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Are there isopods in Florida?
Abstract. This study reports the species of five families of terrestrial isopod crustaceans (oniscoids) from Florida. Twelve species including three each of Tylos and Ligia and one each of Ligidium, Vandeloscia, Sayoscia, Rhyscotus, and a new genus, Floridoscia (with a new species), are included.
How much is an isopod?
Inexpensive choices – The cost of different isopod species varies wildly, but there are plenty of great starter varieties for under $30. Plus, they tend to breed so quickly that you’ll never need to repurchase another culture (unless you want to collect a different one, of course).
Are isopods good pets?
Isopods As Primary Inhabitants: Over the past few years, keeping Isopods as pets has become more common within both the vivarium & exotic pet hobbies. Isopods are unbelievably low maintenance by comparison to just about anything short of a houseplant, and they make a great quirky pet in a variety of different settings.
Where can I find isopods?
There are more than 10,000 species of isopods globally; most live in the sea, and some live in fresh water. Worldwide, about 5,000 species live on land.
What isopods are native to Florida?
Very fast moving isopods that comes in a variety of tones such as orange, red amber, brown, etc. Originally found in decaying leaf litter along Florida and South America.
Isopod Care & Information – Breeding Isopods in Captivity
Name: Florida Fast Isopod—Atlantoscia floridana
Very fast isopods that come in a variety of shades such as orange, red, amber, brown, etc.
Originally found in rotting leaf litter in Florida and South America.
Fast breeding species.
Surface-dwelling species can partially burrow under the substrate.
This species prefers leaf litter and rotting wood, but will happily accept fish flakes and carrots.
Purpose: Clean up Crew & Exotic Pet
Origin: FL
Humidity: Medium/High
Level: Beginner
***PLEASE READ***
If your isopods, springtails, roaches or other invertebrates are flying to your location and you are currently experiencing temperatures above 85 degrees or below 50 degrees, we will ship them to your nearest shipping center. This includes the location of the sorting facility.
Please provide your email address and phone number when placing your order so that we can provide further tracking tools for your package and a list of our shipper.
Once the package leaves our facility and is in the hands of the shipping carrier, we have no control over the package until it is delivered.
If there were any problems with your shipment, such as B. Dead On Arrival, please contact us with proof of unpacking and a photo of “Dead on Arrival” and we will be happy to work with you to find a positive solution.
If you need to contact Tropical Isopods, please email me directly at [email protected]
Thank you for your business!
Why are isopods so expensive?
Part of what makes these critters so rare is that they’ve been quite challenging to breed in captivity. They can take a fair few months to reach maturity, so it can take a while to produce enough for breeders to sell.
Isopod Care & Information – Breeding Isopods in Captivity
How long do isopods live for?
Adult isopods can reproduce for several seasons. On average, they live for approximately a year and a half. However, some individuals can live for two years or more.
Isopod Care & Information – Breeding Isopods in Captivity
What is an isopod?
An isopod is a creature in the taxonomic class Isopoda. These animals live both on land and in the sea. They share similar characteristics, although their size ranges from less and an inch in length to a whopping 14 inches. In general, woodlice have elongated bodies covered with armored plates on their dorsal surface—along their back.
The species most commonly referred to as an isopod is the common pillbug (Armadillidium vulgare). You probably know the common pillbug by another name – roly-poly. This name comes from their tendency to curl up into a ball when disturbed.
Isopod Breeding Cycle: Reproductive Habits
All isopods have similar breeding habits, although aquatic species differ to some extent. The common pillbug is a good example of some of the specific courtship behaviors you can see in the isopod breeding cycle. The breeding season begins in spring, although this depends less on the time of year and more on warming temperatures.
The female enters a receptive phase where she forms a pair and mates with a male. During this receptive phase, the female releases aggregate pheromones to attract male suitors. Both males and females mate with multiple partners, and females can store sperm from several different males for later use. She can store semen for a whole year to use in the next breeding cycle.
