So a quick sidenote, i use baby carrots as a supplement, they take a long time to start rotting, and they rot so slow that my springtails eat the rot. Some even grow roots. Its far more likely they dry out than rot out, and the isopods eat it at their leisure :)
Baby carrots are my favorite to feed! They don't seem to mold quickly like you said. The isopods seem to love them as well. I do recommend organic though in case of pesticides :)
@brittadactyl thats another great benefit of baby carrots actually, while i would always advise rinsing any veggies given to your isopods, the way baby carrots are made tends to make it less of a risk. They are large carrots that are peeled and sectioned and without that outer layer the risk of contamination is much smaller. As a quick sidenote organic foods are not pesticide free, they only use different pesticides, please never assume anything "Organic" is any more safe, as that is usually not the case.
When I tend to kind of forget about my rubber duckies (for a few days to a week) then come back that’s when I find babies. I also keep them on top of my ball python enclosure (that is regulated by a thermostat) so they stay pretty warm.
New isopod keeper here, thank you for sharing the important tips! I understand that I should not bother the isopods too often, but it's so hard not to check on them... they are so adorable!! But indeed I found out that some are super shy and get scared very easily, I will disturb them less from now on, thank you again!
Nice informative video! Accidental iso observer here. When I bring in large potted plants in the fall, I have noticed iso & spring tail colonies. After I water they move to the surface. All survivors of winter go back out with the plants in spring. Since noticing them, I have made sure to water more frequently and occasionally add a small organic food item.
When I add springtails they reproduce with the speed of light so to speak and they start eating the supplemental food from the moment I give it. All the food becomes white from the little bodies of the hundreds, probably thousands of them on the surface of the piece of food. I searched for the species by the way they look and it seems they belong to a species that reproduces parthenogenetically. So from my experience, the species of the springtails you put in your enclosure is a big factor that should be considered.
Just got a ton of isopods now and I found something that works as a great treat for setups with multiple springtail species is small coconut chunks! Elongate springtails and the white ones absolutely love it along with the isopods
Re: feeding new cultures - I read a comment below - I think you have to be very cautious at first but maybe provide a minimum amount of food and see what happens. I got my first Porcellio hoffmanseggi two days ago and they totally devoured the shrimp I left for them on the first night, then rather less the next night. I reckon that at times it's a case of providing a bare minimum of food and closely monitoring exactly how much a new culture consumes - this will be easier if you count out the individual items (ie: shrimp or goldfish pellets) and put them on a piece of bark or a large leaf such as magnolia.
Good luck! I started off with ten PH(February of this year) in a dollar tree storage bin similar to what he shows with two two inch round vents on the lid and one two inch vent on the side of the bin. I now have that bin, and two more nicer enclosures with at least seventy PH. I feed them shrimp pellets, fish food, and dry roach & millipede food that I cannot remember the brand name of. I only kept a small part of the end of the enclosure moist at all times, and I always had a piece of cuttlebone for them to use as needed. That's just my experience, and I'm sure people have done better doing less, would love to hear anything you've learned so far!!
Oh, when I notice a mother and her babies or even one of them molting, I make sure not to put too much water in that area, which usually means I'm only wetting from one side, and never spraying with a spray bottle, since they usually do those things in the wetter side of the enclosure. I'm also quick to remove the food nearby the wet side once I notice babies, usually giving them pieces of carrots and potatoes which are easy to pick up and inspect for any passengers. :)
When I've tried to keep isopods alone, they end up just dying. My bio active enclosures where I don't bother them at all seem to flourish. So leaving them alone seems to be key!
I recently found that hikari micro pellets, and supreme grow baby fish food, (tiny pellets) are like perfect meal size for isos and tend not to mold because they seldom have leftovers. At least my dairy cows don’t tend to leave leftovers of it. Ive had 0 mold issues since I have got them. They also enjoy mealworm sheds as a crunchy crispy snack.
Thanks for this. I just googled what I nabbed from my garden. I have 2 Armadillidium vulgare and 3 Porcellio scaber. They are living in my closed terrarium and seem to be quite happy. It’s always a treat to see them mooching around
Going through some videos just in case I could be improving my isopod setup more, and checked the description of this video to be pleasantly surprised by all the links listing everything you use. I've never seen so much put in a description, and it's incredibly useful. Thanks mate👍
thanks to you and your videos I have successfully avoided all of these 10 beginner isopod mistakes! Thank you so much for everything you do for us and this hobby!
