How to Raise Isopods

Why raise isopods? Many invertebrate hobbyists, as well as dart frog owners and other hobbyists, use isopods as tank cleaners. If placed in a semi-moist tank, isopods will scavenge and eat leftover remains of partially eaten insects or prey. Isopods will help keep the tank clean and prevent mold and mite problems. In addition to those hobbyists that keep isopods for their cleaning capabilities, some people enjoy the isopods themselves, raising different color variations and species. Some of the commonly reared species include dwarf white isopods (Trichorhina tomentosa), Spanish orange isopods (Porcellio scaber color morphs), and common gray isopods.

Anatomy

Isopods, which are also known as pill bugs, wood lice, and sow bugs, are crustaceans. Like their relatives (crabs, crayfish, etc.), they breathe through gills. The gills of an isopod are located on its legs. Since isopods rely on their gills to obtain oxygen, one of the main requirements for rearing isopods is to keep the substrate in the enclosure moist. In addition to their gills, isopods have 7 pairs of legs.

Breeding

Isopods, like most other animals, reproduce sexually, so there are both male and female isopods. After successfully mating, females will carry their eggs on their underside. When the gestation period has passed, the eggs will hatch, and the newborn isopods will disperse within a few days. The young look just like the adults except for the fact that they are barely visible when born. In order to grow, isopods shed their exoskeleton; however, unlike most arthropods, which shed their entire exoskeleton, isopods only shed one half at a time. First, they shed the back half, then the front half.

Housing

The enclosure requirements for isopods are relatively simple. Isopods can be housed in a variety of containers. The simplest and least expensive housing method is to use a plastic storage container/bin, such as a Sterilite or Rubbermaid container. Drill multiple small holes around the upper edge of the enclosure, or drill one or more larger holes with a hole saw and place round vents into the holes. A large amount of ventilation is not necessary, since isopods do not consume very much oxygen. Also, if there is too much ventilation, the environment may dry out too quickly and could prove detrimental to your isopod colony. Since isopods like to burrow and need constant moisture, the bottom of the enclosure should be covered with 2-3 in. or 5-7.5 cm of substrate. The substrate can consists of pure, non-fertilized potting soil or a mixture of sand and potting soil (about 20% sand and 80% potting soil). Sections of flat cardboard or shredded Eco Bedding should be placed on top of the soil. These materials will provide areas for the isopods to hide, as well as a source of food. If you decide to use Eco Bedding, use the plain brown bedding, not the colored bedding. In addition to the cardboard, place small pieces of carrots or other vegetation into the enclosure for the isopods to feed on. Try not to place too much vegetation into the enclosure at any one time. If you provide more food than the isopods can eat within 3-7 days, mites may be attracted to the leftover food. The temperature of the enclosure should be maintained around 72-80°F or 22-27°C.