Isopods or springtails?/ Can different Heterometrus house together?

[Scorpzinsk]

I currently am housing together a H spinifer male and H longimus female I wasn’t aware they were the same species so i’m not certain if they’re alright to be together it’s been 2 days they’ve yet to come face to face. I’m looking into a more bioactive terrarium but what i read about isopods and springtails is they eat molting scorpions, what do you suggest as a clean up crew for my H longimus when I separate her. They currently have about 7 or 8 dubia roaches with them but i’m not certain that was a good idea. Thanks

 

[HooahArmy]

Hey there and welcome to Arachnoboards! I am a Heterometrus keeper myself and have been practicing with bioactive enclosures with my H. spinifer trio. From what I've worked with myself, springtails have never been an issue and have never bothered my mates when they're molting. As for isopods however, anything larger than dwarf species or babies are occasionally noticed as prey and eaten. Springtails only eat decaying matter and aren't known for attacking anything living, even a freshly molted buddy. Isopods also tend not to want to bother anything that moves, so your only trouble is ensure they don't get munched or pinched on accident by a scorp who perceives them a threat. The roaches you have might also be accidentally munched.

Additionally, there are folks who state that the Spinifer and Longimus are two different scorpions, same genus but different species. They will not be likely to interbreed (like two different species of birds in the same genus) and they can occasionally be territorial. While there are people who state they have raised communities, they often do so with very large amounts of floor space and plenty of feeding. To keep on the safe side, it's a good practice to house different species separately to avoid any negative interactions. The 3 Spinifers I have are siblings, yet stopped being able to cohabitate when they reached about 2 or so inches; making Spinifer #4 magically disappear overnight, despite that I had a long and flat 2 x 1.5" container.

 

[Collin Clary]

I currently am housing together a H spinifer male and H longimus female I wasn’t aware they were the same species so i’m not certain if they’re alright to be together it’s been 2 days they’ve yet to come face to face. I’m looking into a more bioactive terrarium but what i read about isopods and springtails is they eat molting scorpions, what do you suggest as a clean up crew for my H longimus when I separate her. They currently have about 7 or 8 dubia roaches with them but i’m not certain that was a good idea. Thanks

If you believe they're not conspecific, please separate them.

You should post pictures of them for proper identification however. Odds are they're not either of those species.

Regarding isopods, they are fine to put in adult enclosures, but keep in mind that larger isopod species will get eaten.

With juveniles, absolutely do not put isopods in. They will eat molting scorpions.

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

The roaches are probably fine but too many food items can stress the scorpion even if they don't chew on it. I like the big white springtails the best (oddly they're temperate but often sold under the name tropical pink).

 

[The Snark]

Isopods also tend not to want to bother anything that moves,

I was under the impression that nearly all isopods are obligate detrivores limited to pretty specific decayed materials by their digestive systems.

 

[SpookySpooder]

Certain species require more calcium or protein in their diet and have been observed opportunistically obtaining those nutrients however they can, often consuming each other while vunerable.

Google "isopods ate my tarantula" and you'll find a few undocumented claims about it as well.

Not too sure about how an isopod could eat a healthy T, but maybe a colony of them could consume a T that was stuck in a molt.

 

[The Snark]

Certain species require more calcium or protein in their diet and have been observed opportunistically obtaining those nutrients however they can, often consuming each other while vunerable.

Discounting unscientific undocumented claims I can see them chowing down on each other. After all they are one small step removed from their detritus diet.