[Gamble]

MICROFAUNA
A Beginner's I.D. Guide​

This write-up is to provide beginners with an I.D. guide to microfauna commonly found in a dart frog vivarium.

I will try to depict some of the more commonly found types, as well as providing pictures & additional links for reading.​

NOTE:
This is in no way a definitive guide. This will only be covering basic microfauna & is not a guide to types of feeders or harmful fauna​

Microfauna serves many purposes in our vivariums & are the heart of our self contained ecosystems. In addition to being a food source, they are tank janitors. They will feed on decaying organic matter; (wood, leaves, dead plants/animals, feces ... etc)
They are a naturally occuring organism in our vivariums and are not a cause for concern. In fact, microfauna help to promote a healthy enviroment for our amphibians and their presence is considered to be a positive.


TYPES OF SPRINGTAILS

Source: https://mycotopia.net/forums/attach...ing-plant-how-do-you-kill-them-springtail.jpg

• Tropical White (Collembola sp.)
  
  
  Source: http://www.dartshack.com]DartShack.com - Dart Frog Supplies
  
  
• Temperate White
  
  
  Source: http://www.dartshack.com]DartShack.com - Dart Frog Supplies
  
  
• Tropical Pink (Sinella Curviseta)
  
  
  Source: http://www.dartshack.com]DartShack.com - Dart Frog Supplies
  
  
• Black (Tomocerus sp.)
  
  
  Source: http://magickcanoe.com/invertebrates/springtails-eating-algae2.jpg
  
  
• Tropical Silver
  
  
  Source: http://bugguide.net/images/cache/IR...RZH5RHHQZLHQRWLIRULIRJZ7RJZMRPLKZRHERJZLZ.jpg
  
  
• Temperate Silver
  
  
  Source: bugguide.net/images/raw/Y0AQRSNQLSV...KVQ305KAKUQVKGKY08KWKZKPKMKPKPQLS1Q30UQZS.jpg
  
  
• Blue (Podura sp.)
  
  
  Source: http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb31/corpus_callosum/springtails/Blue_springtails2.jpg
  

TYPES OF ISOPODS

• Dwarf Grey
  
  
  Source: http://www.dartshack.com]DartShack.com - Dart Frog Supplies
  
  
• Dwarf White
  
  
  Source: http://www.dartshack.com]DartShack.com - Dart Frog Supplies
  
  
• Dwarf Purple
  
  
  Source: http://www.dartshack.com]DartShack.com - Dart Frog Supplies
  
  
• Dwarf Striped
  
  
  Source: http://www.dartshack.com]DartShack.com - Dart Frog Supplies
  
  
• Giant Orange
  
  
  Source: http://www.dartshack.com]DartShack.com - Dart Frog Supplies
  
  
• Great Canyon
  
  
  Source: http://www.dartshack.com]DartShack.com - Dart Frog Supplies
  

OTHER MISC.

• Wood Mites
  
  
  Source: DartShack.com - Dart Frog Supplies
  
  
  
  
  Source: DartShack.com - Dart Frog Supplies
  
  
• Fungus Gnats
  
  
  Source: DartShack.com - Dart Frog Supplies
  
  
• Nematodes
  
  
  Source: DartShack.com - Dart Frog Supplies
  

How Do I Culture Springtails & Isopods?
Here are a few good links to start with:
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/66991-how-culture-isopods-woodlice-springtails.html
http://www.joshsfrogs.com/catalog/bl...ofauna-part-i/
http://www.joshsfrogs.com/catalog/bl...fauna-part-ii/
Silver / Gray / Black Springtail (Tomocerus sp.) care info - Caudata.org Newt and Salamander Forum

Additional Information on Microfauna:
Microfauna - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://dartden.com/feeder-insects-nu...viv-t5051.html
Animal Life Resource - JRank Articles
Isopoda - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/be...ity-importance-isopods-pillbugs-vivarium.html
Fungus gnat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://nematode.unl.edu/wormgen.htm
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/general-discussion/48736-nematodes-good-bad.html

Additional I.D. Threads:
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/identification-forum/14622-what-my-frog-tank.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/general-discussion/35729-mite-micro-fauna-comparison-photos.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/general-discussion/87733-nematode.html



Contributers:
Nick Gamble (Gamble)
Kyle Kopp (kyle1745)

If you would like to see any updates or modifications to this care sheet please let myself or a moderator know.

Last Updated: 1/12/2012

 

[kyle1745]

Really good, can you add the pictures?

 

[Gamble]

Should I just add them thru a new reply and you will place them together?
(As you know, they will be added from the tapatalk app on my phone).

 

[kyle1745]

I think you can edit your post in here, its been awhile... You only use tapatalk on a phone?

 

[Gamble]

I think you can edit your post in here, its been awhile... You only use tapatalk on a phone?