Isopod Breeding Cycle: Egg Production
After mating, the female produces eggs. Almost all crustaceans must lay their eggs in water, including those that live on land. However, woodlice use a unique structure known as a marsupial. The marsupial is a fluid-filled pouch on the underside of the female where she incubates her eggs.
The female incubates the eggs in her marsupial for two or three months. Once the eggs hatch, the young can stay in the pouch for another three or four days.
Isopod Breeding Cycle: Early Life
While the female incubates her eggs and newly hatched young, also known as mancas, she usually remains hidden in a burrow. Once out of the marsupial, the mancas either stay with their mother’s burrow or dig new tunnels out of the mother’s burrow.
The young woodlice remain hidden in the burrow until they have molted several times. Once they’ve completed enough molts, their armor will stiffen to protect them from damage, and they’re ready to exit the den. At the age of two to three months, they are ready to breed.
Isopod breeding cycle: lifespan and behavior
Adult isopods can reproduce over several seasons. On average, they live about a year and a half. However, some individuals can live two years or more. Mortality rates are higher in animals isolated from other isopods, suggesting that social behavior is important to their survival.
They spend most of their adult life hiding under foliage and various debris. This helps them retain moisture since decaying matter has a higher moisture content. In areas with lower humidity, isopods spend less time feeding and more time sheltering to avoid dehydration or moisture loss.
How quickly do isopods reproduce?
Isopods usually breed within 2 weeks to 1 month. After a month has passed, lift up any of the cardboard and wood pieces in your tank and look underneath them for isopods. You should easily be able to find about 50 isopods, if not more. Harvest later in the evening since isopods are more active when it’s dark at night.
Isopod Care & Information – Breeding Isopods in Captivity
If you plan on catching your woodlice in the wild, start by looking under rocks and logs. Use your fingers to guide them or push them into a plastic container so you can move them to their new habitat. If you don’t want to search for your own, see if you can buy isopod cultures online or at your local pet store. Try to find between 20 and 30 isopods to put in your tank to encourage breeding.
Common species of isopods
One of the smallest species, white woodlice are bright white in color. Choose them if you plan to only use them to clean a tank.[7]
Striped woodlice are gray in color and can be used as a supplementary food for reptiles or to clean your aquarium.[8]
Orange isopods are bright yellow or orange in color and are used primarily to feed other animals.[9]
Do isopods carry parasites?
They are common in most environments, including dry land. They parasitize fishes, crabs, shrimp and other isopods. Fish-parasitic isopods vary from accidental, or temporary, to permanent parasites.
Isopod Care & Information – Breeding Isopods in Captivity
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What should I feed my isopods?
Isopods are detritovores and require minimal care other than a humid environment. You can offer your isopods additional food once each week if you desire. Appropriate food items include: fish food flakes, slightly moistened dog chow, leaf litter, or pieces of raw potato, carrot, or apple.
Isopod Care & Information – Breeding Isopods in Captivity
Check underground. Woodlice avoid bright light. Alternatively, leave a slice of raw potato or apple on the ground overnight. If you lift it you may find isopods congregating underneath. For the best viewing opportunities, be sure to keep the habitat in a dimly lit area.
Our isopods died while we watched them with magnifying glasses. What happened?
Woodlice need to be kept moist in order to breathe. Their gills dry out quickly if they are not constantly exposed to moisture. To observe the woodlice with a hand lens, place them in a shallow cup with moist soil or a paper towel. When you’re done, quickly return the isopods to their habitat.
Can other animals be kept with isopods?
Yes, animals with similar habitat requirements such as centipedes and bedbugs can be kept with isopods. We do not recommend keeping predators – such as centipedes, amphibians or reptiles – together with isopods.
Mold grows in my isopod habitat. What should I do?
You should increase ventilation in the habitat. Punch more holes in the lid of the container or move your woodlice to a container with a vented lid. Be sure to remove any food or materials that show signs of mold.
