Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm toying with the idea of getting arrow frogs and am wondering what is better to feed frogs as a staple, springtails or fruitflies? I haven't been able to find anything out about their nutritional value.

Thank you.
Heather
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Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first and the lesson after.

H's Kritter Kove

I would have to say fruit flies. I have never heard of anyone ever using springtails as a staple. I raise springtails and would never be able to produce enough of them to feed my 11 frogs. I try to establish springtails in my new tank for them to feed on whenever they are hungry. I add more as a treat and a variation in there diet. Go would fruit flies
Mark
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my tanks and frogs

Both. And small crickets. And (safe) field sweepings. And woodlice... etc.
The more variety the better.

http://www.doylesdartden.com/food.html

Jason,

That is a good site, but it does not contain any data on springtails for comparison to ff's. Furthermore, I use a different method of culturing springtails than that used by Doyle, and mine don't require new cultures to be made every month. I have had my original culture since March, and it is still producing springtails like crazy.
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Homer W. Faucett III, esq.
Purveyor of Trivialities and Fine Nonsense

Homer,

I just started 5 different springtail cultures for some froglets that I expecting to morph out in the next months or so. I did three with charcol, feeding yeast and cocoos,and two with peatmoss and oak leaves. The charcoal cultures seem to be doing best so far but since this is my time with springtails, I'm looking for all the pointers I can get. What method have you found to work best for you ?

Thanks,
Tom

I use a medium made of washed coconut husk chips and activated charcoal. That is spread about 1/2-3/4" thick in whatever container I am using. I then keep about 1/4" of water in the bottom and use flake food to feed them. I'm about to start using coos-coos for food because I'm almost through with my flake food that was left over for so long (maybe I'll just use some of my goldfish food since I have so much).

To feed, I just add some RO water to the container, watch the 'critters float to the top, and pour them out into the tank with my frogs--easy as pie.

If you don't start out with a large enough number for your starter cultures, it can take quite a while for them to really take off . . . but once they do, watch out! Maybe someone has come up with a more productive method, but this is quick, simple, and cheap--and you don't have to make new cultures once per month. I can't beat it!
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Homer W. Faucett III, esq.
Purveyor of Trivialities and Fine Nonsense

Homer,

What temp do you keep yours at? I ask this because I read that you should keep them cool, 60-70 degrees so I've been keeping mine in the garage. Its been in the mid sixties the last month or so. Well anyway, the last 3 days jumped up into the 90's and a couple of my cultures exploded with thousands of offspring. Just wondering if it's timing or they like the warmer temps better.

Thanks,
Tom

I, too, have heard that they like cooler temps, but I keep mine in a cabinet in the living room (near the floor) where the temps range from 66-74. Even at that temp range, they will just "explode" in population when the time and food conditions are right.

We always used to have problems with springtails invading our white worm cultures when I was raising fish, and those were kept in cooler temps. However, it's worth a shot to try out a few of your cultures at warmer temps . . . if they live in compost piles, they have to be adaptable to higher temps. Anyway, there are several different species of springtails, so you might have one more adapted to higher temps.

Good luck,

Homer
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Homer W. Faucett III, esq.
Purveyor of Trivialities and Fine Nonsense

I wouldn't even think about getting juvenile darts without having a good supply of springtails. I have had times where the froglets seemed reluctant to eat ff's, but devoured piles of springtails with great joy. While I use a base diet of ff's (both melanogaster and hydei), I feed springtails about 2-3 times per week, and I feed flour beetle larvae about 1-2 times per week.

All three of those foods are relatively simple to culture, and you CAN raise springtails in sufficient quantity to feed around 5 froglets, but it would require about 5 shoebox-sized cultures. While I agree that ff's are probably the better of the two to use as a staple (since they are easily dusted with vitamin/mineral powder, and will continue to be filling even to adults), I would strongly suggest starting 2-3 springtail cultures about a month before getting your froglets. You won't regret it.
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Homer W. Faucett III, esq.
Purveyor of Trivialities and Fine Nonsense

How do you culture springtails? every method I've used so far has resulted in a box of red mites not springtails.

TIA

ahphule

Please check my response, "Culturing Springtails", which I posted above. I hope it works as well for you as it has for me!
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Homer W. Faucett III, esq.
Purveyor of Trivialities and Fine Nonsense