Isopods and Sphagnum Moss

[EulersK]

I am officially sick and tired of mold. Even with peat moss mixed into my soil, I'm getting mold eventually. I used to only have to deal with the white fuzzy stuff, but ever since I started using sphagnum moss, I started getting green mold that worries me quite a bit more. So, this question is twofold.

Firstly, in relation to tarantulas, which isopods do you find work the best? I'd like to include these in all of my humid enclosures, and that includes dwarf tarantulas. What's your experience with this, and how effective are they?

Secondly, will the isopods be able to reproduce in the sphagnum moss mix? Again, it's not 100% sphagnum moss, but there's quite a bit of it in there. The only reason I use that stuff is to avoid phorid flies breeding in the soil, which has been an ongoing problem for awhile now.

EDIT: Springtails are also possibly on the menu

As always, thanks for the help!

 

[BobBarley]

Just want to throw this in here, I use a local species of springtail that popped up one day. They control mold brilliantly, and I've pretty much never seen it in any of my enclosures (including high humidity, low ventilation ones). They also make it easier to find boluses because their bodies reflect light and they swarm over boluses. I've had countless t's molt with springtails in their enclosure and never had a problem.

 

[EulersK]

Just want to throw this in here, I use a local species of springtail that popped up one day. They control mold brilliantly, and I've pretty much never seen it in any of my enclosures (including high humidity, low ventilation ones). They also make it easier to find boluses because their bodies reflect light and they swarm over boluses. I've had countless t's molt with springtails in their enclosure and never had a problem.

I'd love to just get a local species of isopod (mainly because if the cost of shipping I'm looking at paying), but I doubt that I'll find any here. Not to mention, any that I do manage to find will be arid loving species!

 

[BobBarley]

I'd love to just get a local species of isopod (mainly because if the cost of shipping I'm looking at paying), but I doubt that I'll find any here. Not to mention, any that I do manage to find will be arid loving species!

I'd be a little hesitant to throw in isopods from outside. I've witnessed large isopods (perhaps A. vulgare?) taking down an injured, but still alive cricket before. Most people that use isopods in their t enclosures, I think use those "dwarf white isopods" (something like that, Latin name is slipping me at the moment).

 

[Bugmom]

I'd love to just get a local species of isopod (mainly because if the cost of shipping I'm looking at paying), but I doubt that I'll find any here. Not to mention, any that I do manage to find will be arid loving species!

I'm from the southwest, very arid, and I readily found isopods (woodlouse, "pill bug," or "roly poly" as you may know them) if I just looked under logs, bricks, fallen trees, etc. Areas that were more humid/damp and cool. Tons of them. I've used them in enclosures with no problems. I did only collect them from my own yard (I had bricks I could look under), where I knew that nothing such as pesticides had been applied.

 

[viper69]

I am officially sick and tired of mold. Even with peat moss mixed into my soil, I'm getting mold eventually. I used to only have to deal with the white fuzzy stuff, but ever since I started using sphagnum moss, I started getting green mold that worries me quite a bit more. So, this question is twofold.

Firstly, in relation to tarantulas, which isopods do you find work the best? I'd like to include these in all of my humid enclosures, and that includes dwarf tarantulas. What's your experience with this, and how effective are they?

Secondly, will the isopods be able to reproduce in the sphagnum moss mix? Again, it's not 100% sphagnum moss, but there's quite a bit of it in there. The only reason I use that stuff is to avoid phorid flies breeding in the soil, which has been an ongoing problem for awhile now.

As always, thanks for the help!

I read on a frog forum that isopods will not control mold 100%, just an FYI. Many froggers think getting some small inverts will control it 100%, that's not true.

 

[EulersK]

I read on a frog forum that isopods will not control mold 100%, just an FYI. Many froggers think getting some small inverts will control it 100%, that's not true.

I understand that spot cleaning and bills maintenance will still be needed, that's a given. But I need some help here, you know? I just can't keep up with it all, mold pops up overnight and gets Kuan of hand very quickly.

Have you read anything about sphagnum moss with isopods? The entire point of me using it is to avoid phorid fly larvae, but I fear it'll do the same thing to isopods.

 

[viper69]

I understand that spot cleaning and bills maintenance will still be needed, that's a given. But I need some help here, you know? I just can't keep up with it all, mold pops up overnight and gets Kuan of hand very quickly.

Have you read anything about sphagnum moss with isopods? The entire point of me using it is to avoid photos fly larvae, but I fear it'll do the same thing to isopods.

Some froggers keep them w/sphagnum moss as well. Again, the above FYI comment applies.

 

[EulersK]

Some froggers keep them w/sphagnum moss as well. Again, the above FYI comment applies.

Jesus, I had typos galore, thanks for reading by context. I'm finding conflicting reports that springtails are more durable than isopods, and vise versa. I think I may just buy a batch of both and see how it goes. It's the shipping that's killing me after all, the cultures themselves aren't too bad.

 

[viper69]

Jesus, I had typos galore, thanks for reading by context. I'm finding conflicting reports that springtails are more durable than isopods, and vise versa. I think I may just buy a batch of both and see how it goes. It's the shipping that's killing me after all, the cultures themselves aren't too bad.

Go read on Dendroboard. There's few conflicting reports on the very things that FEW T owners actually do/use here, ie cleanup crews, live plants etc, but the froggers always do. It's not rocket science for them, no mystery etc.

 

[sTop]

what is the help of isopods? I'm curious about it..

 

[Chris LXXIX]

what is the help of isopods? I'm curious about it..

Nothing, IMO. Technically they should act as a cleaning squad, therefore, helping "you" when it comes to certain species that needs a more humid environment (Asian T's/arachnids/centipedes in general, some NW T's) but if you provide the right ventilation and remove ASAP prey remains, zero issues.

 

[sTop]

Nothing, IMO. Technically they should act as a cleaning squad, therefore, helping "you" when it comes to certain species that needs a more humid environment (Asian T's/arachnids/centipedes in general, some NW T's) but if you provide the right ventilation and remove ASAP prey remains, zero issues.

i see... thanks for your information sir...

 

[Chris LXXIX]

i see... thanks for your information sir...

Nothing :-s

Anyway that was only my opinion about, there's people that use those and they are happy.