Can isopods hurt you?
Isopods are not harmful to humans, although they have dozens of sharp claws on their underside, and Chambers said they can be quite vicious and are capable of giving a nasty nip if you pick them up.
Isopod Care & Information – Breeding Isopods in Captivity
(PhysOrg.com) — An isopod replacing the tongue of a fish has been discovered for the first time in Europe’s Channel Islands. Described by its finder as hideous and vicious, the sea isopod is a rare find.
The 2.5 cm long isopod was found in the mouth of a weaver fish by fishermen off the uninhabited Minquiers Islands (under the jurisdiction of Jersey off the coast of Normandy, France). Sea isopods are crustaceans related to shrimp and crabs, and a number of species in the order Isopoda are parasitic. The Jersey specimen resembles a land louse.
Among the fishermen was Paul Chambers, a marine scientist with the Soci?t? Jersiaise, who struggled to identify the specimen for several weeks before identifying the creature from a Victorian journal. Scientists from the University of Southampton confirmed the identification.
Chambers said he was surprised to find the isopod outside the Mediterranean, but the University of Southampton told the BBC several had been sighted off the coast of Cornwall in 1996. A similar isopod is also known to parasitize the spotted rose snapper off the coast of California.
The isopod, described by Chambers as “terrible” and quite large, burrows into its fish host and takes up position on the fish’s tongue, where it lives on the host’s blood. When the tongue starves of blood, it atrophies and is gradually replaced by the isopod. The fish is able to survive the experience with no apparent harm other than losing its tongue to the parasite.
Isopods aren’t harmful to humans, although they have dozens of sharp claws on their underside, and Chambers said they can be quite vicious, capable of giving a nasty nip if you pick them up.
© 2009 PhysOrg.com
Investigate the continued spread of invasive parasites in West Coast estuaries
What are dairy cow isopods?
Porcellio laevis (commonly called the swift woodlouse, dairy cow isopod, or smooth slater in Australia) is a species of woodlouse in the genus Porcellio. As the species epithet laevis as well as the vernacular name “swift woodlouse” suggests, the species is capable of quick bursts of speed when provoked.
Isopod Care & Information – Breeding Isopods in Captivity
Porcellio laevis (commonly referred to as the swift isopod, dairy isopod, or smooth slate in Australia) is a species of isopod in the genus Porcellio. As the epithet laevis and the common name “Fast Isopod” indicate, the species is capable of rapid bursts of speed when provoked.
This species of woodlice is remarkably large, up to 20mm long with a smooth back surface. Males can be identified by their long, spear-shaped uropods
Because of its somewhat low-maintenance requirements and the variety of color morphs available, it is often kept as a pet. The species is easy to keep and can be easily established in the terrarium within a few weeks.
Distribution and habitat[edit]
Porcellio laevis was first recorded in Britain in the 13th century, but probably originated in North Africa.[1] It has a cosmopolitan distribution[2] and has been introduced to Australia, including Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island.[3] The species is also found in North and South America, western Asia, Japan, Australia and some Pacific islands.[4]
This species is found under rocks and fallen logs in wet areas and is otherwise rarely seen. Records from Ireland and Britain also place them in agricultural areas such as gardens, farms and stables where they can be found in manure and compost heaps.
Development and maternal care[edit]
Porcellio laevis develops directly from egg yolk. Both the eggs and hatchlings develop up to the first juvenile instar in a brood pouch called a marsupial. The use of the marsupium eliminates the need for an external water source for early development as it is filled with isopod fluid. This is considered one of the most extensive parental care among terrestrial arthropods.
See also[edit]
What are powder blue isopods?
Porcellionides pruinosus ‘Powder Blue’, often called Powder Blue or Powdery Blue Isopods, are a hardy species of isopod and produce quickly once established. Powder Blue Isopods make a great clean up crew in a bioactive setup or naturalistic vivarium. They are large, active, and very colorful.