Fantastic video. I was following your advices all the time but this video helped me to review if I’m still on the right route 😂 the only thing I’m struggling with is not to bother them. It’s extremely hard especially with new isopods I’m excited to watch. Overall your and Wally’s guides helped me to start my obsession, keep it going and stay on track. Thank you so much for all your amazing and informative content.
Lovely! I know there would be some overlap, but I'd love to see a series of specific species and what's the best isopods for them, such as ball pythons, hognoses, false water cobras, etc. Thank you!!!
Great video! I found 1 porcellio isopod about a year ago have have quite a nice little colony now. They’re fun because they run around on their own a lot.
Something I really like to have in isopod enclosures is a diverse group of springtails typically 3 species I particularly like large elongate springtails for porcellionides pruinosus they are drought tolerant and good cleaners that are fun to watch too
I got some isopods to help keep my frogs enclosure clean along with some springtails the second i put the isopods in they started digging and have only seen one on the surface since Will they just stay underground I have about 4-5 inches of loose soil with clay balls and lava rock as a base
A good video! I have been interested in vermiculture for a long time and now owning an apartment, I have been able to start taking care of my own little creatures! A friend had a large culture of milkbacks and orange dalmatians that I now have in my care and I've been quite happy with them! I have slowly accrued a worm bin and the isopods plus spring tails have been extraordinary!
Thanks for this, Russ! Still not sure how I can become a patron from here in the south of Spain though. Re: species sensitivity, I've just transferred my locally caught Porcellio ornatus Yellow Dot (literally collected half a mile from home) to a larger enclosure as they're reproducing like there was no tomorrow (thanks no doubt to largest male "Attila"!) and they seem to be pretty more or less bomb proof. My P. ornatus High Yellow likewise appear to be quite tough so far and are reproducing well. I'm being much more cautious with the shyer species at the moment... I'm learning even after just a few months into the hobby that some isopods can tolerate more disturbance than others and this can affect their wellbeing profoundly if not taken into consideration.
Some isopod species can and will climb smooth-ish surfaces! My merulanellas (red diablo) are particularly determined to go on an adventure whenever I open the lid
I'll have to thumb through your vids. Been watching for a while but this one sort of made it obvious to me what I look for in isopods. I only keep a common species native to my area for now.. but I love them for the various colors and that they are active nearly at all times I do check on them.
See I have always wondered if I need to feed them on top of all the mosses, leaf liter, and wood in their enclosures. I keep more than just cork bark for them. They have some expensive pieces of my old aquarium wood, like spider wood, Malaysian wood, moponi wood. I only have almond leafs right now wait for snow to melt to hit the woods for leaf liter. Yes I do boil it for like 2 mins before I use it.
How do you know that the compost is fine to use ? I have earth worm compost + normal compost, but both is so much full of biology that i am afraid to add into my enclosures
It depends on what is in there. If it is full of mites, centipedes, and spiders, probably not a good fit. If it is microorganisms and some springtails, it should be fine
@@Aquarimax i got loads of springtails but also alot of predatory mitez along with that and these chubby soil mitez that just look like a big dot Figured im just gonna take some forest soil where isopods appear naturally
My main issue is what I do with them if they breed too much, especially Dairy Cows. I originally planned to release them into the wild, but people are telling me it's bad to do that, but I don't want to kill them at all nor do I want to sell them.
Well, dairy cows might not be a great match for you if you are worries about overpopulating. For many (not all) isopod species, you can reduce the amount of leaf litter you offer, and offer more supplemental foods. They can thrive on those foods, but will tend to breed far less prolifically.
I have been keeping isopods as a class pet, and it has been great. We are lucky to see one or two walking around a day. Today, however, I have multiple isopods on top of the same plant. Im happy to see them, but it worries me. I only had one climber before, so I dont know why suddenly so many are climbing. Is something wrong?
Hello ! Thank you for this video it's fascinating and i'm really happy to get all the informations i can before starting my colony. I was wondering, what do you think about adding live plants in the vivarium of the isopods? I see that many people keep them without any plants and i am wondering if it's bad for them...
Good question! Some isopods will eat live plants (notably Armadillidium, some Cubaris, Venezillo parvus, among others). Many will eat live moss. Some species will get along just fine with live plants though.
@@Aquarimax understood i'll try to find informations or, well i'll test and if the plants get eaten i guess i'll have an answer 🤣 ! Thank you so much for your work i took notes of everything about isopod care and feel much more prepared to adopt some
I'm sorry if this sounds silly but maybe someone who stumbles across this comment can help i would love to keep isopods but what do i do if they breed lots and become too crowded in their enclosure? is there a way to keep their numbers reasonable without exponential growth and having to upsize their box?
