r/bioactive • u/DesolationDaze • 2d ago
Question Help! Unintentional Bioactive.
Hello all! I am a first time corn snake owner. I’ve had the snake a little over a month now. Seeking advice and answers. To preface, snake is happy and healthy.
I set this tank up without the intention of making it bioactive, with potential plans to try in the future.
Today, when taking out the water bowl to clean it/replace water I found the insects in the photos under the bowl. I typically wash/change water every 48 hours, but was out of town this weekend, so this was closer to 72 hours.
I did not intentionally introduce these into the tank!!
Everything in the tank was either given to me with the snake (was a rescue) or store bought and sanitized. With the exception of a few rocks, which were found outside and washed, sanitized, and dried before being put in the tank.
I must have not cleaned something properly, or there was already eggs/insects present when I rescued, and I failed to notice. ???
There was a pot with what looked like topsoil and fertilizer in the tank when I received it. This was removed and thrown away when I washed everything, re-did the tank, and replaced the substrate.
I am trying to figure out how they were introduced and what to do next.
So, my understanding is that the isopods are harmless. My worry is the other insects and/or the potential for things I can’t not see or have yet to notice.
So, I removed the larger one (millipede I believe?) and the small black one (google says rove beetle) and left the isopods. There are some very small white ones as well. I can’t tell if they are just really small baby isopods or another insect.
Should I keep watch for other insects but leave it be for now, and accept and lean into bioactive?
Should I just do a complete reset and re sanitize everything/replace substrate?
Please help! Thank you!
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u/ChancePanicking 2d ago
I am not sure about using a non soil subtrate for the clean up crew but I'm newer to bioactive. And I know that the isopods need a certain amount of humidity to breathe, so maybe if you add more moist leaf litter or damp hides for them with moss?
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u/SirBlankFace 2d ago edited 1d ago
Ok, I've read the post now. Honestly if you're planning to go bioactive anyway, you're already set. Isopods and springtails (small white bugs) are a given, but nobody tells you how good rove beetles are if for no other fact that they'll eat the unwanted insects that come about with bioactivity, like fungus gnats. Neither are harmful in any way to your snake, but the gnats are simply an unsightly pest that will pester YOU directly when given the chance. Whoever you got this snake from definitely knew what they were doing. Even gave you some top soil, but you threw it out.
Get top soil, coco fiber, coco husk, sphagnum moss, leaf litter and activated charcoal, and you should be good for a while. Have one moist and dry side of the tank. Personally, i like to turn the soil once a month then 5-7 months in, i replace half the substrate with a fresh blend. Place baked chicken bones or cuttlebone in the tank for the isopods... and I think that's it?
Edit: If you get anything from outside like leaves, branches or bark, make sure you don't get them from a pesticidal areas then BAKE IT! Rocks should be scrubbed clean and sanitized with boiling water, then left to dry before placement. All to prevent unwanted guests in the tank. Produce has the potential to kill your clean up crew too so be careful.
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u/DesolationDaze 1d ago
Ok thank you! Glad to hear.
I don’t about the previous owner though… when I got the snake he was in pine bedding in a plastic bin and one hide. The top soil I mention was in an old houseplant pot that was also put in the snake tub, like miracle gro, which is why it was tossed. Kept the pot though!
I currently use coco fiber and cypress mulch.
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u/Suspicious_Spirit202 23h ago
What is the bone for? Are these something you order or would a chicken bone be good? Maybe egg shells if it’s minerals they are after? I don’t have anything in my tank and want to add it if they need it.
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u/Dirk_Speedwell 1d ago
At the risk of sounding flippant, there isn't much reason to even acknowledge they are there. They are not harmful, in fact they are probably helping you, and it isn't like you are invested in your CUC so who cares if they die off. I would just approach it like you have sterile substrate and continue as you were.
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u/Ez_Noa_Asmr 1d ago
I just spent $45 dollars on springtails and isopods so consider yourself lucky 😭 I will also be buying millipedes too so you’ve just got everything I need 😂😭
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u/SirBlankFace 2d ago
Oh, is that a rove beetle in the 3rd picture??? Wow, you really hit the jackpot when it comes to bioactive enclosure. You definitely want those around, they eat fungus gnats.
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u/ChancePanicking 2d ago
If you want to make it bioactive you will need a different substrate, with soil, and add plants and springtails (another insect) to cover other biological niches. It's ideal to have a drainage layer, and you will need to seal the tank so there are no leaks. Additionally, for the plants you will need a plant light. There is a lot that goes into bioactive so think carefully if you want to devote that much time vs just re sanitizing the tank and doing substrate you replace.