A gnat flew in my nose as you talked about that T.T Luckily they're almost gone now, but I had introduced the springtails a little bit after starting a new colony... never again xD
I'm incredibly glad to see that these videos are being made regularly. I've heard of pet isopods before, but it's much more interesting than I was expecting. Keep up the great work :D
I love this video series! I've learned so much from your videos! So a few months ago, I ordered the Katchy insect trap/killer from amazon, after Richard from Tarantula Collective had recommended it on his facebook group. Its like $40, and its incredible. I was having a really hard time with fungus gnats in the room where I keep all my inverts. Between my isopod containers, my millipede enclosure and my feeder roach colonies, it was a total nightmare. But after getting that thing, I almost never see even one gnat flying around. Its amazing how well it attracts and catches them. Highly recommend it!!!
Hi, I'm not having any problems with mine and just love the different coloured varieties. I think this is due to them being used as clean up crew. As such I have a mixture of orange, powder blues, dairy cows and various common spices found by me all mixed up. I found initially they were in such small numbers that I couldn't remember which ones I had put in which vivariums and then adding more. They are now doing incredibly well and are great at cleaning up. They are also extra snacks for my frogs and anoles which in turn should help keep them in check. They add yet another dimension to a bio active vivariums and are fun to watch scurrying about. 🐸
Hey! Firstly, this video series is my favourite from now🥰Secondly, I am planning on getting some dairy cows and orange porcellio leavis☺️thanks for the ton of information!
Got a tiny bin of mixed isopods a few months ago on clearance at a local pet store (they were mislabeled and moldy) Ended up with 5 powder orange and 3 dairy cows. Just noticed a good handful of tiny babies in the powder orange enclosure and still not sure if they are baby oranges, or some dwarf whites that I didn't notice when I set up the enclosure. I guess time will tell, lol.
Hey Russ! It looks like the link you posted for the breathable medical tape is dead. Would you be willing to please share the brand and type with me? I’d greatly appreciate the info when you have the time. I hope all is well with you and yours! Thanks for all of your help:-D-cheers-
I have an enclosure that got book lice in it and I haven't figured out how to get rid of them. I even pulled some out and put them in an empty container with no moisture and they are still alive after 2 weeks. I've also heard you can use cellar glass snails and Dalotia coriaria to deal with fungus knats.
Mites have shown up in three of my recent cultures but one of these - Porcellio Morocco - has started to reproduce so I'm hoping the isopods and the springtails, which are thriving, will keep them under control. I'll bear in mind what you say about feeding to excess and monitor that closely!
Talking about pests, I had some problems with the larvae of a moth species in my Isopods terrariums. I think they weren’t dangerous, but they produced a kind of silk which pasted the soil and made it harden.
Great info again. I'm not sure what or when but I'm really keen to have some "official" pet isopods. Small triumph last night... Mr A came with me to spy on the oranges having their supper ;-)
Hi Run, you probably already know this, but the reason the "Mosquito Bits" kill fly larvae is because they contain BTI bacteria spores & the bacteria give of chemical that form crystals in the high pH intestinal tract of fly larvae (kind of fatal constipation). BTI is harmless to humans b/c we have low pH stomach acids, not high pH bases. I was surprised when you said they killed a millipede. So, I'm guessing millipedes must have high pH digestive systems also. I don't know where to get this information, but if there is a way to look up which species of invertebrates have high pH digestive systems, we might be able to predict which species would react badly to BTI.
I loved your video. I'm an entomologist just beginning my journey in isopod keeping, and the question arose: do you ever encounter Rhinophorid flies parasitizing your isopods? I'd be quite interested to see some photos of those sneaky parasitoids if you ever come across them.
@@Aquarimax Seemed unlikely that you'd have been afflicted with them given that they're mostly Mediterranean in distribution. Given the relative lack of richness in the North American isopod assemblage, it sort of makes sense that these obligate isopod parasitoids would also be species-poor in the Nearctic, represented here by just 4 described species, all southern. Still, if you or your overseas colleagues ever come across these so-called 'Woodlouse Flies," the insect collectors of the world would clamor for specimens, especially if host isopod tissues are also preserved in the sample.
Good tips! I have had very many problems during the years, mainly with flies. I keep sticky flypaper rapped around beer cans and placing those on the terrariums near the ventilation. This means flies that enters the cage are likeky stuck and flues that exits the cages are likeky stuck
Currently I have an enclosure with both Porcellionides Pruinosus and Atlantoscia Floridana. I have no other enclosures nearby other than my Vampire Crab paludarium, so I wonder how it will go.
Where do I get those springtails sonella curvaceta from I wonder... The only springtails I ever see on sale seem to be the same tropical springtail species always listed as tropical springtails. They look smaller than the springtails mentioned here.
I got my original stock from a dart frog breeder years ago, but I have seen Sinella sp. for sale. Try www.bugsincyberspace.com or www.roach crossing.com
Ok I still dont know fer sure which mite i have in my zebras enclosure....but I now know what Ive done wrong. I have three enclosures, zebras, spanish orange, dairy cows. The orange and dairy isopods are fast breeders and eat like crazy. Zebras are a slower growing group and dont eat as much. Ive been feeding all three the same amounts of foods. Too much leftover food in the zebras prolly set me up for mites. These mites are round, reddish and fast. Maybe at some point you could create the “definitive guide” to mites...with short videos for identification. Even on dendroboards there arent enough photos. Ok thx again for the great info !
I’m glad it helped, and that is a great suggestion!! I am not sure which mite you have either, but at least they do not seem to be grain mites, and that is good news.
hi Russ, I don't know if you check old video comments but I was wondering how you can tell the difference between mites and very tiny springtails? I suspect the springtails I got from a local exotics store contain mites, but I'm not sure.
It is unfortunately not unheard of for a springtail culture to contain some mites. With a magnifying glass or microscope or even a good macro setting on a phone, you can take a look and get an idea. Mites are arachnids, so you can count the legs, springtails have six. Body shape is also quite different. Mites basically have a rounded body, most springtails have elongated bodies, and even the globular ones will still have six legs and a more distinct head, as well as a furcula to help them jump.