Isopod Care & Information – Breeding Isopods in Captivity
Often called Powder Blue or Powdery Blue Isopods, Porcellionides pruinosus ‘Powder Blue’ is a hardy isopod species and produces quickly once established. Powder blue isopods make a great cleaning crew in a bioactive facility or naturalistic vivarium. They are large, active and very colourful. This species is also super fast!
These isopods appear gray when immature. They then take on a purplish hue before maturity and then appear steel blue when ripe. If you wish to keep these isopods outside of a vivarium we recommend keeping them on our isopod substrate or even better with our isopod culture kit. Josh’s Frogs MilliMix substrate is also a fantastic option.
On rare occasions, starving woodlice may attempt to consume the shell of newly skinned invertebrates or even gnaw on small or delicate reptiles or amphibians. We strongly recommend providing your cleaning crew with additional food in the enclosure, e.g. B. Josh’s Frogs CUC Cuisine. When in doubt, using woodlice species such as Dwarf Tropical Whites can be a safer option.
Please read the following article on keeping and cultivating isopods: HOW TO KEEP AND CULTURE ISOPODS
Unboxing $1,000 Worth of Isopods!
See some more details on the topic isopods for sale florida here:
Florida Fast Isopods (10 count)-
LIVE ARRIVAL GUARANTEED if your temps fall within our LAG (read here). Please check your temps before ordering!
They are sturdy and easy to establish.
They are a woodlice that make a great cleaning crew and pet and are suitable for most bioactive facilities.
The unique feature of this species is their incredible speed, they are insanely fast!
Make a good option for isopods that can be nibbled on as they are soft bodied and do not pose a choking hazard
Name: Atlantoscia Floridiana – Florida fast
Recommended case size: 6 qt Sterilit or similar for starter cultures, 37 qt Sterilit sealing box or similar for large cultures
Temperature: 55 -78 degrees
Humidity: 60-85%, which can easily be achieved with regular spraying when the enclosure starts to dry out.
Size: under 1/4″
Age: Typical lifespan of one or two years. Due to the mixed nature of our 10 census, they will include a variety of isopod ages.
Feeding: Repashy Bug Burger, Repashy Morning Wood and a calcium supplement twice a week, portioned according to the isopod population.
Sex Determination: Males have a penile papilla on the underside of their tail, their pleopod segments (underside of the tail) are more angular, while females are more square. Woodlice sold by Josh’s Frogs are sold as asexual due to their age.
Color/Pattern: Brown or black with small yellow or gray patterns
Breeding: Breeds easily in well established pens or colonies.
Natural Range: Native to Florida
Still not sure if Josh’s Frogs Florida Fast Woodlice is the right pet for you? Read the reviews below and see what other customers are saying!
On rare occasions, starving woodlice may attempt to consume the shell of newly skinned invertebrates or even gnaw on small or delicate reptiles or amphibians. We strongly recommend providing your cleaning crew with additional food in the enclosure, e.g. B. Josh’s Frogs CUC Cuisine. When in doubt, using woodlice species such as Dwarf Tropical Whites can be a safer option.
Please read the following article on keeping and cultivating isopods: HOW TO KEEP AND CULTURE ISOPODS
The Complete Pet Isopod Guide: Picks, Enclosure Setup & Care
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Isopod Care & Information – Breeding Isopods in Captivity
In recent years, keeping isopods as pets has become more common in both the vivarium and exotic pet hobbies. Isopods are incredibly low maintenance compared to almost anything short of a houseplant, and they make a great quirky pet in a variety of different settings. When an isopod species is kept in an enclosure as a pet or as a ‘main attraction’, we consider it a main resident.