Start by choosing a species that is not extremely prolific, l(Porcellio laevis ‘Dairy Cow’ is probably not the best choice for you) and then limit (not eliminate) the amount of leaf litter you provide. They can thrive on other foods, no many species will breed far less when leaf litter is limited.
The mroe I hear about what peopel start with the more I realize I got really lucky adn went overbored on my starter culture. I have 70. I dug them out of my garden
Any recommendations for isopods almost purely for cleaning up purposes in a tropical environment (high humidity and heat)? Would like to have them cleanup hermit crab poop.
Is it necessary to feed the isopods calcium food if i will be using them to maintain a “bioactive” setup for my ball python? (bc they would be eating the feces and shed, etc.)
I set up a little terrarium in a 3-gallon cookie jar that’s maybe 8 inches in diameter. I was thinking of adding springtails and isopods for some movement and visual interest, but I have no idea how I could set up a humidity gradient in such a narrow space. I suppose I could just mist one side, but I’ve already planted the entire surface. I don’t want any plants to dry out. Should I just leave it alone and forget the isopod/springtail idea?
There are springtails that do just fine without a humidity gradient, and some isopods too, though with such a small vivarium you are limited with species that could do well. Dwarf whites could work!
As far as mixing Isopods and Springtails what type of Springtails (Temperate or Tropical) should we be adding to certain species of Isopods or does it not really matter?
Hi! I wanted to create a closed ecosystem terrarium with moss, asparagus ferns, and fittonia. I read that having isopods within the terraium is great as a "clean up crew" like you said! I was looking at purchasing the "Porcellio laevis" isopods for this. I'm sorry if this is a silly question, but will they be okay and happy in one, as long as I add eggshells occasionally and water to keep the area moist? Or maybe there are a type that would be more fitting for a closed terrarium?
Great question! Porcellio laevis tend to have big appetites, I would wonder if they would munch on your plants. I haven’t tried Cubaris murina in a closed setup, but I would tend to think it would be a good option
I am in the process of setting up my ball python with a bioactive enclosure and I was wondering if the isopods will get out of hand? I'm planning on using either zebra or lava
It depends on many factors…the zebras are more likely to nibble live plants. The lavas might be a better bet, but they will still need leaf litter and other food, or they may do the same
Iv been feeding to much but luckily it seems the powder doesn’t seem to mold quickly Iv also only one hide in each bin and I don’t have spring tails but how much is to much interfering I check on mine about every week
You could do that, but then you would need a tray to catch the water…and you’d have to make sure the isopods /dirt, etc wouldn’t come out of the holes.
Allow me to ask several questions regarding isopods: 1. Can I keep different species of isopods (small+big) together? 2. Is it ok to keep isopods with other garden animals like garden snails or spike awlsnails? 3. Can isopods crossbreed? (small+big) or (big+big) Thanks for your help!
Sometimes different species can work together, other times they outcompete each other. It depends how n the specific species you are keeping and the specific conditions. Most isopods species do not seem to crossbred, but morphs within a species generally can. Some people keep isopods with snails with great success.
I just got a mix of P.laevis and I do lift the lid to watch them every night but I don't poke the sub or lift their hides. Good to learn I'm not doing too bad atm for a newbie haha 😂
In general, their usefulness in bioactive enclosures lies in the fact that they tend to eat things that otherwise would mold, not so much the mold itself.
can u pls tell me, i got giant land snail and got isopods for cleaning crew and they do not eat their poop for some reason atleast not in long time .. is becose they have acces to snail food ?
Hi I'm new to isopods. Will the springtails escape through the air holes? I want to keep the isopods happy when I get them so I need to know specifics. Also how do people keep a temperature gradient? Thank you for any advice.
I have just ordered some crystal whites my plan is to make them their own bioactive viv my first bioactive viv ☺ am so excited ,this vid had loads of info thank you for making it 😊 going to go watch the rest of your vids now 😁 isopods Rock 😁😎😁
Can a container be too big? I currently have a plastic bin filled halfway with organic garden soil its about 5 gallons and i was gonna put them in there but im not sure also i dont plan on drilling holes in it i have dwarf white isopods to put in
Great video as usual very informative 👍 and I've watched his video on checking on the bins too much he made a really good point about this and it was very entertaining and informative 👍
@@Aquarimax thank you very much! Imma keep watching your videos and asking questions as i find them. I really appreciate everything you do and share on your channel!