Just curious on the ratio of Springtails to Isopods. My starting culture is about 60 Dairy Cows and 120 or so Springtails, but I don't really see the springtails in any kind of large numbers. Maybe 1 or two when Im changing out food. Is this ok? Are they just down in the substrate?
It depends on a lot of factors…often springtails are very dense when the isopod colony is younger…sometimes the springtails disappear entirely when the isopod population is high. If you see a few and all is well with the isopods, that should be fine
Is it a bad idea to keep my terrarium inside my bedroom with isopods and springtails? I haven't been able to be sure if it will harm our house or the isopods and springtails infesting our house by an outbreak. My enclosure isn't tightly sealed and has clear but small outages. This is due to my enclosure having air spaces around the glass door.
@@cimptz1001 I have three in the bedroom, they’ve been there for years. I haven’t had issues…and have the gaps on the sides of the doors of the enclosures too
Hi Rus have you tried Gnatrol to control fungus gnats. It is a highly selective lavacide that targets the gnat larvae. It paralysis the larvae for 24h which is enough to kill them. I haven't used it yet with my zebra's But have tried it out on a springtail colony with some success.
Mosquito Bits contain exactly the same active ingredient (Bt israelensis bacteria), and so I have used the same bacterium, but not that brand. The jury is still out on how these bacteria affect invertebrates long term.
Do you think it's fine to add predatory mites to keep other mites in check. I really dislike them crawling on me every time i open the tubs. The type of mite i have move very fast but i have thousands of springtails so not certain if they are predatory mites already
@@Aquarimax thankyou. Do you know how ti easy tell the difference between predatory mite and scavenger mites. As if its predatory mites that i have in large numbers i really dont want to add more.
Hi, lovely content, do you have Helleria brevicornis? In case could you do a care guide? They are endemic where i live and i got a bunch of them, periodically i find one or two of them dead, the colony is one year old and the are kinda reproducing so i dont know what i m doing wrong. Thank you for You time if you read this.
Is there anyway to make springtails breed faster? I have porcellio laevis dairy cow and I’m not sure if they’ve bred at all. They are in a 6qt for like 13 of them but they all hang out together.
@@Aquarimax sorry I meant “isopods” not springtails 😭. And also I’m not sure honestly. I feel like I won’t see springtails in an enclosure until I put a water dish and then I see a ton in there.
If the soil one or grain ones run on my reptile is that bad? It's freaking me out a bit. Thank you! They seem to be leaving the enclosure and I'm getting annoyed. Also I was getting mold allot in there and put springtails for some reason they were already in there with them. But the mold is all gone.
A few soil mites or grain mites will do no harm to your reptile. The mites that are reptile parasites are a different story. Glad to hear the mold is gone now!
@Aquarimax Pets Thank you very much! Yeah I read up about the parasite mites they don't look like the ones in the soil of my enclosure. I'm glad the mold is gone!
How i kill my Fungus gnats is i every so often seperate the isopods, and then soak them (the gnats not the isopods) in water with my spray bottle i mist the isopod enclosure with, i had 1 before, and sprayed it till it fell to the ground, and then fed it to my frog :)
Hi I have a question. I have two isopods cultures - orange isopods - and more and more white bugs started to appear. I think that those are springtails but is it possible that they do not jump just walk? Also I heard that spraying with chamomile tea but I am not sure if I can do this around isopods?
Some springtails are more reluctant to jump than others. If they are springtails, they benefit your isopods, and I suggest keeping them. What body shape have do they have?
@@Aquarimax First, thank you for the reply, second...Quite longer, white, skinny but with slightly rounder abdomen but just a little bit and they are like one millimeter long.
Wait I just blowed some air on them and yes they jump like a crazy :D They just doesn't jump when I try to touch them with a tool :D Uff I am glad because I have tons of them in my isopod culture :) Also another question, can I give my isopods banana leaves ? I have two banana plants - grow from the seed, not bought so there is no pesticide - so I have some dry leaves once every few months.
If you cover the air holes with 3M gauze tape will there be enough oxygen for the isopods? I'm new to this and I want to keep isopods and springtailsonly. Can anyone advise me on what to do? I want to keep the isopods happy by using springtails to control mould etc. And the springtails happy and not dying if/when they escape.
I have used breathable medical tape to cover vent holes. It does reduce the amount of airflow; but can still be adequate …you may need to include more holes to make up for the tape.
@@Aquarimax thank you for your reply, I really appreciate it. I have found an enclosure on Etsy that has big holes but covered with very fine mesh so it has sorted my issue out. Thanks for all the work you do, I can't wait to get my first isopods!
White mites. Small ones... I just realized that I didn't put snake skin in the oven (that I usually place everything in oven).. Would I get them by that way??? Would it be ok to just leave them alone, and just place more holes for more ventilation??
First,we should determine if they are indeed nematodes. Do they have dark, pointed heads? If so, they are likely fungus gnat larvae, which are often mistaken for nematodes. If they look a lot like small, white earthworms, and some of them reach 1 c, long or larger, they are enchytraeid worms. These are not harmful, and in fact they make a good food for many fish and amphibians. If they are very, very tiny, perhaps 1 mm long, and very thin and threadlike, they may indeed be free-living nematodes. Most nematodes that show up in isopod enclosures are non-parasitic. Which one do you think you have? Or does the creature you see not really fit any of these descriptions?
@@Aquarimax thank you for responding and for giving me those options on what they could be. After researching, I can safely say they are not fungus gnat larvae. The enchytraeid worms and nematodes look very similar in comparison, to me. The creatures in my vivarium were pretty tiny and resembled both of the latter, the smallest almost making the soil appear to be glittering. I removed the clump of substrate they were in upon discovery out of an abundance of caution. I subsequently discovered mites (which I had a bad experience with grain mites infesting mealworms previously so keeping a close eye) and then springtails have also jumped up outta nowhere! This is all a very fun, new experience for me! Thanks for all the videos you make, really appreciate all the info 😊
Will any springtails work with isopods? I ordered some but does it have to be a certain kind? Sorry! Been interested, first timer. I just ordered some isopods for the first time but becuase the weather is getting colder, its haulted :/ Let me know a direction of info to look into, please and thanks! Also love your vids!!
I recommend either Sinella curviseta (my first choice) or Folsomia candida...I am sure any springtail species is helpful, but these are larger than many and very helpful.
