A question that is frequently asked is: Can I put several different species of springtails in my bioactive enclosures and isopod enclosures, and the answer is: Yes, absolutely!
It is beneficial for bioactive enclosures to have a diverse clean-up crew. The more diversity, the better! In nature, several species of springtails often inhabit the same area of soil. Since starting my bioactive enclosures in 2010, I have always kept numerous different species of springtails in each of my enclosures. Some springtails like to stay mostly in the soil, while others prefer to stay on top of the soil, so having several species keeps the enclosure in tip-top shape.
Every enclosure is different even if the enclosures are housing the same type of animal. I have over 20 dart frog enclosures all kept the exact same humidity and temperature. I see multiple species of springtails in all of the enclosures except one. Coecobrya communis and Bylas Ant springtails are the only springtails that seems to thrive in that one enclosure. It happens. For some reason, the Coecobrya and Bylas Ant are better suited for that particular vivarium. If you have difficulty keeping a healthy population of springtails going in your enclosure, try a different species or two. You just need to find the one that's right for your particular enclosure.
We do have a Mixed Springtail culture on the website, which is perfect for bioactives. It contains numerous species of springtails, so the chance of at least one, if not all, of the species thriving is very high. We are always happy to answer any questions or to provide suggestions on springtails for your bioactive enclosure. Now go mix those springtails and enjoy the microfauna in your bioactive - because let's face it, we all want an excuse to add more fun arthropods to our enclosures!