Hi Russ, I saw you over on Clint's Reptiles and I came over here to check out your videos, they're very informative! I just have one question (Though I apologize if it's been addressed already). I've seen people say that when the culture grows, you should split it or move it into a larger enclosure. But what do I do if I don't want the culture to grow? Do I limit feeding? I heard you mention in Clint's video that some people own toads to cull their isopod population, but I'm not particularly interested in owning amphibians.
Welcome to my channel! You can limit population to some degree by the type and quantity of food you offer, especially by limiting leaf litter, but this does depend on species as well. Some reptiles will appreciate isopod snacks as well. 😊
how do I find out which species are legal in my state? I found a list of approved inverts but there was no mention of isopods. some people say which states they can't be shipped to, but some don't, which makes me want a way to check for myself. I thought you might know since you list which states you can't ship certain species to on your website
There is a list of approved Isopods available from APHIS, and anything on this list can be shipped to most states…with a few restrictions. No isopods can be shipped to Hawaii, only a few can be shipped to Florida, and Louisiana and Oregon have a few species they won’t accept.
I am an isopod and I approve this video
😁
Me too. I identify as a pill bug. I like to curl up and stay hydrated 😂
So a quick sidenote, i use baby carrots as a supplement, they take a long time to start rotting, and they rot so slow that my springtails eat the rot. Some even grow roots. Its far more likely they dry out than rot out, and the isopods eat it at their leisure :)
I like to use carrots too…good points!
Carrots are awesome even when they start to rot they don’t mold fast
I've been using watermelon, cantaloupe and baby carrots as well.
Baby carrots are my favorite to feed! They don't seem to mold quickly like you said. The isopods seem to love them as well. I do recommend organic though in case of pesticides :)
@brittadactyl thats another great benefit of baby carrots actually, while i would always advise rinsing any veggies given to your isopods, the way baby carrots are made tends to make it less of a risk. They are large carrots that are peeled and sectioned and without that outer layer the risk of contamination is much smaller.
As a quick sidenote organic foods are not pesticide free, they only use different pesticides, please never assume anything "Organic" is any more safe, as that is usually not the case.
Why am I watching this? I dont even have isopods.
🤣 I am glad you are, though!
Same lmao I just love the little critters sm
These vids made me start an isopod tank, I love the little fuckers
Im watching this in hopes of getting them someday once i get my room under control :)
I have no idea why this was recomended to me but now I want my own isopod colony
Me too
I just started keeping isopods, and I was worried I was doing something that would harm them. This definitely will help me
hey, hows the isopod keeping going?
When I tend to kind of forget about my rubber duckies (for a few days to a week) then come back that’s when I find babies. I also keep them on top of my ball python enclosure (that is regulated by a thermostat) so they stay pretty warm.
New isopod keeper here, thank you for sharing the important tips! I understand that I should not bother the isopods too often, but it's so hard not to check on them... they are so adorable!! But indeed I found out that some are super shy and get scared very easily, I will disturb them less from now on, thank you again!
I like tip 9, I never would have thought that checking the culture too often would disturb them that much.
I’m guilty of this
They’re just so cute
Nice informative video! Accidental iso observer here. When I bring in large potted plants in the fall, I have noticed iso & spring tail colonies. After I water they move to the surface. All survivors of winter go back out with the plants in spring. Since noticing them, I have made sure to water more frequently and occasionally add a small organic food item.
Cool!
The catfish at the end best part of the video. Thanks for the suggesting the Yellow Dot and Dairy Cows.
When I add springtails they reproduce with the speed of light so to speak and they start eating the supplemental food from the moment I give it. All the food becomes white from the little bodies of the hundreds, probably thousands of them on the surface of the piece of food. I searched for the species by the way they look and it seems they belong to a species that reproduces parthenogenetically. So from my experience, the species of the springtails you put in your enclosure is a big factor that should be considered.
Yes, there are definitely species that are better suited to isopod bin mates than others, 👍🏼
Fantastic, was hoping to find a playlist of species specific care guides.
Just got a ton of isopods now and I found something that works as a great treat for setups with multiple springtail species is small coconut chunks! Elongate springtails and the white ones absolutely love it along with the isopods
thank you from both me and my isopods
Re: feeding new cultures - I read a comment below - I think you have to be very cautious at first but maybe provide a minimum amount of food and see what happens. I got my first Porcellio hoffmanseggi two days ago and they totally devoured the shrimp I left for them on the first night, then rather less the next night. I reckon that at times it's a case of providing a bare minimum of food and closely monitoring exactly how much a new culture consumes - this will be easier if you count out the individual items (ie: shrimp or goldfish pellets) and put them on a piece of bark or a large leaf such as magnolia.