Hey Ive noticed ton of black ants in my Armadilladium colony, I wonder if I have to do anything or leave it like that but there's also rumor that black ants will eat isopods
That is one issue I have never dealt with myself. You might be able to add sometjing (like a slice of zucchini) that attracts them and attach it to the glass so that the isopods can’t reach it, and then remove it
I'm having issues with moths, I know they came from grain type foods. Like fish/rabbit stuff, but now they are in several cultures if isopods. There larvea i assume are these grub guys that make a web cocoon? What do I do 🤦♀️😬
The first thing to determine is if they are Pyralis farinalis, the meal moth, or Plodia interpunctella, the Indianmeal moth. Try looking those up...if they are the Indianmeal moth, there are very effective pheremone sticky traps. As far as I know, they don’t have pheremone traps for that species, but the fly ribbons I linked to in the description do trap them quite well. You can also remove the grubs...they make a decent food for quite a few small herps and invertebrates.
@@laurahodson1914 there will be some variation in color based on light/photo quality, and perhaps even population. That is probably the species, though, and the pheremone traps work very well 👍🏽
@@Aquarimax awesome, thank you again. Hoping to get them out of my poor zebras bin. They haven't taken off like they have in that one compare to my others
I have a question about isopods and black beetles. I keep tarantulas one of my morio worms pupated and hatched the little info I can find on them suggests the beetle is a vegetable eater and as I only have one I was wondering if I could keep him in with my isopods, I keep porcellio laevis 'crystal whites' my colony is only 5 months old but I already have baby's and adults of various sizes, would the black beetle disturb them or would it be OK to house him with my isopods? I keep him separate at the minute but I was curious if it would be a possibility.
I have been experimenting with this myself. I have had some success cohabitating one, or small numbers of, Morio beetles with isopods, but I am not sure how it works very long term.
@@Aquarimax thank you for answering , I am glad I am not way off with this in the realms of possibility, I may try once the beetle has turned black he is still red at the minute. Great channel btw I enjoy your uploads very much 😊
Hi there! You mentioned predatory mites being an issue for snakes and quite difficult to eradicate. In a bioactive setup, would it safe to save the isopods? Chemical treatment is typically required to kill snake mites from substrate, but I’m wondering if those mites would be predatory to the isopods if you were to isolate the soil that contained the mites. Is it possible to save an isopod colony in the event of a snake mite infestation, or is that essentially a death sentence?
As I understand it there are parasitic reptile mites, which do not parasitize isopods. Then there are predatory mites, which do not appear to be an issue to isopods but do prey on springtails, as well as on other mites. So reptile mites, while a scourge to reptiles, do not appear to he a concern at all for isopods.
I keep locally caught isopods (no idea what species) as part of the cleanup crew in a bioactive enclosure for my Russian tortoise. This weekend, I found a tiny pseudoscorpion living in there. I quickly removed it, but I have no idea how long it's been in there, or if there is a breeding population. I know that they can wreak havoc on springtails, but do you think there would be any danger to the isopods? Thanks a lot!
I don't know what to do right now. My Isopod(shiro utsuri) has Mite on his back. IDK if these mites could be harmful my isopod. Hope u answer me fast so I can find the solution to this case.
Most mites found with isopods are not a big deal unless they are in huge numbers. If one is just crawling around on its back, it should not be a cause for concern
Rus I have nematodes in one of my bins! I heat treated everything before I used it, maybe it's to moist should I let it dry out? Luckily its a bin that was being set up still no isopods. It looked like they burst out of a piece of apple bark 😑
Letting it dry out, and or heat-treating everything again could help. Fortunately, as they are present without an isopod population, they are likely to be free-living, nonparasitic nematodes...unsightly but not life-threatening.
My isopods always die in moisture area (4 dairy cows died today) Ive noticed some mites all the time which I dont even know the type but they seem to be a little bit smaller than springtails and these mites are only seen in moisture area. Im not sure if mites killed my isopods or not…. Or maybe due to their ages?
Can someone tell me wich are the best species to keep in a moist invironment. I want to put them in my poison dartfrog vivarium,the tropical white isopods that are recommended are to small in my opinion. Thanks.
I made the mistake of forgetting to sterilize a piece of cork bark and am now dealing with a spider infestation in my ducky enclosure. I’m really terrified of spiders and the duckies are the only expensive isopod I have so it’s really hard to see them being infested with spiders. I have no idea what I’m going to do.
I have a colony of Porcellionides pruinosus. Yesterday I decided to change their substrate. When I picked one of the wood corks I've placed in the bin and started tapping on it to make them fall down one of the isopods was dead after it touched the new substrate in the new bin. Is it possible for them to die by falling or because of my tapping on the wood cork? Its legs were like stretched and the most of them did not move, only those close to the head were like moving. It happened with some other individuals in the bin. They die by just touching them gently. Soon after that, may be 30 seconds later other isopods start eating them. I did not know that they eat other isopods. What exactly am I doing wrong? Are this kind of isopods so fragile? I am new to the isopod cultivation and I am not much aware how to raise them. The new substrate I put them in is shredded office paper and leaves. I know that it is not the most nutritious one but at the moment this is what I could give them. Do you think that it would be ok for them to live in such "substrate" for a while?
This species has a very soft body, so they can easily be crushed. A short fall onto soft substrate is unlikely to have hurt them, but it is possible they were crushed when you picked up the wood...
@@Aquarimax So could you give me advice how to change their substrate without involving mechanical action? Something like the horizontal migration the vermicomposters use to separate their worms from the compost?
I've purchased the mosquito bits since you mentioned in your previous video. I know you said that you don't necessarily recommend them anymore due to the chance of them potentially having longterm negative effects, but since I have them already I was wondering if you'd be willing to explain how to use them outside of water? I have a fungus gnat problem in my hissing cockroach bin, and have put some of the mosquito bits in with their water crystals, as well as in the substrate, but I'm still seeing a good amount of fungus gnats. I'm not sure if there's a "trick" so to speak to cull the gnats. Thanks so much!
When I have used it, I soak a few bits in filtered tap water, and then use that to moisten an area of the substrate weekly. The effects are not immediate, but very dramatic after a couple of weeks. .
