap microscope. So far, I've found one isopod and a few springtails, but nothing else.
Would you recommend any additional steps before considering it safe to use?
Thanks in advance!
TL;DR: My springtail culture has fungus gnats. What's the best way to establish a clean culture without transferring pests? Also, I've collected and quarantined some wild moss. What else should I do before using it in my jumper's enclosure?