i want to make a communal tank with isopods and cockroaches together

[rachmills]

i want dairy cow isopods and a species of cockroach that doesnt climb smooth surfaces

almost like a leggy shelly vivarium haha

any suggestions on roach species at all?

 

[Arthroverts]

Just be warned that isopods can prey on freshly molted roaches, so you may want to get a more arboreal roach species so that the isopods won't bother them during the molting process.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

 

[BepopCola]

I have some little Kenyan roaches and some horseshoe-crab roaches (Hemiblabera tenebricosa), neither can climb glass and they don't really grow wings either. I love 'em.
I would worry about what the isopods might do to them though. The little Kenyans adults are about the size of isopods. The horseshoe-crab roaches like to be burrowed.
Other than that, I think some larger species can't climb glass, like Blaberus giganteus.

 

[richard22]

Horseshoe crab roaches would be great for breeding in an unheated area, or if you could get ahold of some wood roaches they would probably work too. Tropical roaches that don’t climb (roachcrossing.com could be used as a reference for non-climbing species, but I personally advise against ordering from the site) would probably work well in a humid environment if you’re trying to breed roaches, but heat might be needed for effective breeding which would reduce moisture. Or you could add more forgiving isopods like powdery blue isopods (cheap, fast lifespan) or spanish isopods (expensive, slow lifespan) which would only need a moist hide instead of a uniformly moist and humid enclosure, and then those would work well with most roaches (maybe not egg-laying) if the moist hide (or side) is consistently kept moist.

 

[Arthroverts]

Roach Crossing is seeing signs of life however, so we may see Kyle's full return here soon hopefully.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

 

[VolkswagenBug]

Roach Crossing is seeing signs of life however, so we may see Kyle's full return here soon hopefully.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

I saw the new species update; I'm really hoping it sticks.

 

[Arthroverts]

@VolkswagenBug, I hope so too. Roach Crossing at its best has more species available than I think any other supplier (in the US that is) insect-wise.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

 

[mantisfan101]

I would be hesitant to use isopods and if you do use them, use dwarf whites. You can use little kenyans like @BepopCola said with larger blaberids and hissers.

 

[rachmills]

thanks all for the help im going to start off with a roach colony and springtails first (just need to decide on a roach)

 

[rachmills]

does anyone know if
Ergaula capucina can climb


edit: lol copy and paste font

 

[richard22]

does anyone know if
Ergaula capucina can climb


edit: lol copy and paste font

Adult males can climb but not very well: https://www.roachcrossing.com/for-sale/roach/all/burmese-beetle-mimic/

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Roach Crossing is seeing signs of life however, so we may see Kyle's full return here soon hopefully.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

Was he avocados or abducted by aliens? Do any isopods work as clean up crew for dubia ? Or wood lice

 

[Arthroverts]

Was he avocados or abducted by aliens? Do any isopods work as clean up crew for dubia ? Or wood lice

He was having some serious family issues+housing concerns (at one point his whole basement, where he keeps all of his stock, got flooded with sewage), and understandably he dropped off soon after. What made it difficult was that he was still trying to sell for a few months after all this, but couldn't keep everything straight leading to a lot of messed-up payments, mis-shipments, etc.

I'm not sure about the isopods as they can chew on molting specimens. Once the colony gets big enough that shouldn't be a problem however. Dermestid beetles+springtails might be a better option. Another species of roach might also work.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

 

[davehuth]

The only roaches and ispods I've paired together are larger adult roaches that have completed molting (a few species of hissers) matched with more docile isopods (like A. maculatum Zebras). Matching their humidity needs was tricky, but a gradient seemed to work out ok.