I have a HORRIBLE infestation of mites. Don't know what kind, but they're BADLY stressing my Hoffmannseggi. They're all over them. My poor babies- IDK what to do 😭
You may need to set up a fresh enclosure, get springtails going in it, remove the isopods from the current enclosure to a temporary enclosure with noticing but damp paper towels and a piece of potato. See if you can use a soft paintbrush to brush mites off, but they are often attracted to potato, and you could reduce the number of mites that way.
@@Aquarimax i picked up another species i actually hadn't seen before and their information seems to be difficult to find. Androniscus dentiger or "rosy woodlouse." They're tiny little critters, about 6mm at most. We'll see how it goes!
Isopods will often eat it dry, but they get more nutrition from damp leaves, as bacteria grow on the leaves, and that is where many of the nutrients come from.
I’m so sad that ants took over my isopods and my house over the summer Now I need to start over I’ve been so upset over it I haven’t watched any videos since I just purchased more zebra’s & we will see if I replace all my others
@Jaybush-hy4mh oh no! If the ants have actually colonized the bin, You may need to remove the isopods, put them in a temporary enclosure with damp paper towels or similar, and freeze the substrate in the original enclosure to get rid of the ants…and possibly start the bin over.
The pest ones? It depends on the species. If dwarf whites are in the enclosure of a cold-tolerant species, Orin McMonigle's book talks about putting the culture in the refrigerator overnight.
It may be something happening due to higher population density. I would be concerned that the powder blues might eventually outcompete your dairy cows...or vice versa?
@@Aquarimax Is this mating behavior? My hypothesis is that they are working together because they are in a mason jar with crickets, meal, worms, and wax worms (in hind sight this was a bad idea, it seemed to throw off the healthy ecosystem). The crickets have mostly dies and aren't nearly as vigorous and aggressive as they were at first; but the dairy cows are strong enough to shrug off a cricket but the blue powders are not, so they might be hitching a ride for safety. Now that crickets are no longer a threat and the mealworms and waxworms mostly died besides a couple, resulting in a massive mite population explosion. Maybe the powder isopod is cleaning the diary cow's back of mites or other harmful parasites?
@@Aquarimax I'd also like to add in addition to the spike in mite populations, white worm populations have exploded as well and wriggly red worms have grown huge from the deaths of the waxworms, meal worms, and crickets. I hope my worm population will be able to outcompete the mite population. I also have lots of springtails.
@@Aquarimax to update, the ecosphere has stabilized but the diary cow isopods are clearly dominant, I think my blue powder isopods will go extinct soon, but there are still 2 left so they still have a chance. Haven’t seen anymore ‘riding’ activity since the crickets all died.
Rus you should do one on creating morphs
Yes! I will plan on it!
He did it
What an outstanding series! This is one EVERY isopod keeper should watch at least one time.
2:20 i alway thought those where tiny flys. this realy helped me with my vivarium
You were correct, fungus gnats are in the order Diptera, so they are indeed a type of tiny fly.
A gnat flew in my nose as you talked about that T.T Luckily they're almost gone now, but I had introduced the springtails a little bit after starting a new colony... never again xD
Springtails are amazing! What timing that fungus gnat had!
I like how I can identify your videos on a google search, by the font you use.
Thanks for that.
I'm incredibly glad to see that these videos are being made regularly. I've heard of pet isopods before, but it's much more interesting than I was expecting. Keep up the great work :D
Glad you like them! More to come!
I have been having huge issues with fungus gnats! Thank you for this.
we ALL have issues with them, haha.
You have a video for every question I’ve had thus far. I truly retain the information you share in your videos, thank you.
I am glad you find them helpful!
I love this video series! I've learned so much from your videos!
So a few months ago, I ordered the Katchy insect trap/killer from amazon, after Richard from Tarantula Collective had recommended it on his facebook group. Its like $40, and its incredible. I was having a really hard time with fungus gnats in the room where I keep all my inverts. Between my isopod containers, my millipede enclosure and my feeder roach colonies, it was a total nightmare. But after getting that thing, I almost never see even one gnat flying around. Its amazing how well it attracts and catches them. Highly recommend it!!!
www.amazon.com/Original-Indoor-Insect-Trap-KATCHY/dp/B07B6RZP4H/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=katchy&qid=1610155638&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=AWZL8ZNKMFEXO&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExRkJHT0NVV0VFRE5KJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNTMxNzU4SzZSTzgxWEw5TFowJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA5MDE3MjAxSFg3SlZYOUhRM05RJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
Thanks for the tip! I think I may try it!
Hi, I'm not having any problems with mine and just love the different coloured varieties. I think this is due to them being used as clean up crew. As such I have a mixture of orange, powder blues, dairy cows and various common spices found by me all mixed up. I found initially they were in such small numbers that I couldn't remember which ones I had put in which vivariums and then adding more. They are now doing incredibly well and are great at cleaning up. They are also extra snacks for my frogs and anoles which in turn should help keep them in check. They add yet another dimension to a bio active vivariums and are fun to watch scurrying about. 🐸
If you have them all in one enclosure I'm pretty sure dairy cows will need outcompete and outbreed other.
Hey! Firstly, this video series is my favourite from now🥰Secondly, I am planning on getting some dairy cows and orange porcellio leavis☺️thanks for the ton of information!
Delighted to hear that! Enjoy your new isopods!
@@Aquarimax Thank you!🤗
Wonderful video. I was just starting to get really concerned about pests and then this video came out just in time.
Glad to hear it was both helpful and timely!
tysm!! i really needed to know this because of the gnats
Got a tiny bin of mixed isopods a few months ago on clearance at a local pet store (they were mislabeled and moldy)
Ended up with 5 powder orange and 3 dairy cows.
Just noticed a good handful of tiny babies in the powder orange enclosure and still not sure if they are baby oranges, or some dwarf whites that I didn't notice when I set up the enclosure.
I guess time will tell, lol.
Types, time will tell!
Thank you Russ.
Thanks Barb!