Most of the isopods we sell are used as detritivores in the food web of a living vivarium environment. (Enthusiasts sometimes call isopods part of a “bioactive terrarium cleaning crew”) In this situation, a live vivarium is designed for another animal species, such as an amphibian, reptile, arachnid, or insect. Isopods and springtails are introduced into the enclosure to enhance the living environment. (We’ll go into more detail on this later) When isopods are kept like this, we consider them cohabitants.
The care strategy we recommend depends on how the isopods are kept, so it is important to identify the two different care methods. We recommend keeping these definitions in mind as you read the rest of the article. These are not scientific classifications; just an easy way to define and separate two posture styles.
We’ve had some emails from new and potential builders with questions about aggression and other isopod concerns. It’s worth noting that none of the species we work with are capable of inflicting a bite on a human, and we have never seen isopods show aggression towards reptilian or amphibian cohabiting species. The only concern remotely related to aggression would be interspecies competition. We recommend keeping only one isopod species per enclosure to ensure populations are not competing for resources as most small environments would ultimately result in only one species thriving over the long term. On the other hand, it is considered common practice to house a springtail species with an isopod species.
Reptile and amphibian enthusiasts can look for certain visual cues to determine if an animal is healthy or ill. The same goes for isopods, believe it or not! An isopod’s cruising speed depends on a number of factors, including temperature (70-85°F preferred), humidity (55%+R/H preferred), amount of light (darkness preferred), and even “narrowness” within a range. When conditions are not favorable due to any of the above factors, an isopod will move faster until it finds a more comfortable setting, at which point it will slow down again. This practice of changing the speed of movement based on an external stimulus is called orthokinesis and is an interesting thing to watch. Isopods are positively thigmotactic, meaning they prefer (and in this case seek) contact with surrounding objects to help them conserve moisture and prevent dehydration. This behavior is why isopods are often found clustered closely together in a social practice called aggregation. When in motion, isopods find their way by turning turns, which essentially means they instinctively turn left and right in quick succession to navigate. This is to ensure that a person is less likely to return and become prey when threatened and more likely to find a favorable state when making casual moves. When it comes to isopods, slower movements and finding groups that huddle together are both healthy behaviors to watch. On the other hand, if they are actively moving at a fairly fast pace (without being disturbed first), their environmental conditions may not be optimal. They are worth keeping an eye on as observing and understanding their behavior can act as a guiding star for certain problems that may arise in a live terrarium.
Isopods are detritivores (consumers of dead organic matter) and are an important part of most ecosystems of which they are a part. In nature, the woodlice species we tend are typically found in leaf litter, under wood and rocks, and in other moist areas. The word isopod comes from Greek and means “same foot” as they have the same number of feet on each side of their body. Isopods belong to the subphylum Crustacea (crustaceans), which makes them more closely related to lobsters and crabs than to insects. The vast majority of isopods found in this hobby appear to belong to the terrestrial suborder Oniscidea, which contains over 5000 known species. There are a few dozen different species and cultivars in the hobby (only a small percentage are represented at NEHERP), each with their own distinctive characteristics. In our experience, Porcellio, Armadillidium, Nagurus and Trichorhina are some of the most commonly kept species of isopods in the hobby.
As a hobby-specific business, we refer to these little critters as “isopods”, although outside of this context that term is incredibly broad! Isopods are a vast order of crustaceans, comprising over 10,000 different species. In this article we focus on information on the terrestrial species that are often kept in captivity as part of a biologically active living vivarium ecosystem. We will discuss the differences between the genres (sub-categories) available in the hobby, how to maintain them and what makes each type unique. Since each strain is fairly similar in general requirements, we decided to write one simple article rather than several tiny ones targeting specific species. Please consider the slight differences in care requirements (described below) when setting up the home for your particular strain.
Fresh cardboard has been used as a source of cellulose in the hobby for years. Isopods digest cellulose as part of their natural diet, so this practice makes sense, but the likelihood of introducing glue and ink is too high for us to risk at NEHERP. Some enthusiasts recommend adding some calcium to the substrate through powder or squid bones, but we have never found this necessary when using the already fortified Repashy diets and NEHERP substrates. If you have more information on adding calcium directly to a substrate, please email us at [email protected] with your feedback. We aim to offer the most comprehensive advice we can and would love to hear from you!
