{"id":1597,"date":"2020-10-22T20:27:35","date_gmt":"2020-10-22T20:27:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/keepingbugs.com\/?p=1597"},"modified":"2022-04-18T07:33:35","modified_gmt":"2022-04-18T07:33:35","slug":"easy-springtail-breeding-i-never-buy-them-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/keepingbugs.com\/easy-springtail-breeding-i-never-buy-them-again\/","title":{"rendered":"Breeding Springtails Made Easy: How To Never Buy Them Again"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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White springtails (Collembola sp.) are useful insects and a great addition to a nutritious diet for small frogs, fish, small geckos and other small insectivores. Alongside being a proper food source, springtails are also very useful as a clean-up crew and can be the janitors of your terrarium, vivarium or paludarium. Springtails are detritivores which means they only feed on dead organic material, fungi and bacteria. They help clean up your enclosure tank, will keep moulds down and prevent the fungus from spreading. After knowing this breeding method, you never rebuy springtails, and still have this precious insect always available from your own culture for many years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

After I first used the breeding method of culturing springtails on charcoal with water, I never had to repurchase springtails. It is so simple: you only need charcoal, water, food and of course the springtails. They breed easy and fast; you never run out of springtails again. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Culture springtails on charcoal is easy and fast (Photo by TruBlu Supply)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Setting up a breeding culture in 3 easy steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although there are more ways to culture and breed springtails to use as feeder insects or to make bioactive setups for your tank, this particular method is both easy, cheap and fast. You have your own springtail culture up within 3 easy steps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1 \u2014 Find a suitable container<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

First, you need to find a suitable sized container. Sterilite containers, deli cups and plastic jars with screw lids are all suitable for breeding springtails. I prefer Sterilite containers or low large base deli cups of at least a size of 6 litres (~6 Quarts). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Important is that the container has a lid included and that the lid closes tightly; otherwise, the springtails would escape from their container. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2 \u2014 Fill up half the container with charcoal and add water<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The next step is to include the medium to breed the springtails on. We use charcoal for this purpose. You can also use potting soil, coconut fibre or peat moss; however, with these mediums, it is more difficult to harvest your springtails. Especially if you want to transfer them to a second breeding container, you have to dig them out. With charcoal, it is much easier to transfer springtails. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several types of charcoal can be used as a breeding medium for springtails:<\/p>\n\n\n\n