Hey Russ! It looks like the link you posted for the breathable medical tape is dead. Would you be willing to please share the brand and type with me? I’d greatly appreciate the info when you have the time. I hope all is well with you and yours! Thanks for all of your help:-D-cheers-
Happy to provide that! #ad www.amazon.com/dp/B0082A9FEM/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_EFCMNZD6E7SM1X6A2V56?linkCode=ml2&tag=aquarimax-20
Thank you 🙏 ❤
I have an enclosure that got book lice in it and I haven't figured out how to get rid of them. I even pulled some out and put them in an empty container with no moisture and they are still alive after 2 weeks. I've also heard you can use cellar glass snails and Dalotia coriaria to deal with fungus knats.
I have heard booklice are good cleaners too, but I have never dealt with them directly. I will be looking into the species you mentioned, thank you!
Yes the Springtails will compete with the gnats
Mites have shown up in three of my recent cultures but one of these - Porcellio Morocco - has started to reproduce so I'm hoping the isopods and the springtails, which are thriving, will keep them under control. I'll bear in mind what you say about feeding to excess and monitor that closely!
Yes! I really needed this, thank you Russell! I love all your videos, there so high quality, interesting and useful! Keep it up! ❤❤❤
You should do a video showing all of your isopods!
High time I do that again!
hello great video information
Talking about pests, I had some problems with the larvae of a moth species in my Isopods terrariums. I think they weren’t dangerous, but they produced a kind of silk which pasted the soil and made it harden.
Were they Pyralis farinalis?
@@Aquarimax yes, exactly them.
Great info again. I'm not sure what or when but I'm really keen to have some "official" pet isopods. Small triumph last night... Mr A came with me to spy on the oranges having their supper ;-)
He’ll be hooked before long, I hope!
Hi Run, you probably already know this, but the reason the "Mosquito Bits" kill fly larvae is because they contain BTI bacteria spores & the bacteria give of chemical that form crystals in the high pH intestinal tract of fly larvae (kind of fatal constipation). BTI is harmless to humans b/c we have low pH stomach acids, not high pH bases. I was surprised when you said they killed a millipede. So, I'm guessing millipedes must have high pH digestive systems also. I don't know where to get this information, but if there is a way to look up which species of invertebrates have high pH digestive systems, we might be able to predict which species would react badly to BTI.
I loved your video. I'm an entomologist just beginning my journey in isopod keeping, and the question arose: do you ever encounter Rhinophorid flies parasitizing your isopods? I'd be quite interested to see some photos of those sneaky parasitoids if you ever come across them.
I have never seen any parasitic flies...but sounds interesting!
@@Aquarimax Seemed unlikely that you'd have been afflicted with them given that they're mostly Mediterranean in distribution. Given the relative lack of richness in the North American isopod assemblage, it sort of makes sense that these obligate isopod parasitoids would also be species-poor in the Nearctic, represented here by just 4 described species, all southern. Still, if you or your overseas colleagues ever come across these so-called 'Woodlouse Flies," the insect collectors of the world would clamor for specimens, especially if host isopod tissues are also preserved in the sample.
Good tips! I have had very many problems during the years, mainly with flies. I keep sticky flypaper rapped around beer cans and placing those on the terrariums near the ventilation. This means flies that enters the cage are likeky stuck and flues that exits the cages are likeky stuck
Thank you!
Great tips thank you
Currently I have an enclosure with both Porcellionides Pruinosus and Atlantoscia Floridana. I have no other enclosures nearby other than my Vampire Crab paludarium, so I wonder how it will go.
Where do I get those springtails sonella curvaceta from I wonder... The only springtails I ever see on sale seem to be the same tropical springtail species always listed as tropical springtails. They look smaller than the springtails mentioned here.
I got my original stock from a dart frog breeder years ago, but I have seen Sinella sp. for sale. Try www.bugsincyberspace.com or www.roach crossing.com
Ok I still dont know fer sure which mite i have in my zebras enclosure....but I now know what Ive done wrong. I have three enclosures, zebras, spanish orange, dairy cows. The orange and dairy isopods are fast breeders and eat like crazy. Zebras are a slower growing group and dont eat as much. Ive been feeding all three the same amounts of foods. Too much leftover food in the zebras prolly set me up for mites. These mites are round, reddish and fast.
Maybe at some point you could create the
“definitive guide” to mites...with short videos for identification. Even on dendroboards there arent enough photos. Ok thx again for the great info !
I’m glad it helped, and that is a great suggestion!! I am not sure which mite you have either, but at least they do not seem to be grain mites, and that is good news.
I absolutely hate fungus gnats that’s the one thing that annoys me
hi Russ, I don't know if you check old video comments but I was wondering how you can tell the difference between mites and very tiny springtails? I suspect the springtails I got from a local exotics store contain mites, but I'm not sure.
It is unfortunately not unheard of for a springtail culture to contain some mites. With a magnifying glass or microscope or even a good macro setting on a phone, you can take a look and get an idea. Mites are arachnids, so you can count the legs, springtails have six. Body shape is also quite different. Mites basically have a rounded body, most springtails have elongated bodies, and even the globular ones will still have six legs and a more distinct head, as well as a furcula to help them jump.
Just curious on the ratio of Springtails to Isopods. My starting culture is about 60 Dairy Cows and 120 or so Springtails, but I don't really see the springtails in any kind of large numbers. Maybe 1 or two when Im changing out food. Is this ok? Are they just down in the substrate?
It depends on a lot of factors…often springtails are very dense when the isopod colony is younger…sometimes the springtails disappear entirely when the isopod population is high. If you see a few and all is well with the isopods, that should be fine
Is it a bad idea to keep my terrarium inside my bedroom with isopods and springtails? I haven't been able to be sure if it will harm our house or the isopods and springtails infesting our house by an outbreak. My enclosure isn't tightly sealed and has clear but small outages. This is due to my enclosure having air spaces around the glass door.
@@cimptz1001 I have three in the bedroom, they’ve been there for years. I haven’t had issues…and have the gaps on the sides of the doors of the enclosures too
Hi Rus have you tried Gnatrol to control fungus gnats.
It is a highly selective lavacide that targets the gnat larvae.
It paralysis the larvae for 24h which is enough to kill them.
I haven't used it yet with my zebra's
But have tried it out on a springtail colony with some success.
Mosquito Bits contain exactly the same active ingredient (Bt israelensis bacteria), and so I have used the same bacterium, but not that brand. The jury is still out on how these bacteria affect invertebrates long term.
