Freshwater isopods

[silentchaos]

I found these in a stream that flows out of a small cave after heavy rain. I'm guessing they are washed out by the current.

Anyone know how to care for them? Do they need much oxygen in the water? They seem to eat plants and skim off silt.

Sorry for the poor picture quality, they never stop moving and they move much faster than the land type.

 

[Joanie]

I tried keeping these in a "pond tank" a couple years ago along with a bunch of other freshwater inverts. The isopods were all gone in a couple days, though whether they died due to the relative stillness/oxygen content of the water or were eaten by the crayfish remains unknown.

I did find them in a fast-moving creek, though, so I'm guessing the tank was not the most ideal environment for them.

On the other hand, the crayfish thrived and grew like crazy, and I had a couple species of water beetles that did really well too.

 

[silentchaos]

I'm using a spray bottle to oxygenate the water for now. Only one out of eight has died over three days. I need to setup a bigger tank and hook up a pump i have around here....

 

[AbraxasComplex]

Your crayfish and water beetles would have had them for lunch.


From what I've researched they can survive in areas with extremely low oxygen content... some ecologists will check their population levels in comparison to other high oxygen species that prey on them. Thus it is an indicator in ponds and swamps of some polution levels. The more poluted a body of water, the less oxygen. The less oxygen, more aquatic isopods due to less predators.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Oh man, I love these guys. One of my favorite childhood memories is playing in a creek that had tons of them, I'd sit in the same spot for an hour watching them dig in the dirt.

 

[Wayfarin]

Aquatic isopods (Caecidotea and Asellus) collected from stagnant water bodies are extremely hardy. They can thrive under low oxygen conditions better than any common aquarium shrimp and can tolerate higher ammonia levels. Sometimes these stagnant water species are also found in streams, especially the slower ones. But as for exclusively stream-dwelling species, they probably need the water somewhat cleaner. Keeping these isopods like cherry shrimp would probably be just fine.

 

[Arthroverts]

This thread is from 2008, ha ha. Might be better to share your findings in a new one.

Thanks,

Arthroverts