Nope, no edit option available; I'll have to post them in a reply.
Yes, Tapatalk is the only way I can post pictures when using my phone unfortunately ... and I'm on my phone 99% of the time when on this site.
(Web browser for surfing/posting, tapatalk for pictures ... thats probably why my status always shows me as online.) The good thing is that I'm always available bc Tapatalk sends a notification to my phone when I get a new message.

 

[Gamble]

Springtails:


Tropical White


Temperate White





Sent from my Galaxy Note II using Tapatalk 2

 

[Gamble]

Tropical Pink

Black


Tropical Silver


Temperate Silver

Blue


ISOPODS:

Dwarf Grey


Dwarf White

Dwarf Purple


Dwarf Striped


Giant Orange



Great Canyon







Sent from my Galaxy Note II using Tapatalk 2

 

[Gamble]

OTHER MISC.

Wood Mites



Fungus Gnats


Nematodes


Sent from my Galaxy Note II using Tapatalk 2

 

[zBrinks]

Great pics! Are these your photos, or should you be linking to their sources? Feel free to use and pictures/info from the Josh's Frogs culture guides I wrote - just link to the blog.

http://www.joshsfrogs.com/catalog/blog/2011/11/microfauna-part-i/
http://www.joshsfrogs.com/catalog/blog/category/feeder-insects/isopod-care/

 

[Gamble]

Great pics! Are these your photos, or should you be linking to their sources? Feel free to use and pictures/info from the Josh's Frogs culture guides I wrote - just link to the blog.

Josh's Frogs How-To Guides » Blog Archive » Microfauna: Springtails
Josh's Frogs How-To Guides » Isopods

Hey Zach ...
I did not take them. I got all of them off Google Image.

And your blog is actually linked under the "how to culture" section.

Thx.

 

[zBrinks]

Hi Nick,

If you borrowed them from google images, each picture should be credited to the website it was originally posted on. Generally, simply posting "Source" below the picture, and then linking that to the original website, is considered sufficient.

 

[Gamble]

Hi Nick,

If you borrowed them from google images, each picture should be credited to the website it was originally posted on. Generally, simply posting "Source" below the picture, and then linking that to the original website, is considered sufficient.

Got ya. I'll try to hunt them down.

 

[zBrinks]

No worries. If you need help formatting/etc, feel free to contact me. I'm fairly familiar with the informal rules of citing/linking to information or pictures from other sites via all the social networking and blogging I do for Josh's Frogs.

 

[Gamble]

Thx Zach, I appreciate it.
I may have to use some different pictures for some of them bc I am not able to locate some of the pictures I've used to obtain their web locations.

 

[Gamble]

Ok Kyle -
Im going to be using some different pics due to the fact that I could not find some of the pics I used previously to obtain their web address for proper credit as per Zach's advice.

Let me know if these are acceptable:

 

[Gamble]

Springtails


Source: https://mycotopia.net/forums/attach...ing-plant-how-do-you-kill-them-springtail.jpg

Tropical White:

Source: www.dartshack.com

Temperate White:

Source: www.dartshack.com

Tropical Pink:

Source: www.dartshack.com

Black:

Source: http://magickcanoe.com/invertebrates/springtails-eating-algae2.jpg

Tropical Silver

Source: http://bugguide.net/images/cache/IR...RZH5RHHQZLHQRWLIRULIRJZ7RJZMRPLKZRHERJZLZ.jpg

Temperate Silver

Source: http://bugguide.net/images/raw/Y0AQ...KVQ305KAKUQVKGKY08KWKZKPKMKPKPQLS1Q30UQZS.jpg

Blue

Source: http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb31/corpus_callosum/springtails/Blue_springtails2.jpg


Sent from my Galaxy Note II using Tapatalk 2

 

[Gamble]

ISOPODS

Dwarf White

Source: www.dartshack.com

Dwarf Grey

Source: www.dartshack.com

Dwarf Purple

Source: www.dartshack.com

Dwarf Striped

Source: www.dartshack.com

Giant Orange

Source: www.dartshack.com

Giant Canyon

Source: http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/photography/83662-giant-canyon-isopod.html


Sent from my Galaxy Note II using Tapatalk 2

 

[Gamble]

OTHER MISC.
Wood Mites/Detrivore Mites


Sources:
http://images.wikia.com/x-files/images/3/3d/Wood_mites_magnified.jpg
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/gallery/data/2148/medium/mites_close.JPG

Fungus Gnats

Source: http://www.gchydro.com/uploaded_images/Sciara_sp_1-711090.jpg

Nematodes

Source: http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/identification-forum/14622-what-my-frog-tank.html

Sent from my Galaxy Note II using Tapatalk 2

 

[Gamble]

Also some corrections:
It should be Giant Canyon, not Great Canyon

Also ... The wood mites should be written as:
"Wood Mites / Detrivore Mites"

Thx Kyle.

This should complete everything.

Let me know what you all think.
Thx Everyone.

Sent from my Galaxy Note II using Tapatalk 2

 

[kyle1745]

Ill have to try to combine it all.