Good luck! I started off with ten PH(February of this year) in a dollar tree storage bin similar to what he shows with two two inch round vents on the lid and one two inch vent on the side of the bin. I now have that bin, and two more nicer enclosures with at least seventy PH. I feed them shrimp pellets, fish food, and dry roach & millipede food that I cannot remember the brand name of. I only kept a small part of the end of the enclosure moist at all times, and I always had a piece of cuttlebone for them to use as needed.
That's just my experience, and I'm sure people have done better doing less, would love to hear anything you've learned so far!!
Oh, when I notice a mother and her babies or even one of them molting, I make sure not to put too much water in that area, which usually means I'm only wetting from one side, and never spraying with a spray bottle, since they usually do those things in the wetter side of the enclosure. I'm also quick to remove the food nearby the wet side once I notice babies, usually giving them pieces of carrots and potatoes which are easy to pick up and inspect for any passengers. :)
Thanks for the video, I am starting my own colony today, it helped me a lot already ❤
When I've tried to keep isopods alone, they end up just dying. My bio active enclosures where I don't bother them at all seem to flourish. So leaving them alone seems to be key!
Why won’t my inner little kid listen!!!
I recently found that hikari micro pellets, and supreme grow baby fish food, (tiny pellets) are like perfect meal size for isos and tend not to mold because they seldom have leftovers.
At least my dairy cows don’t tend to leave leftovers of it. Ive had 0 mold issues since I have got them.
They also enjoy mealworm sheds as a crunchy crispy snack.
They take them from my finger tip, its very wholesome.
Clear bins or clear lids help with not over checking.
They really do, great point!
Finally a detailed and in-depth video!
Thanks for this. I just googled what I nabbed from my garden. I have 2 Armadillidium vulgare and 3 Porcellio scaber. They are living in my closed terrarium and seem to be quite happy. It’s always a treat to see them mooching around
Going through some videos just in case I could be improving my isopod setup more, and checked the description of this video to be pleasantly surprised by all the links listing everything you use. I've never seen so much put in a description, and it's incredibly useful. Thanks mate👍
thanks to you and your videos I have successfully avoided all of these 10 beginner isopod mistakes! Thank you so much for everything you do for us and this hobby!
I had mites really bad. Way more mites than spring tails but after about a month the spring tails had completely out competed the mites
I have found them around my house how do I get rid of them can they do damage
Great information for anyone getting into isopods. It makes me want to keep them again
Out of curiosity why would you keep these?
@@NtokozoMoyo a lot of people just find them fun to own! It’s like how some keep cockroaches, reptiles, scorpions or tarantula even! :)
Fantastic video. I was following your advices all the time but this video helped me to review if I’m still on the right route 😂 the only thing I’m struggling with is not to bother them. It’s extremely hard especially with new isopods I’m excited to watch. Overall your and Wally’s guides helped me to start my obsession, keep it going and stay on track. Thank you so much for all your amazing and informative content.
This is a CLASSIC video! Well done and PACKED with info. I hope people watch this over and over.
Thank you Wally! I hope so as well…it seems to be one of my most popular videos in the series so far!
Lovely! I know there would be some overlap, but I'd love to see a series of specific species and what's the best isopods for them, such as ball pythons, hognoses, false water cobras, etc. Thank you!!!
Hello great video information Russ
I’m so informed by this vid! I’m keeping reptiles and expanding my collection to invertebrates, your vids especially this one help me plenty
Great video! I found 1 porcellio isopod about a year ago have have quite a nice little colony now. They’re fun because they run around on their own a lot.
Really nice ! Isopodes are very fun to watch
Something I really like to have in isopod enclosures is a diverse group of springtails typically 3 species I particularly like large elongate springtails for porcellionides pruinosus they are drought tolerant and good cleaners that are fun to watch too
That explains why the ones that were in my Poison dart frog enclosure thrived.
I may or may not be getting into the isopod keeping hobby
springtails are a life saver
They sure are!
Great video isopods are awesome creatures
man i love isopods.
Me too! Should I start shipping them interdimensionally?
Great video! I agree with Sean thanks to you and Wally I have avoided these mistakes as well. Thanks for all your hard work and information.
