Tropical Pink springtails (Coecobrya sp. "Tropical Pink") are the springtail we put in every one of our isopod bins. They are easy to culture, breed fast, and eat mold, leftover food, and decaying matter, which keeps enclosures cleaner and healthier. Their soft pink color also makes them a little easier to see than standard white springtails. This guide covers how to keep a culture booming.
Tropical Pink Springtail Quick Facts
- Scientific name: Coecobrya sp. "Tropical Pink"
- Care level: Beginner
- Temperature: 72 to 78°F
- Humidity: High. Keep the substrate moist but never flooded
- Culture substrate: Calcium clay, charcoal, or organic soil
- Food: Active dry yeast, in small amounts
- Breeding rate: Fast once established
- Best uses: Isopod bins, dart frog vivariums, humid bioactive terrariums
Setting Up a Culture
Our cultures ship on calcium clay. A small ventilated container with a damp clay, charcoal, or soil base is all you need. Keep the base moist, with a little standing water at most, never flooded. Light misting every few days usually does it.
Feeding
We feed active dry yeast. Sprinkle a small pinch and wait until it is gone before adding more. Overfeeding is the most common way to crash a culture, since uneaten food molds and fouls the container. Rice grains or fish flakes work as occasional alternatives.
Temperature and Humidity
Tropical Pinks like it warm, roughly 72 to 78°F, and humid. Cooler temperatures slow breeding. Keep cultures away from direct sun.
Splitting and Harvesting
Once a culture is booming, split it into a second container so you always have a backup. For clay or charcoal cultures, add a little water, let the springtails float to the surface, and pour them into the enclosure or a new culture. For soil cultures, scoop a spoonful of substrate and move it over.
Using Them as Cleanup Crew
Add a portion of a culture to any humid enclosure. In isopod bins they handle mold and leftovers. In dart frog vivariums they also act as a supplemental food. Because they breed quickly, a single culture can seed several enclosures over time.
Common Questions About Tropical Pink Springtails
How fast do Tropical Pink springtails breed?
Fast. In warm, humid conditions with light feeding, a culture builds up quickly and can be split to start backups.
What do Tropical Pink springtails eat?
We feed active dry yeast in small amounts. They also eat mold and decaying organic matter in an enclosure.
Can I put Tropical Pinks in with my isopods?
Yes. We keep them in every isopod bin we run.
Tropical Pink vs white springtails: which is better?
Tropical Pinks prefer warmer temperatures and are a little larger and easier to see. For warm, humid tropical setups they are our pick.
Where to Buy Tropical Pink Springtails
All Tropical Pink Springtail cultures at Creature Cache are captive bred and ship FedEx Priority Overnight with a 100% live arrival guarantee. Shop Tropical Pink Springtails, or join the Creature Club for restock alerts and 10% off your first order.
More reading: our complete springtail care guide and How to Set Up Your First Isopod Enclosure.
Questions about your animals? Email us anytime at info@creaturecache.com.