@@Aquarimax
Didn't realise they were the same bacteria.
I may do some trials with some zebras to see what the long term affects are.
Regards
MarK
Do you think it's fine to add predatory mites to keep other mites in check. I really dislike them crawling on me every time i open the tubs. The type of mite i have move very fast but i have thousands of springtails so not certain if they are predatory mites already
I have predatory mites in many or perhaps all of my isopod bins. 👍🏼
@@Aquarimax thankyou. Do you know how ti easy tell the difference between predatory mite and scavenger mites. As if its predatory mites that i have in large numbers i really dont want to add more.
I got hit with the grain mites on my superworm and meal worm colony.
Hi, lovely content,
do you have Helleria brevicornis? In case could you do a care guide? They are endemic where i live and i got a bunch of them, periodically i find one or two of them dead, the colony is one year old and the are kinda reproducing so i dont know what i m doing wrong. Thank you for You time if you read this.
Hi, and thank you! I have never kept this species, so I am afraid I can't be of much help...
@@Aquarimax ok, thanks :)
Is there anyway to make springtails breed faster? I have porcellio laevis dairy cow and I’m not sure if they’ve bred at all. They are in a 6qt for like 13 of them but they all hang out together.
Springtails usually breed quite fast when they have a conducive environment. Are the springtails in with your dairy cows not reproducing much?
@@Aquarimax sorry I meant “isopods” not springtails 😭. And also I’m not sure honestly. I feel like I won’t see springtails in an enclosure until I put a water dish and then I see a ton in there.
If the soil one or grain ones run on my reptile is that bad? It's freaking me out a bit. Thank you! They seem to be leaving the enclosure and I'm getting annoyed. Also I was getting mold allot in there and put springtails for some reason they were already in there with them. But the mold is all gone.
A few soil mites or grain mites will do no harm to your reptile. The mites that are reptile parasites are a different story.
Glad to hear the mold is gone now!
@Aquarimax Pets Thank you very much!
Yeah I read up about the parasite mites they don't look like the ones in the soil of my enclosure. I'm glad the mold is gone!
How i kill my Fungus gnats is i every so often seperate the isopods, and then soak them (the gnats not the isopods) in water with my spray bottle i mist the isopod enclosure with, i had 1 before, and sprayed it till it fell to the ground, and then fed it to my frog :)
Hi I have a question. I have two isopods cultures - orange isopods - and more and more white bugs started to appear. I think that those are springtails but is it possible that they do not jump just walk? Also I heard that spraying with chamomile tea but I am not sure if I can do this around isopods?
Some springtails are more reluctant to jump than others. If they are springtails, they benefit your isopods, and I suggest keeping them. What body shape have do they have?
@@Aquarimax First, thank you for the reply, second...Quite longer, white, skinny but with slightly rounder abdomen but just a little bit and they are like one millimeter long.
Wait I just blowed some air on them and yes they jump like a crazy :D They just doesn't jump when I try to touch them with a tool :D Uff I am glad because I have tons of them in my isopod culture :) Also another question, can I give my isopods banana leaves ? I have two banana plants - grow from the seed, not bought so there is no pesticide - so I have some dry leaves once every few months.
@@Nika44 it sounds like you have springtails then! Pesticide-free dried banana leaves make a good isopod food. 👍🏼
@@Aquarimax Yay thank you for the replies :D Sadly i also have fungus gnats in my second colony and most of my flowers :/
If you cover the air holes with 3M gauze tape will there be enough oxygen for the isopods? I'm new to this and I want to keep isopods and springtailsonly. Can anyone advise me on what to do? I want to keep the isopods happy by using springtails to control mould etc. And the springtails happy and not dying if/when they escape.
I have used breathable medical tape to cover vent holes. It does reduce the amount of airflow; but can still be adequate …you may need to include more holes to make up for the tape.
@@Aquarimax thank you for your reply, I really appreciate it. I have found an enclosure on Etsy that has big holes but covered with very fine mesh so it has sorted my issue out. Thanks for all the work you do, I can't wait to get my first isopods!
Ive just accepted the gnats overlords by now. they find a way in the moment i open a lid.
White mites.
Small ones...
I just realized that I didn't put snake skin in the oven (that I usually place everything in oven)..
Would I get them by that way???
Would it be ok to just leave them alone, and just place more holes for more ventilation??
If there are just a few, a robust isopod population should be fine
@@Aquarimax what if its a huge amount? Like a fair amount to be worried about?
@@Aquarimax What I did was just add more springtails - a good amount to hope that it does something....
I am new to isopod husbandry and have what appear to be nematodes in my dwarf white enclosure. What should I do? Thanks!
First,we should determine if they are indeed nematodes. Do they have dark, pointed heads? If so, they are likely fungus gnat larvae, which are often mistaken for nematodes. If they look a lot like small, white earthworms, and some of them reach 1 c, long or larger, they are enchytraeid worms. These are not harmful, and in fact they make a good food for many fish and amphibians. If they are very, very tiny, perhaps 1 mm long, and very thin and threadlike, they may indeed be free-living nematodes. Most nematodes that show up in isopod enclosures are non-parasitic. Which one do you think you have? Or does the creature you see not really fit any of these descriptions?
@@Aquarimax thank you for responding and for giving me those options on what they could be. After researching, I can safely say they are not fungus gnat larvae. The enchytraeid worms and nematodes look very similar in comparison, to me. The creatures in my vivarium were pretty tiny and resembled both of the latter, the smallest almost making the soil appear to be glittering. I removed the clump of substrate they were in upon discovery out of an abundance of caution. I subsequently discovered mites (which I had a bad experience with grain mites infesting mealworms previously so keeping a close eye) and then springtails have also jumped up outta nowhere! This is all a very fun, new experience for me! Thanks for all the videos you make, really appreciate all the info 😊
Do you cook the long fiber sphagnum moss in the oven too? It sounds like you cook all the substrate no matter what. Thanks!
Because the sphagnum comes in completely dry, I don’t usually cook it, so it is sort of an exception.
Will any springtails work with isopods? I ordered some but does it have to be a certain kind? Sorry! Been interested, first timer. I just ordered some isopods for the first time but becuase the weather is getting colder, its haulted :/ Let me know a direction of info to look into, please and thanks! Also love your vids!!