I got some isopods to help keep my frogs enclosure clean along with some springtails the second i put the isopods in they started digging and have only seen one on the surface since Will they just stay underground I have about 4-5 inches of loose soil with clay balls and lava rock as a base
A good video! I have been interested in vermiculture for a long time and now owning an apartment, I have been able to start taking care of my own little creatures! A friend had a large culture of milkbacks and orange dalmatians that I now have in my care and I've been quite happy with them! I have slowly accrued a worm bin and the isopods plus spring tails have been extraordinary!
They make a good little composter community!
Thank you so much this has helped me so much ❤❤
You're so welcome!
Thanks for this, Russ! Still not sure how I can become a patron from here in the south of Spain though. Re: species sensitivity, I've just transferred my locally caught Porcellio ornatus Yellow Dot (literally collected half a mile from home) to a larger enclosure as they're reproducing like there was no tomorrow (thanks no doubt to largest male "Attila"!) and they seem to be pretty more or less bomb proof. My P. ornatus High Yellow likewise appear to be quite tough so far and are reproducing well. I'm being much more cautious with the shyer species at the moment... I'm learning even after just a few months into the hobby that some isopods can tolerate more disturbance than others and this can affect their wellbeing profoundly if not taken into consideration.
Some isopod species can and will climb smooth-ish surfaces! My merulanellas (red diablo) are particularly determined to go on an adventure whenever I open the lid
Yes, what seems smooth to us may have a layer of dust, or be slightly scratched…totally climbable
I don't own any isopods but this was very interesting to view!
Great points! Just recently I stopped providing food to new cultures. I’ll leave the carrot sent in shipping maybe.
I often do the same until it is clear they are ready for more food. Great tip!
Do rolly pollies work as isopods?
Yes! In fact, they ARE isopods! Just keep in mind that the most common role poly, Armadillidium vulgare, will munch on live plants.
@@Aquarimax darn it I feed my pet frog crickets and flies
I'll have to thumb through your vids. Been watching for a while but this one sort of made it obvious to me what I look for in isopods. I only keep a common species native to my area for now.. but I love them for the various colors and that they are active nearly at all times I do check on them.
See I have always wondered if I need to feed them on top of all the mosses, leaf liter, and wood in their enclosures. I keep more than just cork bark for them. They have some expensive pieces of my old aquarium wood, like spider wood, Malaysian wood, moponi wood. I only have almond leafs right now wait for snow to melt to hit the woods for leaf liter. Yes I do boil it for like 2 mins before I use it.
@6:29 Which isopods are the most ‘social’? so I can check on them often.
Porcellio laevis and similar types like Dairy Cows are fairly imperturbable, especially once the colony gets to a decent size.
Brilliant video, thanks for the information 👏🫶
I learned about moisture gradient the hard way with some passing away, but now do better with this!
Great video, thanks! Just ordered my first four species of isopods today and are really excited to get started.
6:15 I use a clear plastic spoon to pick up individuals lol
How do you know that the compost is fine to use ? I have earth worm compost + normal compost, but both is so much full of biology that i am afraid to add into my enclosures
It depends on what is in there. If it is full of mites, centipedes, and spiders, probably not a good fit. If it is microorganisms and some springtails, it should be fine
@@Aquarimax i got loads of springtails but also alot of predatory mitez along with that and these chubby soil mitez that just look like a big dot
Figured im just gonna take some forest soil where isopods appear naturally
I love the paint brush idea!
My main issue is what I do with them if they breed too much, especially Dairy Cows. I originally planned to release them into the wild, but people are telling me it's bad to do that, but I don't want to kill them at all nor do I want to sell them.
Well, dairy cows might not be a great match for you if you are worries about overpopulating. For many (not all) isopod species, you can reduce the amount of leaf litter you offer, and offer more supplemental foods. They can thrive on those foods, but will tend to breed far less prolifically.
0:15-0:34 What food are you giving them?
The colorful pellets are pollen 👍🏽
I have been keeping isopods as a class pet, and it has been great. We are lucky to see one or two walking around a day. Today, however, I have multiple isopods on top of the same plant. Im happy to see them, but it worries me. I only had one climber before, so I dont know why suddenly so many are climbing. Is something wrong?
Hello ! Thank you for this video it's fascinating and i'm really happy to get all the informations i can before starting my colony. I was wondering, what do you think about adding live plants in the vivarium of the isopods? I see that many people keep them without any plants and i am wondering if it's bad for them...
Good question! Some isopods will eat live plants (notably Armadillidium, some Cubaris, Venezillo parvus, among others). Many will eat live moss.
Some species will get along just fine with live plants though.
@@Aquarimax Thank you for your response ! Do you know if Cubaris sp. Amber will do well with live plants ?