We do not recommend feeding isopods with fish flakes, rice, muesli, and dog food. Having experimented with all three in the past, we found mostly negative results compared to our usual method outlined above. Fish flakes appear to be quick to attract harmful mites, uncooked rice appears to harbor flying pests and allow them to reproduce, and both grains and dog food appear to slow culture growth while attracting unwanted guests. We have seen some commercial products marketed for a “one time” solution for feeding isopods in a vivarium. We would not recommend such a practice, since a long-term overabundance of nutrient-rich substances can cause various opportunistic pests to proliferate in the living environment.
When an environment does not provide enough nutrients for the isopods to thrive naturally, providing nutrient-dense food can be beneficial. This is most often required when isopods are kept as the main residents of an enclosure (since no additional nutrients are added from the animal’s waste) or when isopods are kept in an enclosure where they are frequently hunted. (Pumilio dart frogs for example) We offer small batches of Repashy Morning Wood and Repashy Bug Burger 1-3x weekly depending on colony size/maturity. Both diets provide calcium as well as a host of other vitamins and minerals. Our goal is to only offer what the isopods will devour within 36-48 hours at each feeding, and only offer more food once the original amount has been used up for 1-2 days. If an abundance of nutrient-dense food is left out for too long, it can attract unwanted guests like fungus gnats. (Harmless but annoying, more info in VC102 ) For this reason it is absolutely important not to offer too much food at once. To start, we recommend adding an eraser-sized portion of either Repashy product and seeing how quickly it goes down. From there it should be easier to get an idea of how much a given culture will gobble up within a given amount of time. Better to feed a little less than a little too much.
When isopods are kept as second residents in a vivarium housing a more complex species, they have an even greater natural food source thanks to the animal’s excrement. Nutrients will naturally migrate from the main inhabitant into the microfauna populations, where the waste will be fragmented and gobbled up. (More on that later) For this reason, terrariums in which isopods are co-inhabitants less often require additional nutrient-rich food.
Plants shed leaves, many species of mycorrhizal fungi produce fungi, and some algae form a biofilm. Each of these things occur naturally in a well designed living vivarium and are just a few examples of something that may eventually be consumed by isopods and other microfauna in a living vivarium environment.
We rely on cooked leaf litter as our main, always available food source and make sure there is enough available at all times. As the isopods fragment and devour leaf litter, we are doing our best to replace them as soon as possible. Hand-shredded magnolia leaves are a good choice because they’re inexpensive, commonly available, and thicker than most others on the market. Real oak and sea grape leaves also work great. All leaf litter should be sterilized (boiled) prior to placement to prevent contamination from possible external pathogens.
Maintenance and care include adding more cooked and shredded leaf litter when the stock is eaten, misting every other day or so, and performing at least a partial substrate change every 4-6 months. Isopods kept in a simple enclosure will not benefit from the diet described in the Natural Living Vivarium Debris section above, so it is important to provide diets from the Leaf Litter and Nutrient-Rich Diet categories instead.
We use and recommend V2 Vivarium Substrate mixed with cooked leaf litter for this purpose. The substrate is admittedly a little over-engineered for a simple enclosure like this, but it’s the basis of all our breeder cultures here at NEHERP and we’ve had great luck with them over the last few years. The substrate should be at least a few inches deep and a few inches from the top of the enclosure. A thin layer of leaf litter is then applied to the substrate, being careful not to get it up too far up the sides to allow isopods to escape. As a simple basis, it is advisable to first evenly moisten the entire enclosure. Thereafter, one end of each enclosure is kept slightly drier than the other to allow the isopods to hydroregulate naturally. We try to keep all of our isopods between 73F-83F year round. If your room temperature is significantly cooler, it may be worth purchasing a tank under heater and placing it on one side of the case to allow the isopods to thermoregulate. (We have plastic and glass case models available!)
