water scorpions & aquatic isopods, any help much appreciated!

[Pixxie]

My husband, his sister, his friend, and I have been scouring ponds for the past few days for fish and bugs. I was very excited today when I found a water scorpion! Its about 3" long including the "tail", it's one of the skinny ones, not the ones that look like leafs. I found as much info on caring for them as I could online (which isn't much) and right now it's in a small critter keeper with just enough gravel to cover the bottom and just under 2" of water. It has a few sticks from the pond and he just ate one of the small nymphs that I brought home with me. I'm asking for any information anyone may have on how to care for them, including but not limited too: how often to feed them, how often to clean cage, things not to feed him, how to tell if it IS a "him" or if its a female, how long they live, if they can live together, any info on breeding, etc..

I also found 4 or 5 underwater isopods which I haven't been able to find any information on. The largest ones are about 1.5 cm long, give or take a 2 or 3 mm. They like to cling to rocks, if they don't they just float around in the water until they find something to cling to, they seem to have no ability to actually swim. If anyone knows what they are exactly and/or has any info on how to care for them (basically the same questions as those for the water scorp) I would very much appreciate to hear it!

Thank you everyone for reading my post and trying to help!

 

[Pixxie]

Bumpppppppp.

 

[catfishrod69]

About all i can tell you about waterscorpions, is how i kept mine. In a kritter keeper. But i used more water. Say about 6". I also put some plastic potho vine in it, so they could cling onto it, and use it to hold onto while breathing. I used tweezers to feed mine live lateralis roach nymphs. Once to twice a week. Other than that, i dont know. They are really awesome though.

 

[Pixxie]

Thank you for replying. Did you breed the roaches or did you buy the nymphs from somewhere?

 

[catfishrod69]

Your very welcome. I breed mine. Sometimes the scorp wouldnt take the roach, so i held the roach under until it drowned. Then just leave it, and sometimes the scorp will take it without you seeing it happen.

 

[Galapoheros]

I brought home a few of these when I was a kid from the local ponds I would hunt. I don't know if anybody has been serious about breeding them, prob 0 info on that is my guess. My gut tells me small tadpoles are the main diet but will prob eat any small thing they can handle. What I "would" do is bump the water level up to around 4 or 5 inches. Pics of the "isopod" stuff would sure help but I know things might be getting in the way of you doing that. If you have a camera, plenty of help here.

 

[Necromion]

Ive raised the skinnier species of waterscorpion (Ranatra sp.) as well as tropical versions of the leaf like ones (Nepa sp.) I have found success with shallow containers (kriter keepers work quite well), about 4-6" of water and something to perch on. In the past I have fed mine anything from small aquatic insects they could grab, live brine shrimp, feeder guppies, and even crickets tossed onto the surface of the water (yes they will grab them). I would recommend removing any carcases that are left, and partially changing the water making sure to use a dechlorinator with the "new" water. other than that they are relatively easy to care for. just an FYI though i do recommend covering the container as they can fly if they can get out.

 

[Pixxie]

Ive raised the skinnier species of waterscorpion (Ranatra sp.) as well as tropical versions of the leaf like ones (Nepa sp.) I have found success with shallow containers (kriter keepers work quite well), about 4-6" of water and something to perch on. In the past I have fed mine anything from small aquatic insects they could grab, live brine shrimp, feeder guppies, and even crickets tossed onto the surface of the water (yes they will grab them). I would recommend removing any carcases that are left, and partially changing the water making sure to use a dechlorinator with the "new" water. other than that they are relatively easy to care for. just an FYI though i do recommend covering the container as they can fly if they can get out.

Thanks, this really helps out a lot, especially the food ideas. I went to the pond today to get more nymphs to feed it and didn't find a single one which is weird cuz normally if I sweep my net through once I'll catch like 4 at a time.

I brought home a few of these when I was a kid from the local ponds I would hunt. I don't know if anybody has been serious about breeding them, prob 0 info on that is my guess. My gut tells me small tadpoles are the main diet but will prob eat any small thing they can handle. What I "would" do is bump the water level up to around 4 or 5 inches. Pics of the "isopod" stuff would sure help but I know things might be getting in the way of you doing that. If you have a camera, plenty of help here.

This is the best pic I could get, I took it with my phone camera, I don't have an actual camera:
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/gallery/files/6/1/5/3/6/securedownload.jpg

 

[Galapoheros]

Thanks, this really helps out a lot, especially the food ideas. I went to the pond today to get more nymphs to feed it and didn't find a single one which is weird cuz normally if I sweep my net through once I'll catch like 4 at a time.



This is the best pic I could get, I took it with my phone camera, I don't have an actual camera:
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/gallery/files/6/1/5/3/6/securedownload.jpg

Wow that's a pretty good phone camera. I found pics on the internet but haven't come across a sci name, I'm not sure if I've seen those before. Here's another pic, have to scroll down. http://natureinquiries.wordpress.com/category/fishes/ I was thinking the large "plated" end was the head at first but I see now that it's the tapered end that's the head.

 

[Necromion]

to identify your isopod I would recommend www.bugguide.net they have plenty of galleries you could compare it to or you could post it in the ID section and see what the other users have to say.

 

[Tenodera]

The isopods are an Asellus species. I kept some a couple years ago, in 2 in. of (sorta) regularly-changed water with dead leaves and wood. Most of the juveniles I caught died, but the two adults and some older ones survived and I even got a first generation. The adults seem to exhibit a kind of parental care, following, holding, and resting on top of their young. My group died when their water froze in the garage where I was overwintering them.

Never kept Ranatra but I'd sure love to some time.

 

[Arianji]

I know this is an older post but I thought I may offer a suggestion. I have been keeping a giant predatory diving water beetle for months now very successfully on a diet of sinking shrimp pellets. (though he also happily shreds through every aquatic plant I attempt to brighten his tank with...sigh) I know the water scorpions are not nearly as opportunistic as the water beetles, but it's so convenient if you can get him to eat the pellets. Plus I think its kinda cute how he clasps the shrimp pellet between his front legs and chews it. He will even take them from my fingers he loves them so much...but he'll also just as readily bite my fingers. Regardless try just putting one shrimp pellet in the tank while he has no other option of food, he probably will take no interest in it until it starts to dissolve, (I guess the smell must be enticing to them) and he hopefully will immediately attack it. Hope it works for you

---------- Post added 04-15-2012 at 12:52 PM ----------

p.s. tenodera your yanmega profile pick is quite awesome...pokemon nerds unite

 

[Yoxigan]

http://bugguide.net/node/view/167235/bgpage

 

[Arachno Dano]

Water Scropion Care Sheet:
http://www.insectstore.com/phasmid/showthread.php?t=2499

I recently purchased a water scorpion as well, but I am having difficulties finding a reliable care sheet. So far, from what I have researched, water scorpions thrive in pond water. I used bog water (similar to a pond) and filled a Kritter Keeper with about 3'' of stagnant, smelly, bog water. I skimmed the surface of the water and collected literally a small ecosystem of life! All sorts of little critters! Anyways I guess water scorpions eat mosquito larvae and other smaller arthropods in the water. I am keeping my water scorpion in a biology lab at my college (located next to the bog). I used a marker and marked the 3'' water level on the side of the Kritter Keeper. I am not planning on doing much maintenance other than refilling the Kritter Keeper on occasion. The bog water had lots of amphibian life (which means the water is relatively healthy). Also considering the water is relatively stagnant to begin with I do not think the water scorpions mind if the water is a little dirty.

Success or failure I will keep everyone posted!