How to Choose the Best Cleanup Crew for Your Bioactive Tank! ♻🌿

[@Dr.raptoro]

What would be a good clean up crew for electric blue day geckos jumping spiders and glass tree frogs in a tropical environment

[@TyeDyedIguana]

Our go to clean up crews are typically springtails and isopods, with the caveat that sometimes isopods will become food for appropriately sized species. All of those animals might eat them, but it can usually be mitigated with enough hiding places for them.

[@Dr.raptoro]

@@TyeDyedIguana thank you

[@mandawelsh185]

What kind of clean up crew combination would you recommend for a baby American toad enclosure?

[@TyeDyedIguana]

Both springtails and isopods could work, but isopods are large enough to be a potential snack item. You may end up finding them on the menu!

[@IcyeFaethyvve]

thank you for the information! very knowledgeable c:

[@tracyhutchinson4929]

Hi,, just found your channel, very informative. What would you recommend for a corn snake, and how do I know how much to add to his enclosure?

[@TyeDyedIguana]

With a corn snake, just about any of them can be used if you're doing a bioactive setup. Unlike some gecko or frog species, they aren't going to see something like isopods as a snack. Springtails and isopods are probably the most common. We don't have any recommendations on exactly how many to add, it's going to depend on your enclosure size. The larger the enclosure, the longer it might take them to find each other and breed.

[@tracyhutchinson4929]

@@TyeDyedIguana I never even considered size. It's 4x4x2. He's over 6ft and loves climbing,, hopefully he'll be happy, and thank you so much for your help 🙂

[@lookoutside6032]

I have 2 white tree frogs 1 is still a baby and the other is around teenage. I’ve been having trouble prevent mold growth and I’ve asked around they said it can be that my house is hot. I can’t really do anything about my house being hot so I’ve been trying to find the perfect clean up crew, but there are so many i don’t know which one is the best. I would really appreciate anyone’s help.

[@TyeDyedIguana]

Springtails are better at eating mold, isopods are debatable. Mold can be tough to get rid of in a humid environment! Make sure you have enough air circulating, it's safe for the humidity to drop a little between mistings. It reproduces with spores, so even if you're manually removing it, the spores can be everywhere. A little bit is normal and you can just spot clean, but if it's getting out of control, consider doing a full bedding change, especially if you don't already have a clean up crew. Wood tends to be a big culprit for mold, so try treating it with hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, or even baking it at a low temp.

[@KLLDZR-se1qk]

Most isopods eats live plants, important to mention imho, cause nobody is telling it. Some species can whipe out all plants in no time as they multiply like crazy

[@TyeDyedIguana]

That is true! If keeping a species prone to eating plants, it's beneficial to provide them other food sources, such as Repashy's morning wood, to keep them full. Or to be mindful of plant placement, as ones directly in the ground substrate would be at most risk

[@Suave_1]

What is the best cleanup crew for leopard gecko?

[@Slapasaurus1423]

?

[@wcdeich4]

Hi, I just subscribed 🙂 Which tropical springtail species is best?

[@TyeDyedIguana]

Most of the ones you're going to find are simply listed as Collembola sp., we raise tropical white springtails, but they also come in a few different colors.

[@CalmingIt]

would dairy milk isopods be okay with mourning geckos? I have a lot of orchid bark and almond leaf litter, just worried about the carnivorous thing. Any help would be appreciated

[@TyeDyedIguana]

As long as your mourning geckos aren't prone to hanging out on the ground- you shouldn't have to worry about the isopods nipping at them. Sprinkling protein heavy isopod foods on the ground will also help keep them away from your geckos! Most powdered or dwarf species of isopods work wonderfully for them as well, but in-short, yes, dairy isopods are shouldn't be an issue. Many people report success with keeping them together just fine!

[@CalmingIt]

@@TyeDyedIguana Great, thanks for the help, they're very very arboreal so I think it'll be fine, and I'll make sure to get some high protein foods too.

[@ph00n0]

pretty much a noob here and had to deal with some smelly droppings today.. do the spring tails or any of these other clean up crew members ever find their way out of the tank and infest your living space? just have OCD and that seems scary

[@TyeDyedIguana]

The vast majority of clean up crews require a humid, tropical environment to survive. Sometimes they might hitch a ride out if you're cleaning or removing waste from the enclosure, but they're not going to take over your home. Springtails and isopods are harmless in any case, they're not going to make you sick, or ruin your clothes or furniture, or bite you like other pests might. Isopods are actually very popular as pets too!

[@kursti3lizabeth72]

Can I use regular springtails for an arid leopard gecko terrarium?

[@TyeDyedIguana]

Spring tails prefer bit more of a tropical climate, if you have enough humid spots for them to hide and gather moisture (like a humid hide) you may be able to have some success, but not as much as a fully tropical tank

[@user-qs3yw1tr2z]

Dumb question, but can i put isopods in a wooden vivarium? Will they eat through it?

[@TyeDyedIguana]

You wont have to worry about that at all, they’ll prefer to eat all the gross stuff and any waste material off of it instead :)

[@user-qs3yw1tr2z]

​​@@TyeDyedIguana nice thanks for the info👍

[@user-qs3yw1tr2z]

​@TyeDyedIguana one more question, do I need isopods and real plants in my leopard gecko vivarium or can I just use sprintails and hides/logs

[@mr.nobody4060]

I would love to put isopods in my ball pythons new tank!!! Do they get out of hand?

[@mr.nobody4060]

And springtails and worms

[@TyeDyedIguana]

We don't typically see a huge boom in population unless we have our isopods specifically set up in bins for breeding. Typically the enclosure is large enough that breeding takes much longer.

[@DawnEntirely]

Hi - would springtails ruin books? I'm considering them for my BRB enclosure but am so worried about them getting out. We live in a more humid location too so they might not immediately dry up.

[@TyeDyedIguana]

You do not have to worry about them escaping and exploring your furniture! They will stay in the tank

[@emmaGtron]

Can you have Isopods and springtails?

[@TyeDyedIguana]

Yes you can!

[@liamdoyle8661]

Yes they are a very good combination

[@WaterSoThirsty]

I have jar bios and I was just wondering what would I get

[@TyeDyedIguana]

A lot of cleanup crews will eventually need something in the way of food. Plant detritus can keep them sustained for a while, but you might need to add leaf litter from time to time or little bits of veggies or protein. Isopods especially can eat quickly. If these are bioactive jars that you don't plan on unsealing, you might be able to get away with springtails, for at least a little while. If the jars are something that you can open and add food to or have ventilation, isopods *could* be an option.

[@WaterSoThirsty]

@@TyeDyedIguana thank you

[@anthonyheyman9833]

what about roaches and millipedes for a ball python setup? every time i get isopods, they tend to drown themselves in his water bowl, so i kinda wanna get something bigger. something that wont drown.

[@TyeDyedIguana]

Millipedes and beetles have been successful choices too! Darkling Beetles are a popular choice. However, it's important to ensure there is enough food for them, to keep them from biting your snake. While not common, it is still important to monitor. If you feel as thought your beetles are bothering your snake, you can try adding more decaying plant material, or food materials for them. With how little ball pythons use the bathroom, a clean up crew isn't necessary, as long as you spot clean as needed!

[@anthonyheyman9833]

@@TyeDyedIguana oh, hes an adult, and he tends to grow fast. he wasnt that little when i got him. i thought about multiple cleanup crews to promote the ecosystem more. sure he only poops around twice a month on average, but he still pees. hes a finicky boy. he will start tank surfing if even a little bit of his urates arent cleaned up.