I recommend either Sinella curviseta (my first choice) or Folsomia candida...I am sure any springtail species is helpful, but these are larger than many and very helpful.
Hey Ive noticed ton of black ants in my Armadilladium colony, I wonder if I have to do anything or leave it like that but there's also rumor that black ants will eat isopods
I would probably attempt to rehouse the isopods in an ant-free enclosure. Sometimes they don’t get along.
Awesome
Anyone tried neem oil tonfight against fungus gnat?
My only issue is that it might also be harmful for isopods and springtails🤔
Mites recently appeared in my new terrarium but I squashed them with the tip of my brush
Any idea how to kill off slugs and NOT isopods or springtails?! My vivarium has slugs! :(
That is one issue I have never dealt with myself. You might be able to add sometjing (like a slice of zucchini) that attracts them and attach it to the glass so that the isopods can’t reach it, and then remove it
I'm having issues with moths, I know they came from grain type foods. Like fish/rabbit stuff, but now they are in several cultures if isopods. There larvea i assume are these grub guys that make a web cocoon? What do I do 🤦♀️😬
The first thing to determine is if they are Pyralis farinalis, the meal moth, or Plodia interpunctella, the Indianmeal moth. Try looking those up...if they are the Indianmeal moth, there are very effective pheremone sticky traps. As far as I know, they don’t have pheremone traps for that species, but the fly ribbons I linked to in the description do trap them quite well. You can also remove the grubs...they make a decent food for quite a few small herps and invertebrates.
@@Aquarimax they look like Indian meal moths, but they aren't as brightly colored. Ill definitely try those though, thank you!
@@laurahodson1914 there will be some variation in color based on light/photo quality, and perhaps even population. That is probably the species, though, and the pheremone traps work very well 👍🏽
@@Aquarimax awesome, thank you again. Hoping to get them out of my poor zebras bin. They haven't taken off like they have in that one compare to my others
I have a question about isopods and black beetles. I keep tarantulas one of my morio worms pupated and hatched the little info I can find on them suggests the beetle is a vegetable eater and as I only have one I was wondering if I could keep him in with my isopods, I keep porcellio laevis 'crystal whites' my colony is only 5 months old but I already have baby's and adults of various sizes, would the black beetle disturb them or would it be OK to house him with my isopods?
I keep him separate at the minute but I was curious if it would be a possibility.
I have been experimenting with this myself. I have had some success cohabitating one, or small numbers of, Morio beetles with isopods, but I am not sure how it works very long term.
@@Aquarimax thank you for answering , I am glad I am not way off with this in the realms of possibility, I may try once the beetle has turned black he is still red at the minute. Great channel btw I enjoy your uploads very much 😊
The link to the breathable medical tape doesn't work. Can you make another recommendation?
Try this one : #ad amzn.to/3Axetci
@@Aquarimax The new link works! Thank you!!
Hi there! You mentioned predatory mites being an issue for snakes and quite difficult to eradicate. In a bioactive setup, would it safe to save the isopods? Chemical treatment is typically required to kill snake mites from substrate, but I’m wondering if those mites would be predatory to the isopods if you were to isolate the soil that contained the mites. Is it possible to save an isopod colony in the event of a snake mite infestation, or is that essentially a death sentence?
As I understand it there are parasitic reptile mites, which do not parasitize isopods. Then there are predatory mites, which do not appear to be an issue to isopods but do prey on springtails, as well as on other mites. So reptile mites, while a scourge to reptiles, do not appear to he a concern at all for isopods.
I keep locally caught isopods (no idea what species) as part of the cleanup crew in a bioactive enclosure for my Russian tortoise. This weekend, I found a tiny pseudoscorpion living in there. I quickly removed it, but I have no idea how long it's been in there, or if there is a breeding population. I know that they can wreak havoc on springtails, but do you think there would be any danger to the isopods? Thanks a lot!
Where do you buy Sinella curviseta?
I sell them, as do many isopod or dart frog or pet insect suppliers. 😁
I don't know what to do right now. My Isopod(shiro utsuri) has Mite on his back. IDK if these mites could be harmful my isopod. Hope u answer me fast so I can find the solution to this case.
Most mites found with isopods are not a big deal unless they are in huge numbers. If one is just crawling around on its back, it should not be a cause for concern
@@Aquarimax I don't see too many mites in the tank but only 1 guy in my tank got at least 10 mites on his back.
Hey Rus, it looks like i didn´t sanatize my moss enough and now i have some ants in my enclosure (just a few). Any tips how to get rid of them?
If there are just a few workers and no queen, manual removal is probably the best option.
Rus I have nematodes in one of my bins! I heat treated everything before I used it, maybe it's to moist should I let it dry out? Luckily its a bin that was being set up still no isopods. It looked like they burst out of a piece of apple bark 😑
Hope to god they're not anywhere else 🙏
Letting it dry out, and or heat-treating everything again could help. Fortunately, as they are present without an isopod population, they are likely to be free-living, nonparasitic nematodes...unsightly but not life-threatening.
@@Aquarimax phew thats what I was wondering, thatnks so much rus my friend have a wonderful day😁🙏
My isopods always die in moisture area (4 dairy cows died today) Ive noticed some mites all the time which I dont even know the type but they seem to be a little bit smaller than springtails and these mites are only seen in moisture area. Im not sure if mites killed my isopods or not…. Or maybe due to their ages?
Will mites kill the isopods? My son's just got mites and he's extremely worried.
Generally the risk with mites is overblown. They can be annoying , but generally not more than that.
Can someone tell me wich are the best species to keep in a moist invironment.
I want to put them in my poison dartfrog vivarium,the tropical white isopods that are recommended are to small in my opinion. Thanks.
I have grain mites in my enclosures. How to I eradicate them? :(
So we dont have to do anything with mites, right?
Generally not…over time, with good husbandry they tend to dwindle to insignificant numbers.
When springtails overpopulate, is it possible to become isopod pests, by devouring baby isopods?
I personally have never experienced that…even with large numbers of springtails 👍
I made the mistake of forgetting to sterilize a piece of cork bark and am now dealing with a spider infestation in my ducky enclosure. I’m really terrified of spiders and the duckies are the only expensive isopod I have so it’s really hard to see them being infested with spiders. I have no idea what I’m going to do.
