Isopod substrate question

[Grayman1984]

I’m just getting into keeping isopods and I’ve got some Porcellio Scaber orange koi coming in soon. I bought some Jiffy organic seed starter soil to use in my substrate mix which is enhanced with peat, vermiculite, and lime. Will this be safe for my new friends?

 

[moricollins]

I'd be leery of using any seed starter mix because it could have fertilizer in it, and there's no guarantee that the fertilizer won't harm the Isopods

 

[Grayman1984]

I'd be leery of using any seed starter mix because it could have fertilizer in it, and there's no guarantee that the fertilizer won't harm the Isopods

Thank you. Are there any good alternatives I can use that are readily available? I’ve got coconut husk and sphagnum moss already.

 

[moricollins]

I use coco husk, coco fibre and peat moss as my Isopod substrate.

 

[Grayman1984]

I use coco husk, coco fibre and peat moss as my Isopod substrate.

That simplifies things greatly. Thank you for your help.

 

[Matts inverts]

I’m just getting into keeping isopods and I’ve got some Porcellio Scaber orange koi coming in soon. I bought some Jiffy organic seed starter soil to use in my substrate mix which is enhanced with peat, vermiculite, and lime. Will this be safe for my new friends?

My basic mic is choir or organic soil mixed with cypress, a lot of leaf litter, sphagnum moss, and egg shells.
3 parts coco fiber, peat, or organic soil
1 part cypress or reptile bark
1/2 part sphagnum moss
1.25 part oak leaf litter
1/15 part egg shells
1/3 part magnolia leaf litter
1/3 part cottonwood leaf litter

the leaves can be one type but this is the mix I have used with great success and have local to the area.

 

[Hisserdude]

I use coco fiber for isopods, substrate doesn't have to be edible, just add leaf litter on top as well as supplemental foods like dog food, veggies, etc., and they do great. When you think about it, a lot of the isopods in the hobby come from areas where the substrate is just clay, not very edible, but it's the leaf litter and such on TOP of the substrate that they actually feed on, so I just simulate that with mine, they've always done fine and bred well. Also, not all isopods burrow, so I never understood giving those species deep, edible substrates...

 

[Grayman1984]

That’s an excellent point. I ended up going with a coco fiber and sphagnum moss mix.