Earthworms and Millipedes

[IguanaMama]

I noticed a couple of earthworms living in with my millipedes and my really pretty orange and dwarf white isopods (thanks Zelda!!!!). They are in both tanks, so I have a feeling they came in either the top soil I'm using or some of the rotten wood. Just regular old earth worms. Are they bad? My DH thinks they are good, cleaning the soil and all. My only concern is that they may eat some of the isopod or millipede babies.

 

[Wade]

The problem with earthworms isn't that they eat the babies themselves, but they can reproduce rapidly and destroy the nutriative value of the substrate. Baby millipedes depend on the rotten wood and leaves in the soil, but earthworms will out-compete them and the babies will starve. I'd get them out ASAP, and do a total substrate change if you see a lot of them. I've taken to cooking all wood and leaves to prevent introductions of earthworms, as they can wipe out babies entirely. Adults aren't bothered so much.

I don't know if the same is true for isopods or not. They might not be a problem for them.

Wade