The Best Clean-Up Crew for Bioactive Enclosures: Springtails vs Isopods

The best bioactive clean-up crew for most enclosures is both springtails and isopods: springtails control mould and fungi in the soil, while isopods break down droppings, leaf litter and larger waste. If you can only add one, start with springtails, then choose an isopod species that matches your enclosure's humidity, such as dwarf whites for humid setups or powder blues for drier ones.

Below we compare springtails and isopods side by side, explain which species suit which Australian reptiles and frogs, and share how to keep your crew thriving once it's in.

 

What a bioactive clean-up crew actually does

A clean-up crew (CUC) is the group of tiny invertebrates that make a bioactive enclosure "bioactive". They eat the things you'd otherwise clean out by hand: mould, fungal growth, droppings, shed skin, dead insects, uneaten food and decaying plant matter. In doing so, they release nutrients that feed your plants and keep the substrate loose and aerated.

Without a crew, a planted enclosure is just a planted enclosure. Waste builds up, mould takes hold and you're back to regular strip-outs.

Springtails: the mould control specialists

Springtails (Collembola) are tiny, six-legged soil animals, most only 1–2 mm long. Many species have a spring-like appendage under the body that flicks them into the air when disturbed, which is how they got their name.

What springtails do well

• Eat mould and fungi: this is their main job, and why every bioactive enclosure needs them.
• Breed fast: a healthy culture can spread through a new enclosure within a few weeks.
• Stay out of the way: they live in the middle and lower substrate layers and under water dishes.
• Feed small animals: they're a useful supplementary live food for froglets and small invertebrates.

Limitations

Springtails need moisture and dry out quickly, so in arid enclosures they'll only survive in damp pockets. They're also too small to deal with large droppings.

Which springtails to choose

• Springtail Cultures (Collembola sp.): our standard, hardy springtails for any bioactive enclosure, in cultures from small starters to "needlessly large".
• Plump White Springtail (Onychiurinae sp.): chunky, pure white, blind and non-jumping, at about 2–3 mm. Because they can't jump, they stay in the deeper, moist substrate where waste breaks down, which makes them ideal for deep builds and enclosures with jumpy, insect-eating frogs.

Isopods: the heavy lifters

Isopods are land crustaceans, the same group as the slaters and pill bugs you find under logs. They're larger than springtails and eat tougher material: droppings, leaf litter, rotting wood, shed skin and dead insects.

What isopods do well

• Process bulk waste: they handle the larger organic matter springtails can't.
• Turn the soil: burrowing species keep substrate aerated.
• Break down leaf litter: turning it into nutrients for plants.

Limitations

Different species have very different humidity needs. Large, bold species can be eaten quickly by hungry reptiles, and fast-breeding species can boom if over-fed. They also need calcium (cuttlebone) and a steady supply of leaf litter and wood.

Which isopods to choose

• Dwarf White Isopod (Trichorhina tormentosa): tiny (under 5 mm), fast-breeding and soil-dwelling. They stay deep in moist substrate and under the water dish, which keeps them out of reach of most predators. The best all-rounder for humid tropical and rainforest builds, and for frogs.
• Powder Blue Isopods (Porcellionides pruinosus): about 1 cm, fast, active and quick-breeding. They cope well with drier conditions as long as there's a small damp area, which makes them our pick for arid and semi-arid enclosures like bearded dragon and dry sclerophyll builds.

We also keep a range of native Australian isopods, including Cubaris, Merulana and Spherillo species, which make beautiful display colonies; browse them in our invertebrate store.

Springtails vs isopods: side by side

	Springtails	Isopods
Size	1–3 mm	Under 5 mm to about 1 cm+
Main job	Mould and fungi	Droppings, leaf litter, wood, larger waste
Humidity	Need constant moisture	Varies by species: humid to fairly dry
Breeding	Very fast	Fast (dwarf whites, powder blues) to slow (many natives)
Where they live	Middle and lower substrate	Leaf litter, under wood, in substrate
Needs	Moisture; occasional yeast or mushroom	Leaf litter, rotting hardwood, cuttlebone

The best clean-up crew for your animal

Tree frogs and rainforest species

Springtails plus dwarf white isopods. Both thrive in humid soil and stay small and hidden, so frogs can't wipe them out.

Blue tongues, shinglebacks and pythons (dry sclerophyll)

Springtails plus powder blues or dwarf whites, with a damp patch of substrate kept moist under the water dish or at the cool end. Big skinks will eat isopods they find, so give the crew plenty of bark and leaf litter to hide under.

Bearded dragons and desert species

Powder blue isopods are the main crew here, with springtails surviving in the damp pocket. Keep one corner of substrate moist, deeper down, so the crew has a refuge.

Invertebrate enclosures

Springtails are almost always a good idea. Check isopod choices for predatory inverts like centipedes, which may hunt them.

 

My personal clean up crew i always go to is the Dwarf White Isopods, and the Armadillidium sp. but i dont just stop there, using a mix of springtails, isopods, millipedes, harvestmen, and benificial fungi is a great way to ensure your ecosystem has a wide range, and houses a strong, and diverse microclimate..

How to add and maintain your clean-up crew

1. Add the crew before your animal. Seed springtails and isopods during the two-to-four-week establishment period so they can breed up first.
2. Spread them around. Tip springtails near wood and under leaf litter; release isopods under cork bark.
3. Feed them at first. In a new enclosure there's little waste, so offer a slice of mushroom or pinch of fish flake now and then.
4. Keep leaf litter topped up. It's food and shelter for both groups.
5. Provide calcium. A piece of cuttlebone helps isopods moult.
6. Keep a damp zone. Even in dry builds, one area of moist substrate keeps the crew alive.

Want a backup supply? Keep a separate culture going. Our Isopod Culture Starter Kit includes an acrylic box, springtail and isopod substrate mix, cork, moss and a misting bottle, so you can always top up a struggling enclosure.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need both springtails and isopods?

For the best results, yes. Springtails handle mould; isopods handle bulkier waste. Together they cover almost everything that breaks down in an enclosure.

How many springtails and isopods should I add?

A single culture of springtails and a starter group of 10–20 isopods is plenty for a typical enclosure. They'll multiply to match the food available.

Will my reptile or frog eat the clean-up crew?

Some will. Soil-dwelling species like dwarf whites and plump white springtails are rarely caught, and plenty of hiding spots keep breeding ahead of predation.

Why can't I see my springtails anymore?

They usually move deeper into the soil. Lift the water dish or leave a slice of mushroom on the surface overnight; if it's covered in tiny white dots the next day, they're fine.

Can isopods overrun an enclosure?

Fast breeders can boom if there's lots of food, but they self-regulate as food runs low. You can always remove some to a separate culture.

Can you ship live clean-up crews?

Yes. We ship live invertebrates Monday and Tuesday Australia-wide, except to the Northern Territory and Tasmania, so they don't sit in transit over a weekend.

Build your crew

Start with a springtail culture, add the isopods that suit your enclosure's humidity, and your bioactive setup will do most of the cleaning for you. Shop springtails and isopods online, or visit the studio in Surry Hills (Wednesday to Sunday) and we'll help you pick the right crew for your animal.