@@eleoche9082 i haven’t worked with that species at all, so I am not sure about that one…
@@Aquarimax understood i'll try to find informations or, well i'll test and if the plants get eaten i guess i'll have an answer 🤣 ! Thank you so much for your work i took notes of everything about isopod care and feel much more prepared to adopt some
Thanks for the isopods tips rus
does the bark have to be cork bark or can you use just bark from trees around you?
Non-resinous tree bark can work. Cork is nice in that the isopods are not as interested in eating it, so it lasts longer.
What is that yellow pebble food?
Oh can you do a rubber ducky care guide as well.
That food is bee pollen. Rubber duckies are on the to-do list 👍
@@Aquarimax thanks that’s great 😊
I'm sorry if this sounds silly but maybe someone who stumbles across this comment can help
i would love to keep isopods but what do i do if they breed lots and become too crowded in their enclosure? is there a way to keep their numbers reasonable without exponential growth and having to upsize their box?
Start by choosing a species that is not extremely prolific, l(Porcellio laevis ‘Dairy Cow’ is probably not the best choice for you) and then limit (not eliminate) the amount of leaf litter you provide. They can thrive on other foods, no many species will breed far less when leaf litter is limited.
@@Aquarimax thank you for your reply and all the excellent resources you provide on your channel!
The mroe I hear about what peopel start with the more I realize I got really lucky adn went overbored on my starter culture. I have 70. I dug them out of my garden
Any recommendations for isopods almost purely for cleaning up purposes in a tropical environment (high humidity and heat)? Would like to have them cleanup hermit crab poop.
Excellent advice! Thank you!
Video Idea: Isopod tier list (your favorites and least favorites)
That is a great idea…I’ll bet YOU already know which is my least favorite…😂
Is it necessary to feed the isopods calcium food if i will be using them to maintain a “bioactive” setup for my ball python? (bc they would be eating the feces and shed, etc.)
Not necessarily, especially if they have plenty of leaf litter, which will provide some calcium.
I set up a little terrarium in a 3-gallon cookie jar that’s maybe 8 inches in diameter. I was thinking of adding springtails and isopods for some movement and visual interest, but I have no idea how I could set up a humidity gradient in such a narrow space. I suppose I could just mist one side, but I’ve already planted the entire surface. I don’t want any plants to dry out. Should I just leave it alone and forget the isopod/springtail idea?
There are springtails that do just fine without a humidity gradient, and some isopods too, though with such a small vivarium you are limited with species that could do well. Dwarf whites could work!
As far as mixing Isopods and Springtails what type of Springtails (Temperate or Tropical) should we be adding to certain species of Isopods or does it not really matter?
I prefer Sinella curviseta, as they are very versatile, and do well on the moist and dry sides of the enclosure.
Hi! I wanted to create a closed ecosystem terrarium with moss, asparagus ferns, and fittonia. I read that having isopods within the terraium is great as a "clean up crew" like you said! I was looking at purchasing the "Porcellio laevis" isopods for this. I'm sorry if this is a silly question, but will they be okay and happy in one, as long as I add eggshells occasionally and water to keep the area moist? Or maybe there are a type that would be more fitting for a closed terrarium?
Great question! Porcellio laevis tend to have big appetites, I would wonder if they would munch on your plants. I haven’t tried Cubaris murina in a closed setup, but I would tend to think it would be a good option
Thanks 🙏
I am in the process of setting up my ball python with a bioactive enclosure and I was wondering if the isopods will get out of hand? I'm planning on using either zebra or lava
It depends on many factors…the zebras are more likely to nibble live plants. The lavas might be a better bet, but they will still need leaf litter and other food, or they may do the same
Love these tips! Wish I had this video when I first started out!
Iv been feeding to much but luckily it seems the powder doesn’t seem to mold quickly Iv also only one hide in each bin and I don’t have spring tails but how much is to much interfering I check on mine about every week
Thanks for another awesome video, Rus! And great idea for the playlist of species!
Excellent video
Can you do a video about dairy cow isopods for your playlists?
It is in process, should be out soon!
We should remember that some slower breeding isopods can be outcompeted by springtails (examples include platyarthus sp.)
could you do some more millipede videos please? are you going to sell millipedes on your website?
Amazing video!
Is it fine if i drill holes in the bottom so that exesive water runs out
You could do that, but then you would need a tray to catch the water…and you’d have to make sure the isopods /dirt, etc wouldn’t come out of the holes.
