Isopod collecting, the Next Big Thing?

[SonsofArachne]

I've been thinking about a communal tank and was looking into the Isopod species available, which lead me to various Isopod sites on facebook. I've got to say I was shocked at the prices people are spending on the more obscure species. At a auction site people were bidding $60-90 for as few as half a dozen Isopods. Is this the Next Big Thing or have I just been out the loop?

 

[davehuth]

It's definitely a thing. It's definitely big! Lots of cool stuff going on in that branch of invert keeping. Cool selective breeding experiments. Lots of opportunity for wild collection. Some species are expensive, but others are reasonable or even free if you've got an old wood pile in your yard.

You'll want to do species-specific reading before bringing isopods into a communal enclosure. Very many of them don't play well with others... including other isopods! This is a great intro video by @Aquarimax .

Have fun!

 

[sdsnybny]

I love em, keep about 9 different species in all. really not to much different than keeping roaches as pets/interests rather than feeders. And who wouldnt want a tank full of Rubber Duckies??? They are fairly new species from Thailand and when they first came up for sale they were about $20-30ea with no LAG.

 

[Schledog]

If I were to get isopod I’d definitely get any Cubaris sp. because I think they are adorable.

 

[SonsofArachne]

You'll want to do species-specific reading before bringing isopods into a communal enclosure. Very many of them don't play well with others... including other isopods!

So I've read. I really just in the planning stage right now, seeing what's available, what works with what, and so forth.

 

[pannaking22]

You can keep a mixed tank of local isopods if you want. I had a bunch I caught outside in Illinois that I kept for years before I needed their enclosure for something else and I dumped them back out in the woods again.

 

[kuchipatchis]

i recently discovered the isopod community as well and i became fascinated immediately! i definitely want to try my hand at selective breeding

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

I learned about giant canyon isopods, and I had to get some. I think they are really cute, but they were a little difficult until I practically buried them in rotting wood. In my research before ordering isopods, I learned that even non-native isopods are regulated by the USDA! It seems the only terrestrial invertebrate group the USDA does not regulate is Arachnida.

 

[StampFan]

Be forewarned:

If by communal you mean you mix your isopod species two things may happen:

1) Some prettied colored expensive versions of some species, when you mix them, will go back to their natural colors after a few generations, hence wasting all of the money spent on a particular "morph" (using that term loosely).

2) If you mix isopods you *may* end up with a dominant species that out survives the others after a few generations.

Its just better to keep them separate. Grab a few from your yard/area (they are literally everywhere now), keep them for a while, see if you like it, and if you don't, you haven't spent *any* money on them.

I'm up to 6 different types, will pick up more soon. They're addicting little worker bees. 6000+ subscribers in one Isopod FB group, so definitely lots of people keeping them as pets. Lots of crazy nice colors and varieties with different habits, and some big ones too (more than an inch).

 

[Hisserdude]

Yup, isopod breeding has become the next big thing, and let me tell ya, SOOOOOOO many people are brownboxing that stuff into the US, and not even trying to hide it, so I'm thinking there will be repercussions at some point, and maybe not just for the isopod hobby either, I can see the USDA putting a big ban on keeping all detritivores... :/

 

[Bob Lee]

Do isopods work as feeders? Not really planning to use them that way just curious because they are kinda close to roaches

 

[ErinM31]

Do isopods work as feeders? Not really planning to use them that way just curious because they are kinda close to roaches

Yes, but they can burrow. And don’t accidentally put a female carrying young in a tarantula enclosure in which they could survive and multiply. So far I’ve just used them as feeders for a toad, where trying to get them at all established as a clean-up crew is a challenge!

 

[mantisfan101]

I learned about giant canyon isopods, and I had to get some. I think they are really cute, but they were a little difficult until I practically buried them in rotting wood. In my research before ordering isopods, I learned that even non-native isopods are regulated by the USDA! It seems the only terrestrial invertebrate group the USDA does not regulate is Arachnida.

Yup, isopod breeding has become the next big thing, and let me tell ya, SOOOOOOO many people are brownboxing that stuff into the US, and not even trying to hide it, so I'm thinking there will be repercussions at some point, and maybe not just for the isopod hobby either, I can see the USDA putting a big ban on keeping all detritivores... :/

I believe they are all technically banned since they eat plant prts throughout their life.

 

[SonsofArachne]

Be forewarned:

If by communal you mean you mix your isopod species two things may happen:

1) Some prettied colored expensive versions of some species, when you mix them, will go back to their natural colors after a few generations, hence wasting all of the money spent on a particular "morph" (using that term loosely).

2) If you mix isopods you *may* end up with a dominant species that out survives the others after a few generations.

Its just better to keep them separate. Grab a few from your yard/area (they are literally everywhere now), keep them for a while, see if you like it, and if you don't, you haven't spent *any* money on them.

I'm up to 6 different types, will pick up more soon. They're addicting little worker bees. 6000+ subscribers in one Isopod FB group, so definitely lots of people keeping them as pets. Lots of crazy nice colors and varieties with different habits, and some big ones too (more than an inch).

Yeah I have no plans on buying any of the expensive ones, I'm not into them that much (yet), but thanks for the info.