Every RGB Critter Accessory Explained: One Light, Dozens of Tools
6 min readThe single most important idea behind Ants on a Melon is this: you are not buying a prop, you are buying into a modular lighting platform. At the center sits one programmable light, the RGB Critter BT, and everything else twists, clicks, or adapts onto it. One light becomes a whip, a saber, a blade, a writer, a duster, a tube, and more, with over 200 accessories in the ecosystem. Here is the full map of what connects to your Critter and what each piece actually does.
The core: the RGB Critter BT
Before the accessories, understand the hub. The RGB Critter BT is a 170-lumen, Bluetooth, app-controlled color-changing flashlight: 16 million colors, 145+ modes, adjustable strobe, unlimited custom playlists through the iOS and Android app, and firmware updates so it keeps improving. It works perfectly well without the app too. On its own it is a flashlight; twisted into anything below, it is the power and the brains of the whole tool. Reviewers ranked it the best RGB color-mixing flashlight for light painting in 2026. Start with our complete RGB Critter BT guide if you are new to it.
Light painting shapers
These are the tools photographers use to draw with light in long exposures. Each one takes the Critter's raw beam and gives it a distinct shape on the sensor.
Light painting blades: crisp edges and clean planes
Our light painting blades are clear 8mm acrylic blades that catch and shape the Critter's light into crisp edges and planes. Sweep one through a long exposure and you get a solid ribbon of color; flick it and you get sharp slashes. When your style calls for more intricate texture, the Pro Blades add laser-cut detailing that breaks the plane of light into fine, repeatable patterns. Blades are the fastest way to make a single Critter look like a full lighting rig in camera.
Acrylic writers & orb tools: text in the air and perfect orbs
The acrylic writer and orb tools do exactly what their names promise: the writer is shaped for writing legible text and line work in mid-air, and the orb tools are built for spinning perfect light orbs, one of the most recognizable tricks in light painting. Both live in the full light painting tools collection, and both run off the same Critter as everything else on this page.
Fiber optic dusters: soft, feathered, organic texture
Where blades give you hard edges, fiber optic dusters give you the opposite: soft fiber bursts that paint organic, feathered textures. They are the tool for wispy fills, glowing "fur," and dreamy backgrounds behind a subject. The same wearable-fiber idea scales up into the Fiber Optic Costume Kit, which puts glowing fiber on the performer for costumes and portraits.
Light painting tubes: bold geometry and full backdrops
The modular light painting tubes â Rectangle, Circle, Digital Feather, Crown Jewel, and more â are diffusing shapes for bold geometric strokes and wall-of-color backdrops. Because they are modular, the same tubes also assemble into sabers, which is where the photography side of the platform crosses over into the flow side.
Flow arts tools
For spinning, dancing, and performance, the Critter drives a family of motion tools.
BitWhip: the flagship fiber optic whip
The BitWhip is our flagship fiber optic whip, available in 140, 200, and 300 fiber counts and in End Glow or Sparkle finishes â the brightest fiber trails in the lineup. A complete BitWhip is $149.95, or $169.95 as a full kit; if you already own an RGB Critter BT, the twist-on accessory head is just $29.95â$54.95, because the light you own is the expensive half. The whip itself carries a lifetime warranty, and the light carries 2 years with a lifetime upgrade available (warranty details). For dual-handed, symmetrical spinning there is the Double BitWhip, two whips driven from connected Critters. If you want the deep dive, read our complete fiber optic whip guide and how to care for your BitWhip.
Sabers, staffs & rope: smooth, even trails in motion
The Sol & Lumi Sabers are diffusing tube sabers in many lengths and patterns â Spiral, Honeycomb, Butterfly, and more â where the diffusion smooths the Critter's light into clean, even trails. The LED Staff is a full-length contact and spinning staff lit end to end by Critters. And the Jupiter Rope is a flexible rope tool for fluid, rope-dart-style flow. All of them build from the same modular tube system, so parts carry over as your practice grows.
The connective tissue
Adapters, connectors & housings: one light, almost anything
This is where the platform really opens up. A range of adapters and connectors let one Critter, or several linked together, drive almost anything:
- Critter Connectors â join two Critters back to back for double-ended whips, staffs, and contact tools.
- Tube and saber adapters â mount the Critter into modular saber tubes, T8 tubes, and more.
- Crystal holders, nunchuck adapter, sparkler and tripod adapters â purpose-built mounts for specialty effects and rig setups.
- Pro aluminum housings & faceplates â upgrade the Critter's shell in black or gold for a premium, durable build.
Because the app can control up to 10 connected units together, multi-Critter builds stay in perfect color sync while you perform or shoot.
Where to start
Brand new to light painting photography
It bundles the core tools and saves $54 versus buying the pieces separately.
You want crisp edges and planes in camera
Start with the light painting blades, then add Pro Blades for laser-cut detail.
You want soft, organic texture
Bold geometry and backdrops
A light painting tube â Rectangle or Circle first.
Flow artist first, photographer second
The BitWhip or a saber, then a second Critter and a Critter Connector when you want double-ended tools.
You already own an RGB Critter BT
Skip the full kits and buy twist-on heads â the BitWhip accessory head is $29.95â$54.95.
Every accessory on this page runs on the light you already have.
"I want a complete, compatible kit in one checkout."
Build it in the Kit Builder and watch the total as you go.
Accessories FAQ
Do all accessories work with one RGB Critter BT?
Yes. The platform is designed so a single Critter powers any compatible tool. Some tools (double-ended whips, staffs) use two Critters joined by a connector.
Can I control multiple Critters at once?
Yes, the app can control up to 10 connected units together for synchronized color and effects.
What is the difference between the regular blades and the Pro Blades?
The regular blades are clear 8mm acrylic that shapes light into clean edges and planes. The Pro Blades add laser-cut detailing for finer, patterned texture in your strokes.
Will older accessories fit the newer Critter BT?
The modular mount is consistent across the ecosystem. If you are unsure about a specific older piece, contact support with the part and we will confirm fit.
Where do I see everything available?
Browse the full tools collection and the adapters collection for the current lineup.
More reading: The RGB Critter BT, explained · Fiber optic whips: a complete guide · How to care for your BitWhip
