# Springtail Headache



## fish_4_all

I have managed to get springtails in most of my tanks mostly from my own doing. I culture grindal worms and the springtails kinda hitch hike in the cultures and wound up in the tank. Now they are living in the tank right under the rim and pestering the snails when they go up to breath and hopefully lay their eggs. I worry that the springtails will also try to eat the eggs if they are layed above the waterline. 

Does anyone know how I might try to get rid of these little pests?


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## herefishy

Since pesticides like Durasban are out of the question, I think that I would try an insect eating fish like the mosquito fish or datnoids. Maybe smahing the little boogers with your finger? A bit messy, but effective.


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## MattD

I assume there is a single area where the highest concentration is, and then they are traveling to your tanks? If not, just kill the buggers with a cloth. If they escape your tank, they're probably somewhere in the room. If the room is not humid/moist, they will die. A dry room will effectively kill Springtails, and once the room is dry, their only haven will be in on the rims of your fish tank - which you will then attack with said cloth. If they try to escape, they will succumb to the dryness of the room. Within days, your problem should disappear.


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## daisycutter

you can kill them with a hairdryer just blast it down any cracks were they may be hiding the hot dry air will kill them i used the method on siverfish in the bathroom


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## fish_4_all

All good ideas but one problem, they live under the rim of the tank, as in inside the tank. I did get rid of some of them by filling the tank to over the rim but a lot came back. 

As for getting rid of them in the house, no likely. I have too many plants that are watered and infested with them not to mention the grindal worm cultures. Even the plants outside are infested with them. I live in the Pacific Northwest, you know the place where people grow webbed feet, so moisture is always present and drying out a house is almost impossible. 

I squash them daily to control what I can. The little buggers are lightning fast and simply hit the water and the jump back to the sides of the tank. I thought they might drown at first but the never even get stuck on the surface for longer than a second even if I try to drown them. I will be getting some Danios and possibly some killifish in the near future so they should eat them when I scare them of the sides of the tank. 

If the fish like then then springtails would be an awesome food source because they multiply like mad. I just have to get a fish that will go after them. And get rid of some other but that is another story.


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