Isopod care
In the wild-
Isopods are extremely widespread, and are found on 6 of the 7 continents- and even in the ocean! This care sheet, however, is for almost all terrestrial species. The 5,000 land-dwelling species are adaptable to a number of different environments and climates. Most isopods are between just 0.5cm and 2cm in length, although some can grow to be larger. Due to the huge number of species, there is a great level of variety in colour and pattern. Read on to find out more about some of the most common!
In captivity-
Housing-
Housing your isopod colonies is simple and easy. Whilst many isopods in captivity are kept in bioactive enclosures as clean up crew, some are kept as pets. Depending on the size of your colony, suitable housing options include tuppleware containers, ice cream tubs, BraPlast tubs or even Really Useful Boxes. Most tubs can be used as long as they offer enough space, and ventilation is provided: a number of small holes in the lids will be adequate. When first starting out, use small enclosures, as this will increase the chances of breeding and your population will quickly explode!
The best place to situate your isopod colonies is in a dark area, such as a cupboard. No special lighting is required, and some species can thrive at room temperature. There is more information on temperature below.
Decorating an isopod habitat is incredibly simple. All you need is a high-humidity substrate such as coco fibre or eco earth, places for them to hide (cork bark is ideal for this), and plenty of leaf litter, which will also provide a source of nutrition for these detritus feeders.
Temperature and humidity-
As previously mentioned, some species can live happily at room temperature, although others will require supplemental heating. This is best provided using a thermostat controlled heat mat. Most of the commonly kept species can be kept comfortably at a temperature between 21 and 25°c (70 to 78°f). In our isopod experience with a number of different species, keeping them at the higher end of these ranges produces a greater number of offspring, faster, ideal for those keepers breeding for use in bioactive setups.
Humidity can be maintained easily with regular misting. Most species prefer high humidity of 60% and above, whilst others naturally occur in hotter, drier habitats and will do better with a lower humidity. Check where your species is from when deciding on humidity levels, although many varieties are reasonably adaptable.
Feeding-
As briefly touched upon earlier, Isopods are detritus feeders, eating dead organisations and playing a role in decay. Isopods can be fed solely off of decaying matter, so plenty of leaf litter and dead wood should be supplied. Diets can be supplemented with fish flake, specialist isopod diets and repashy to keep colonies healthy and well fed. Repashy can be fed as jelly or simply provided only as the powder- our preference when feeding. Some companies offer diets specifically designed around isopods. We use the product made by The Spider Shop (called IsoBoost), although a number of others are also available, which we are yet to try.
Buying isopods-
Isopods are readily available online or in pet shops. The amazing variety of species means that prices fluctuate greatly. Commonly kept species can cost as little as £4 for a culture of 10, whilst rarer and more specialised species can cost far greater amounts- some even in the hundreds!
Please note that this care sheet is very general and some species will require more specific care. Check your species' individual requirements to ensure your care is correct.
Thank you for reading my general Isopod care sheet, I hope you found it helpful and informative! Good luck with your new invertebrate!