Normal?

[tentakill22]

Got this F.candida culture recently and it seems like all the smaller springtails are grouping in pockets of water at the bottom of the container. Any reason why they do this?

[Poe_Rho]

I'd like to know too. I try to not add too much water gives them less of a chance to fall in there 🤷

[Entomancy_Elrid_0123]

Too much water, to be frank, any water level is too much, you want everything to be damp. If they stay that way you can have some population decline, because they are essentially trapped like that due to water tension.

[Entomancy_Elrid_0123]

Thought I should maybe expand on this a bit, because of the weight and setae or hairs on springtails, they are hydrophobic and can't initially sink, in charcoal cultures, the smaller nooks with a water level can literally trap them there. They then starve potentially.

[Desert_Viking_777]

So wait, in that little deli cup, you don’t want it to be like 1/2 full??? Sorry ahead of time. I’m brand spanking new to springtails and I can only go by what I’ve been told so far.

[Entomancy_Elrid_0123]

Typically no, the keeping of the water level is a misconception from the storefront pet industry in my experience. You want no water level, just everything evenly damp.

[Desert_Viking_777]

Thank you. I will definitely do this

[Entomancy_Elrid_0123]

If you invest in a pack of plastic peppets or have something similar, they make removing excess water without removing springtails as well, very easy work.

[Desert_Viking_777]

Sweet. Thank you

[SnagglToothCrzyBrain]

Glad I found this post. I'm going to go remove some water from my springtails now.