[ckays]

OK so i picked up some cultures of springs and dwaf iso's about 2 months ago now.

Using Doug's ABG/Leaf litter mix for the iso's and straight charcoal for the springs. (Great thread!)

Have seen very little action in either culture until recently, my iso culture is starting to boom with very small, relatively quick moving critters. I believe them to be young iso's, but have some concern about mites.

From all the pics and searching I have done on here, mites tend to be slow and very white. These are neither. Could someone confirm my theory?

On a side note there is very little action in the spring culture, i fear that I did not get them moved into their charcoal home soon enough after they arrived, but time will tell.

Thanks All.

 

[hypostatic]

What kind of springtails did you get? Can you post a picture?

 

[Pumilo]

If your eyes are any good at all, you can see this with the naked eye. If not, find a magnifying glass or take a digital picture and blow it up on your computer screen.
Some bugs go through stages (larval, instars, whatever--I'm not an entomologist, I just like my bugs!), in which they may look like different bugs. Isopods and springtails do not. A baby isopod looks exactly like a small adult (although the color may be lighter) and a baby springtail looks exactly like a small adult springtail (although the pinks will appear lighter in color).
At least from the time you can see them with the naked eye, young mites also look exactly like adult mites.
Hope that helps.

 

[dartsami]

, my iso culture is starting to boom with very small, relatively quick moving critters. I believe them to be young iso's, but have some concern about mites.



Sounds like if they are quick they are springtails in your isopod culture. Try blowing into the culture and see if they jump around. If they dont jump they could be baby isopods.

 

[ckays]

What kind of springtails did you get? Can you post a picture?

I have Temperate Springtails and Striped Isopods.

I'll try to post a picture shortly. Which might answer my question since i can blow it up (Thanks Pumilo). I have not seen a single moving creature in the springtail culture, but the small amount of yeast i add every now and then is disappearing so I'm hoping that culture is coming along...

 

[ckays]

OK Pictures were an epic fail. iPhone photography just won't cut it.

No surprise there.

However, a quick search through my son's room led to a decent ant fryer that revealed munchkin isopods!!

First successful culture. (FF's don't count) Now i just need to get these springtails going.

Thanks for the input and good ideas all.

 

[Pumilo]

Good deal. How old is your springtail culture? There is a lot of motion in my springtail cultures every time I pull the lid off.

 

[ckays]

Two months. I am fairly certain that it has crashed and/or never got stated at this point.

The springs spent a couple days in their shipping container until i got the charcoal to get them set up. I believe this may have something to do with it. That or i have too much water in the culture, but from what i have read, that is not likely.

I am wavering between continued patience or ordering more. . .

 

[Pumilo]

Sounds crashed if it has been two months. Too much water should not be an issue unless you are trying Giant Black Tomocerus.
Isopods may take a couple months to start doing much but springtails should be showing a lot more action by now.

 

[ckays]

Thanks for the confirmation.

I'll take 1 out of 2.

So who wants to send me a new springtail culture?

 

[Pumilo]

You could try Tclipse (Teddy) or Jeremy Huff.

 

[ckays]

I see Jeremy has a classified up. He sent me the original cultures with no issue.

Time for Round 2...

 

[Shinosuke]

I would highly recommend <redacted, vendor feedback only belongs in the vendor feedback section, Catfur>.
My springs took a long time to take off and I think it was because I wasn't feeding enough. At first I was only putting a sprinkle of yeast and the occasional fruit peel in the cultures 1x a week and they barely grew. On a whim I started dusting the whole culture with yeast every day or 2 and they started booming. If you still see any movement in your spring cultures at all try upping the amount and frequency of feedings.

 

[ckays]

Already placed my order with <redacted, vendor feedback only belongs in the vendor feedback section, Catfur>. Had a good experience the first go around.

I'll try the springs again. There were some extenuating circumstances when order came in that I believe led to the culture not taking. ( had nothing to do with Jeremy at all, to be clear)

It's intereating that an increase in feeding got yours to boom as I have read and been advised that overfeeding is a common cause of failure...

 

[Pumilo]

Already placed my order with <redacted, vendor feedback only belongs in the vendor feedback section, Catfur>. Had a good experience the first go around.

I'll try the springs again. There were some extenuating circumstances when order came in that I believe led to the culture not taking. ( had nothing to do with Jeremy at all, to be clear)

It's intereating that an increase in feeding got yours to boom as I have read and been advised that overfeeding is a common cause of failure...

I don't know why that would be. They eat mold and rotting foods. Unless you have not set it up with ventilation, in which case it is really suffocation rather than overfeeding.
Overfeeding can be an issue with isopods as excessive mold can seem to choke them out if it gets completely out of control.

 

[ckays]

Thanks for the clarification Doug. I belive it was your thread ( you know the one) that suggested just a pinch of yeast, at least to star.

Jeremy also advised me not to overfeed.

In my case this is somewhat moot as i feed moderately. Not too light and not too heavy. I think my inability to get the springs into the charcoal cutlure in a reasonable amount time caused the crash.

Appreciate the good information though

 

[Pumilo]

If you install those .3 micron filters, you can drastically increase your feeding for your springtails. The problem with increased feeding is that it increases bacterial action and therefore bacterial respiration. This leads to a culture that suffocates overnight. Install the filters, they can breathe, problem solved.

 

[ckays]

Yes sir.

 

[ckays]

Oops!

My first DB wrist slap. . My bad.

 

[fieldnstream]

Here is a pic of a baby dwarf grey iso next to some mites for comparison: