This live leaf culture does not contain scuds.
Scud-Free Leafy Bugs is a microfauna culture that is centered around botanicals and has the added benefit of containing several different species of leaves. This mix of leaves will come with at least 3 different kinds of leaves and may include live oak, willow oak, red oak, sweet gum, various maples, cottonwood and more. The benefit of having different types of leaves is that they all release different tannin compounds which are believed to be beneficial in general. A variety of leaf litter species will help fill the gap in missing micronutrients when eaten by animals. The different leaves will decompose at different rates helping to provide a steady food source for the ecosystems base microfauna. The leaf quantity in this culture is about 6 oz. and you will also get 2 sweet gum seed pods included in the bag. This is a natural product and some variation is expected but we put a tremendous amount of effort into creating a consistent creature culture. 
   
Increase the diversity of microfauna in your freshwater aquarium with the one and only Scud-Free Leafy Bugs! This is not your average Microorganism culture, But rather a sample of our system. The creatures you will likely see with your naked eye are snails, daphnia, seed shrimp, copepods and more. If you have access to a microscope you will be able to see much more! The microscopic world is where all the real magic happens. There you can find beneficial bacteria, heliozoa, vorticella, rotifers, stentor, paramecium, gastrotrich, microscopic worms, and many many more! These out of sight organisms are the foundation of all ecosystems.
 
Why is it so vital that your aquarium has lots of biodiversity in its microfauna population?
First, biodiversity means variety of life in a habitat or ecosystem. Microfauna means microscopic animals. Microfauna in your aquarium are all the tiny creatures that make their home in the tank’s substrate, plants and décor. Most of these creatures are too small to see with your naked eye but they play a vital role in the long-term stability of the freshwater environment. These aquariums we keep can be much more than a glass box with water and a fish. In fact, your fish will do infinitely better living in an environment that mimics Mother Nature. This will always include a large and diverse population of microorganisms. To put it simply, this diverse group of organisms, along with a natural habitat, make up a food web that feeds itself and in turn creates a buffet of live food for your fish. Fish always are healthier when their diet is a variety of live natural foods. By using natural materials Like dirt, sand, coarse gravel, plants, wood, leaf litter, seed pods and other natural objects you can create a habitat that will support a large healthy population of microorganisms which in turn will support healthy fish.