We recommend providing an enclosure of at least 6 liters total volume (approx. 1.5 gallons) to start a small colony from one of our isopod starter cultures. As the population grows, the size of the container can be increased considerably. The isopods we work with do not readily climb clean vertical-sided glass or plastic containers. A Sterilite tank, small aquarium, or tiny glass terrarium are excellent for this purpose, depending on your aesthetic goals. Providing a small ventilated area at the top of the enclosure is particularly important considering that adequate air circulation has been shown to be very beneficial for isopods in captivity. The ideal size of a vent depends on your environmental conditions, but we personally add a 2″ vent on 6 liter (1.5 gallon) reservoirs, a 3″ vent on 16 liter (4 gallon) reservoirs and two 3 inch vents on 28 liter (7 gallon) tanks. Container. All ventilated areas should be covered with a fine screen to prevent unwanted guests from joining your isopod colony. If you have one of our NEHERP screen separators lying around, we recommend you use it. Other options include more expensive 2 micron filters and less expensive coffee filters. We use our non-toxic black silicone as the glue to add the screen.
Housing of isopods in living vivarium
This section will illustrate in detail how isopods are cared for in a living vivarium environment and what to expect in terms of long-term care. The advice below applies to vivariums built to the specifications outlined in Vivarium Construction 101 and may not apply to enclosures built using methods that we would not recommend. If you want to learn how to build a living vivarium yourself, we recommend checking out VC101.
Example of organic material fragmented by isopods. Porcellio scaber and a magnolia leaf skeleton shown.
Understand the role of isopods in a living vivarium
Isopods can play a crucial role as detritivores in a living vivarium environment. They do an excellent job of processing foliage and other debris produced by fellow residents. The widespread belief that isopods directly decompose waste in a living vivarium is actually a misconception. Isopods are not responsible for the direct decomposition of these materials, but they do contribute greatly to the fragmentation of organic matter. (Essentially breaking up by agitation, chewing and/or digestion) This process makes further fragmentation by springtails and eventual decomposition by mycorrhizal fungi and microbes within the substrate more effective. In our experience, isopods are more effective than springtails at quickly breaking down larger pieces of waste, which helps the waste to be processed a little quicker than usual. Compared to springtails, isopods are also less prone to desiccation (dehydration) in an enclosure, which allows them to be a bit bolder, scaling higher surfaces to reach things that might otherwise be overlooked. In our experience, isopods also help prevent compaction of the substrate over time. The airy, light substrate mix benefits mycorrhizal fungi, which are at least partially responsible for finally breaking down organic matter into elements that are more readily digestible by plants. Introducing isopods into most vivariums is recommended, but is particularly important when keeping medium-sized and larger species that produce more waste.
Dwarf isopod climbs on Alsobia dianthiflora
Introduction & acclimatization
We recommend adding isopods to an enclosure after the substrate layers and main plants have been added, but before the leaf litter has been put in place. It is important to add microfauna to a live vivarium immediately after planting to ensure no opportunistic detritivores have a chance to become established first. NEHERP isopod cultures are 100% safe to pour directly onto the substrate layer and we recommend spreading the contents of a culture evenly within an enclosure to avoid high points. We do not recommend manual stirring (stirring) after pouring as this could injure the fragile isopods. After the isopods have had a moment to settle into the substrate (they usually do so fairly quickly), leaf litter can be added to the vivarium as a finishing touch. (Same procedure applies to springtails) After the isopods are added and the vivarium is complete, it is important that both springtails and isopods have at least 3-6 weeks to acclimatize before adding residents. We recommend waiting as long as possible to give the microfauna enough time to build healthy populations. We would expect to find signs of isopod activity in the leaf litter layers after about 3-4 weeks, feeding on the rotting leaves. It may be a good idea to keep the enclosure a little extra humid (75%+R/H) during this time to ensure they have a chance to reproduce as much as possible during acclimatization. Even if your species dwellers don’t need it that humid all the time, maintaining humidity for a short period of time will help the isopods get a head start before the main dweller is introduced. This practice also helps the plants, springtails, and mycorrhizal fungi!
