Dwarf isopods?

ranchulas

Arachnobaron
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Sep 20, 2007
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I have a starter culture coming in and was wondering about the reproduction rate of this species? I've read both ways, some say breed like rabbits and others say a slow reproductive rate...?? Anyone with experience raising these?
 

KyuZo

Arachnoprince
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Jan 3, 2007
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yea, mine are very slow to produce, but then again, that is because it's winter right now.
then again, when i had it during the warmer months they still didn't produce that much.
sorry, i don't know if that answered your question.

PS: your orange and canyon isopods went out today
 

ranchulas

Arachnobaron
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Sep 20, 2007
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yea, mine are very slow to produce, but then again, that is because it's winter right now.
then again, when i had it during the warmer months they still didn't produce that much.
sorry, i don't know if that answered your question.

PS: your orange and canyon isopods went out today
There seems to be two totally different opinions on the web. Your the second person that I actually deal with who has told me they are slow reproducers. I wonder if there are certain conditions that would speed up productivity ie: temp, food type, moisture level, type of substrate???
 

KyuZo

Arachnoprince
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and how many people said that they are fast producers? I have heard Orin and Dexter both told me that they are fast producers.
I think that food might be a factor. i don't feed mine that often.
 

ranchulas

Arachnobaron
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Sep 20, 2007
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and how many people said that they are fast producers? I have heard Orin and Dexter both told me that they are fast producers.
I think that food might be a factor. i don't feed mine that often.
Yeah, most my info on this has come from various web sites, and come to think of it one site did mention that even with little attention the colony would bounce right back up with regular feeding. Some posion arrow frog sites/suppy stores( would have to search again to find) have some info on these as they are popular feeders.
 

ranchulas

Arachnobaron
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Sep 20, 2007
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349
and how many people said that they are fast producers? I have heard Orin and Dexter both told me that they are fast producers.
I think that food might be a factor. i don't feed mine that often.
Check this site out, this guy has a short video on how he cultures his dwarfs.(homepage.ntlworld.com/alan.cann/articles/index.html )
 

KyuZo

Arachnoprince
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Jeff, thanks for the link, i find it very useful.
I have them in a small deli cup at the moment but i think that i am going to add them to my tropical mixed colony of the smaller roaches and hopefully they'll breed better.
if things improve, then i'll definitly will let you know
j
 

ranchulas

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
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Sep 20, 2007
Messages
349
Jeff, thanks for the link, i find it very useful.
I have them in a small deli cup at the moment but i think that i am going to add them to my tropical mixed colony of the smaller roaches and hopefully they'll breed better.
if things improve, then i'll definitly will let you know
j
No problem. I also read in multiple articles that complete darkness is ideal for breeding(of all isopods) and the culture grows much faster. I'm going to try that with one culture and put another in with my millies and see which one cultures faster.
 

KyuZo

Arachnoprince
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btw, i was wondering where did you get your dwarf culture from?
 

Matt K

Arachnoangel
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You get two opinions because both are right...

It really depends on cage conditions. I had them grow at almost no reproduction at all for a long while in roach enclosures and tarantula homes. Now they are showing up in large numbers. The difference? Not too sure! But I did re-house them in a container that has damp substrate with leaves mixed in, and a layer of dry leaves on top. They stay inbetween these two layers, or underneath any food item I occasionally put in there.

That being said, they are still present in small numbers in some of the roach and T enclosures I originally put them in....
 

ShawnH

Arachnoknight
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Sep 23, 2007
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From what I've seen heat makes a difference , also make sure they have plenty of moist substrate. My isopods out breed the hissers that they clean up after by far. Also Isopods can breed when they are smaller then you think.
 

kerokero

Arachnopeon
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Nov 9, 2006
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I' not sure I've actually posted on here since I usually just lurk looking for buggie info... but I figure I actually know something that might help in this case {D

The problem with the descriptions you're looking at is that they are descriptions comparing them to... something. The problem is that both descriptions are right... depending on what you comepare them *to*. They are fast producers... compared to other isopods and a number of other alternative feeders (in the world of poison dart frogs). They are slow producers... compared to things like fruit flies (drosophila sp.).

"Fast" and "slow" are horrible descriptions in this case, because you don't know the definitions involved... what you need is the reproduction/generation rate. I think the dwarf white isopods' generation rate is around 2-3 months? I don't have all my notes on my computer but I believe they have 3-4 or so generations a year....

I don't know about the other various small isopods because I'm looking for good sources of those myself!
 
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