How many spiders are in there?
I have a colony of Porcellionides pruinosus. Yesterday I decided to change their substrate. When I picked one of the wood corks I've placed in the bin and started tapping on it to make them fall down one of the isopods was dead after it touched the new substrate in the new bin. Is it possible for them to die by falling or because of my tapping on the wood cork? Its legs were like stretched and the most of them did not move, only those close to the head were like moving. It happened with some other individuals in the bin. They die by just touching them gently. Soon after that, may be 30 seconds later other isopods start eating them. I did not know that they eat other isopods. What exactly am I doing wrong? Are this kind of isopods so fragile? I am new to the isopod cultivation and I am not much aware how to raise them. The new substrate I put them in is shredded office paper and leaves. I know that it is not the most nutritious one but at the moment this is what I could give them. Do you think that it would be ok for them to live in such "substrate" for a while?
This species has a very soft body, so they can easily be crushed. A short fall onto soft substrate is unlikely to have hurt them, but it is possible they were crushed when you picked up the wood...
@@Aquarimax So could you give me advice how to change their substrate without involving mechanical action? Something like the horizontal migration the vermicomposters use to separate their worms from the compost?
I've purchased the mosquito bits since you mentioned in your previous video. I know you said that you don't necessarily recommend them anymore due to the chance of them potentially having longterm negative effects, but since I have them already I was wondering if you'd be willing to explain how to use them outside of water? I have a fungus gnat problem in my hissing cockroach bin, and have put some of the mosquito bits in with their water crystals, as well as in the substrate, but I'm still seeing a good amount of fungus gnats. I'm not sure if there's a "trick" so to speak to cull the gnats. Thanks so much!
When I have used it, I soak a few bits in filtered tap water, and then use that to moisten an area of the substrate weekly. The effects are not immediate, but very dramatic after a couple of weeks.
.
@@Aquarimax Thank you!
so... should I starve them to reduce mites?
@@tuancuongle1296 not exactly starve them, but reducing fresh food could certainly help
I have a HORRIBLE infestation of mites. Don't know what kind, but they're BADLY stressing my Hoffmannseggi. They're all over them. My poor babies- IDK what to do 😭
You may need to set up a fresh enclosure, get springtails going in it, remove the isopods from the current enclosure to a temporary enclosure with noticing but damp paper towels and a piece of potato. See if you can use a soft paintbrush to brush mites off, but they are often attracted to potato, and you could reduce the number of mites that way.
And here i go... setting up colonies of dwarf whites AND powder oranges. Hahaha
Best of luck with your new colonies!’ 👍🏽
@@Aquarimax Thanks! Fingers crossed!
@@Aquarimax i picked up another species i actually hadn't seen before and their information seems to be difficult to find. Androniscus dentiger or "rosy woodlouse." They're tiny little critters, about 6mm at most. We'll see how it goes!
what isopod are the least shyest and less likely to hide all the time
Does leaf litter need to be damp?
Isopods will often eat it dry, but they get more nutrition from damp leaves, as bacteria grow on the leaves, and that is where many of the nutrients come from.
Are there any hybrids?
I have heard of at least one between Armadillidium klugii and Armadillidium versicolor
I’m so sad that ants took over my isopods and my house over the summer
Now I need to start over
I’ve been so upset over it I haven’t watched any videos since
I just purchased more zebra’s & we will see if I replace all my others
So sad!!maybe you can use a ‘fence’ of diatomaceous earth aroubd the isopod
enclosures to keep ants out.
@@Aquarimax thank you! I did see this for plants & was wondering about using for my zebras
Somehow got tiny ants in mine. Dont know what to do about it. My poor tropical isopods...
@Jaybush-hy4mh oh no! If the ants have actually colonized the bin, You may need to remove the isopods, put them in a temporary enclosure with damp paper towels or similar, and freeze the substrate in the original enclosure to get rid of the ants…and possibly start the bin over.
@@Aquarimax thank you.
毎回楽しみにしています。
What happened to 10 gallon zoo
I just got WAY too busy 🤣
How do you kill the actual isopods though?
The pest ones? It depends on the species. If dwarf whites are in the enclosure of a cold-tolerant species, Orin McMonigle's book talks about putting the culture in the refrigerator overnight.
@@Aquarimax thanks for the reply
Good to know mites aren't harmful to isopods... at least it doesn't seem that way. 😅
Why have my blue powder isopods started to literally ride my diary cow isopods like a horse? Is this some sort of mutualism or parasitism?
It may be something happening due to higher population density. I would be concerned that the powder blues might eventually outcompete your dairy cows...or vice versa?
@@Aquarimax Is this mating behavior? My hypothesis is that they are working together because they are in a mason jar with crickets, meal, worms, and wax worms (in hind sight this was a bad idea, it seemed to throw off the healthy ecosystem). The crickets have mostly dies and aren't nearly as vigorous and aggressive as they were at first; but the dairy cows are strong enough to shrug off a cricket but the blue powders are not, so they might be hitching a ride for safety. Now that crickets are no longer a threat and the mealworms and waxworms mostly died besides a couple, resulting in a massive mite population explosion. Maybe the powder isopod is cleaning the diary cow's back of mites or other harmful parasites?
@@Aquarimax I'd also like to add in addition to the spike in mite populations, white worm populations have exploded as well and wriggly red worms have grown huge from the deaths of the waxworms, meal worms, and crickets. I hope my worm population will be able to outcompete the mite population. I also have lots of springtails.
@@Aquarimax to update, the ecosphere has stabilized but the diary cow isopods are clearly dominant, I think my blue powder isopods will go extinct soon, but there are still 2 left so they still have a chance. Haven’t seen anymore ‘riding’ activity since the crickets all died.
Dwarf whites are parthenogenetic! No wonder!! I must be late to party on this one 😂
It’s a blessing and a curse 🤣
Earwigs eats mites and flies eggs and os mold and fungi
Igood point. I have thought of using them…but they also climb out of bins easily,,amd I am not sure I would want them everywhere else. 🤣
I love these videos, but please fix your mic. it cracks from time to time... or maybe it is something with the video processing...
Is it occurring for n more recent videos than this?