A natural looking habitat for isopods. Living moss growing from leaf litter on NEHERP V2 Vivarium substrates
maintaining a healthy population
All vivariums will need to be restocked with leaf litter over time, but staying diligent is especially important when introducing isopods. When isopods are a secondary resident species, additional food sources are not usually required given the abundance of leaf litter, naturally shed plant leaves, and resident debris that will be present. In some rare cases where insufficient nutrients are available, adding very small amounts of nutritious food to an isopod population in a vivarium can be beneficial. The enclosure should be sprayed daily, especially when the relative humidity of the enclosure falls below 60%. Very wet enclosures can be sprayed a little less frequently, with the primary goal being to ensure the substrate never dries out. A good substrate for live vivarium is a critical element in helping isopods establish and maintain a population in an enclosure over the long term. Living vivarium substrate will support plants, mycorrhizal fungi and beneficial microbes and resist degradation over the long term. It should also remain airy enough to allow microfauna to move freely from top to bottom within the substrate layer. As you might have guessed, isopods absolutely thrive in any of our NEHERP live vivarium substrates.
Specific advice for specific setups
More specific advice will depend on the type of vivarium you are designing and the type of resident (if any) you will be caring for. Below we describe all of the common vivarium setups that include unique care instructions for isopods.
Armadillidium maculatum, Nagurus cristatus, Trichorhina tomentosa and Armadillidium sp. ‘Montenegro’
Vivaria housing only isopods
As strange as it may sound, isopods actually make great pets for a variety of different types of owners; not only lovers of exotic animals and plants. They make a great first pet for kids, a perfect way to build an interesting classroom (teachers might want to check out the NSTA’s helpful page* Ext. Link), and even make a good addition to an office or dorm room. Having a micro vivarium of plants and isopods is an inexpensive, low maintenance affair. Partial glass panels are highly recommended to keep humidity levels high in aquarium and terrarium housings. UVB lighting is not required and the simplest (i.e. inexpensive) recommended vivarium lighting solutions will suffice. We recommend fogging the enclosure at least once a day. The V2 substrate that comes with our kits should last for years and the only specific instruction for a vivarium that only contains isopods is to shred up some cooked foliage and mix it into the substrate layer before the enclosure is complete is. We try to keep all of our isopods between 73F-83F year round. If you need to heat your case we recommend placing an under tank heater on the side to increase temperatures. In addition, an isopod varium is set up like any other.
Some examples of small species that might prey on terrestrial isopods
Vivarium with small insectivores
Isopods are technically suitable prey for a variety of small reptiles and amphibians. It goes without saying that we recommend feeding your main resident (whatever it may be) very well. This will usually help minimize (or at least reduce) isopod predation, as we have seen. A resident eating a few isopods here and there will not normally harm an established population within a vivarium, as the colony within should be able to keep up with the production of new offspring. It is possible (although rare) that certain species of animals will prey on the isopods more, which may eventually lead to dwindling microfauna populations. This is a more common problem in species like dart frogs and it can sometimes be necessary and beneficial to add a small starter culture from time to time to ensure numbers stay high. Keepers of Ranitomeya and (especially) Oophaga dart frogs regularly add isopods to their enclosures, as newly metamorphosed frogs require (or at least benefit greatly from) a regular diet of isopods. We recommend woodlice for vivariums that will house smaller resident species.
Crested geckos, green tree pythons, Gehyra marginata, and Rhacodactylus leachianus are just a few examples of larger species that don’t typically prey on isopods
Medium and large species vivariums
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