Allow me to ask several questions regarding isopods:
1. Can I keep different species of isopods (small+big) together?
2. Is it ok to keep isopods with other garden animals like garden snails or spike awlsnails?
3. Can isopods crossbreed? (small+big) or (big+big)
Thanks for your help!
Sometimes different species can work together, other times they outcompete each other. It depends how n the specific species you are keeping and the specific conditions.
Most isopods species do not seem to crossbred, but morphs within a species generally can. Some people keep isopods with snails with great success.
@@Aquarimax Thanks for your reply, appreciated😍
Just subscribed 💕
I just got a mix of P.laevis and I do lift the lid to watch them every night but I don't poke the sub or lift their hides. Good to learn I'm not doing too bad atm for a newbie haha 😂
Sounds like you are off to a great start!
@@Aquarimax I hope so! I just bought some zebras as well so looking forward to them! :D
@@Medusii Zebras are hard to beat!
Great and informative video!!
Quick question, what species of isopod would be the best for beginners?
Thank you!
Thank you! Here is a video on great isopods for beginners: ruclips.net/video/9oUkDOI_QmI/видео.htmlsi=9NFrEvx2xut4-FqN
@@Aquarimax That video was very helpful, thank you!!
Thought they liked mould?
In general, their usefulness in bioactive enclosures lies in the fact that they tend to eat things that otherwise would mold, not so much the mold itself.
can u pls tell me, i got giant land snail and got isopods for cleaning crew and they do not eat their poop for some reason atleast not in long time .. is becose they have acces to snail food ?
I haven’t worked with giant land snails at all, but that could be the reason.
Hi I'm new to isopods. Will the springtails escape through the air holes? I want to keep the isopods happy when I get them so I need to know specifics. Also how do people keep a temperature gradient? Thank you for any advice.
you can you use 100 micron mesh if you don't want escapes
Where can i read about isopods? I belive i have Porcellio scaber.
I have just ordered some crystal whites my plan is to make them their own bioactive viv my first bioactive viv ☺ am so excited ,this vid had loads of info thank you for making it 😊 going to go watch the rest of your vids now 😁 isopods Rock 😁😎😁
What do you think is the best isopod for handling regularly?
I’d day one of the larger Armadillidium, or Porcellio ornatus Yellow Dot. There are other options too, but those spring to mind.
@@Aquarimax how big are gestroi compared to vulgare?
Can a container be too big? I currently have a plastic bin filled halfway with organic garden soil its about 5 gallons and i was gonna put them in there but im not sure also i dont plan on drilling holes in it i have dwarf white isopods to put in
Great video as usual very informative 👍 and I've watched his video on checking on the bins too much he made a really good point about this and it was very entertaining and informative 👍
Hello, im very interested in learning about these little guys. Are their any book you might recomend?
This is one of my favorites #ad amzn.to/3UjSNft
@@Aquarimax thank you very much! Imma keep watching your videos and asking questions as i find them. I really appreciate everything you do and share on your channel!
Oj mistrzu oczy mi otworzyłeś
Nie jestem mistrzem, ale uczniem równonogów. Niemniej jednak cieszę się, że okazał się pomocny!
Hi Russ, I saw you over on Clint's Reptiles and I came over here to check out your videos, they're very informative! I just have one question (Though I apologize if it's been addressed already). I've seen people say that when the culture grows, you should split it or move it into a larger enclosure. But what do I do if I don't want the culture to grow? Do I limit feeding? I heard you mention in Clint's video that some people own toads to cull their isopod population, but I'm not particularly interested in owning amphibians.
Welcome to my channel! You can limit population to some degree by the type and quantity of food you offer, especially by limiting leaf litter, but this does depend on species as well. Some reptiles will appreciate isopod snacks as well. 😊
@@Aquarimax thank you very much!
how do I find out which species are legal in my state? I found a list of approved inverts but there was no mention of isopods. some people say which states they can't be shipped to, but some don't, which makes me want a way to check for myself. I thought you might know since you list which states you can't ship certain species to on your website
There is a list of approved Isopods available from APHIS, and anything on this list can be shipped to most states…with a few restrictions. No isopods can be shipped to Hawaii, only a few can be shipped to Florida, and Louisiana and Oregon have a few species they won’t accept.
@@Aquarimax thanks, I'll check that out! it's those exceptions that I'm trying to figure out
@@duotrapeze72 do you live in one of the exception states?
@@Aquarimax yep! not sure it's a good idea to say which one on here though...
@@Aquarimax I can have "Armadillidium nasatum ‘Peach’ Isopod" but not giant canyons