Springtails in the tub

[Lennie]

Today, when the daylight hit the 10g endler/shrimp tub in my room, I’ve noticed there are some springtails.

they are blackish, they jump on the surface, spend time around decaying floating plants. So I assume they are sprintails.

any reason to worry? Should I eliminate them by a chance?

Did some googling and they don’t really seem to cause any harm but not sure if I want bugs on the tub surface in my bedroom :,) 

I have pods and detrius worms and I like them. But these guys jumping on the surface is a bit yikes 😄 

@Guppysnail @Biotope Biologist any ideas or recommendations guys?

Here are some pics:

This tank gets only daylight. No artificial lights. The only tank mulm accumulates and not cleaned a lot as shrimp and endlers/fry love to pick on the mulm and stuff, so I let it be.

Edited April 27, 2023 by Lennie

[Guppysnail]

They are not really something to worry over. However I agree I probably do not want them in my bedroom. 
I keep them in my frogs tank. 
They are attracted to moist areas like window ledges etc. 

You could pull and rinse your floaters to try and stem your population. 

[Lennie]

On 4/27/2023 at 1:08 PM, Guppysnail said:

They are not really something to worry over. However I agree I probably do not want them in my bedroom. 
I keep them in my frogs tank. 
They are attracted to moist areas like window ledges etc. 

You could pull and rinse your floaters to try and stem your population. 

Gimme your froggie for a week 😄 

[Guppysnail]

On 4/27/2023 at 6:29 AM, Lennie said:

Gimme your froggie for a week

You only need her for a day. 🤣

Each time I put springtails in no matter where I try to hide them so they establish she disappears for the day. Then reappears fat and happy. 🐸 

[TOtrees]

Your pictures aren't great (not blaming you, the critters are awfully small LOL), but the bugs appear a bit too round-bodied to be springtails. Another insect that likes the same conditions is Psocids (pronounced so-sids) or booklice. The adults have wings and look a lot like aphids, but the juveniles lack them. Apparently they can hop a bit too. 

Equally harmless, so no matter. Just suggesting. 

[Lennie]

On 4/27/2023 at 2:07 PM, Guppysnail said:

You only need her for a day. 🤣

Each time I put springtails in no matter where I try to hide them so they establish she disappears for the day. Then reappears fat and happy. 🐸 

One day for the springtails, the rest is for hugging! 

[Lennie]

On 4/27/2023 at 3:23 PM, TOtrees said:

Your pictures aren't great (not blaming you, the critters are awfully small LOL), but the bugs appear a bit too round-bodied to be springtails. Another insect that likes the same conditions is Psocids (pronounced so-sids) or booklice. The adults have wings and look a lot like aphids, but the juveniles lack them. Apparently they can hop a bit too. 

Equally harmless, so no matter. Just suggesting. 

I really dont know. They constantly jump on the water surface until they find a place to sit on, and they are black. I directly thought of springtails 

They cannot be submerged too. I tried to push the floating plant inside the water, hoping endlers eat them, they always remain on the water surface.

[Biotope Biologist]

I have had both on my frogbit and yeah both are impossible to drown. The real killers are the aphids. They are also black… lol. But once their population gets going they drain the life out of all the plants. And will crawl into the water column to do so. But aphids don’t jump so you’re good on that front. 
 

They make great fry food! 

[Lennie]

On 4/27/2023 at 4:59 PM, Biotope Biologist said:

I have had both on my frogbit and yeah both are impossible to drown. The real killers are the aphids. They are also black… lol. But once their population gets going they drain the life out of all the plants. And will crawl into the water column to do so. But aphids don’t jump so you’re good on that front. 
 

They make great fry food! 

So nothing I shall worry about having them in my bedroom? :') 

Yeah they surely jump, I've seen it many times. So phew, I guess? 😄 

I've read someone putting vaseline on their finger and collecting them on the surface of the tank on reddit, but what if vaseline gets into the water column...

[Biotope Biologist]

Vasoline is hydrophobic. It would stay on the surface. I’ve used it to lube filter motors when silicone grease wasn’t available. That could work! 

 

You could also try a cotton swab? I still have aphids on my house plants, that’s what I use to get them off. My white clouds love the aphid feast! I imagine they are like fruit snacks to them 😁

Edited April 27, 2023 by Biotope Biologist

[Lennie]

On 4/27/2023 at 5:14 PM, Biotope Biologist said:

Vasoline is hydrophobic. It would stay on the surface. I’ve used it to lube filter motors when silicone grease wasn’t available. That could work! 

 

You could also try a cotton swab? I still have aphids on my house plants, that’s what I use to get them off. My white clouds love the aphid feast! I imagine they are like fruit snacks to them 😁

Good idea! You cover cotton swab with vaseline or just wetting it or something is enough? 

I bet endlers would eat it more as they spend some time on the surface looking for food, but I only have 1m:3f rn. They were out of the plan. Someone decided to but almost all females and left males behind, so these 3 females were being harassed constantly in the tank.

So I decided to get them and put them in the tab I have my rosy barb babies in. At least they are more relaxed now. But I still am scared of livebearers due to my very old experience with guppies. Ugh... whatever I guess. I couldn't leave them to die there with at least 50 males: 3 females.

 

Btw, not related to topic but, do you have any idea why livebearer males are like this? Like constantly mate with females even when they are pregnant, harrasing them to death even in some occasions? Isn't it a bit weird? I wonder what is the nature behind it. I understand the idea of having lots of babies to survive in nature as they are probably low in food chain, but god, the constant harrasing seems nonsense. Even one male bothers 3 female enough, and they are all already pregnant. 

Like pregnant fish won't get more pregnant right? So what is the point of their harrasing? How can it help with survivability in nature? 

 

[Expectorating_Aubergine]

Just leave em. Springtails are very sensitive to drying out. If any hop out, they will dry up and die. Just ignore them.

[OnlyGenusCaps]

I'll echo the folks who suggest to leave them.  They won't go anywhere.  If they are a species that associated with water, they'll desiccate before they make it very far.  Besides, I would argue that one of the great joys of aquariums is the wonderful panoply of life they can house - often without our notice, so good on you for paying such close attention!