Step by step set-ups
Culture springtails on plaster
Set plaster in the bottom of a cup, rehydrate it and seed it. A retainer lets you tilt the cup and tap springtails out.
Set up
- You need plaster powder or a similar blend, water (distilled or purified is best), deli cups with lids and a stir rod. Springtails US prefers 16 oz cups.
- Add two parts plaster to the bottom of the cup and quickly stir in one part water. About 2 oz of plaster by volume suits an 8 or 16 oz cup.
- Let it set for one hour or until fully solid. A water layer above the plaster is fine, because the plaster still sets below it.
- Once solid, rehydrate it. Springtails US adds a large amount of water for five to ten minutes with the cup tilted so the water does not lift the plaster, then pours off the excess and seeds the culture.
- Optionally add a small vent hole in the lid with 35 micron mesh glued over it, or use an adhesive vent.
Care
Water the culture once a week or as needed.
A plaster culture lasts 6 months to a year or more before the springtails need to move to a fresh culture.
Keep reading
Species in this guide
- Folsomia candida Common White Springtail A pale, eyeless springtail with a long jumping organ. It is the standard laboratory species for soil toxicity tests and the most common starter culture for bioactive tanks.
- Coecobrya tenebricosa Tropical Pink Springtail The Tropical Pink and Tropical White springtail of the hobby, a pale, fast-breeding species long sold under the wrong name Sinella curviseta.
If something goes wrong
Sources for this guide
- 1
Plaster Springtail Culture Guide
Springtails US
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Cited at Materials Required; Setup Instructions.
Reviewed Oct 22, 2026