My Springtails have companions?

[c0ld]

Hi there,

I added springtails to a vivarium I purchased from someone. I noticed two other bugs however. One is kindof small to get a picture of and one is hard to find again.

Bug #1: Springtails (I added these)
Bug #2: Silver. Smaller than spring tails). 1-2mm in length. long slender body. looks like two antennae.
Bug #3: orange. 1/2 inch long skinny body. worm like but with feet running up and down body.

Help is much appreciated! deciding when to add my gargs to it and not sure if these bugs are ok... redoing the viv tho is a huge job and I wish to avoid that.

Thanks
C

 

[acpart]

Can't do much without pictures. I never worry about bugs in the enclosure, they seem to all do fine (including lots of spiders).

Aliza

 

[Mohkia]

The silver ones could be an other species of springtail. I had some of these show up in my tank and they behaved just like a springtail with the jumping and eating of molds and stuff. Those guys are okay if that is what they are. The orange long leggy thing sounds like a centipede. They are predators and will eat other insects in your vivarium. They move fast. I have some of these in my first vivarium and have left them alone and they havn't caused any damage but they are kind of creepy. If they are slow moving they could be centipedes which will aid in breaking down your organic matter in there but be careful as if they get out of control they can harm the plants. I have both in that one tank and everything seems to be in balance so I have left it be. If you want to get rid of them and not take the tank apart you could try co2 bombing the tank to kill the bugs and then reseed. This is at least what I have experienced but I am not by any means an expert.