Woodlouse(isopod) attack on fresh moult pede

[Salvador]

Just a warning/observation, I was checking my pedes and got excited to see my biggest Ethmostigmus trigonopodus "Yellow Leg" (6") had just completed a moult. I could see though, that despite being previously in perfect condition, a terminal leg had come off. I opened the tub, to find a crowd of half grown Porcellio scaber hanging round the pede and nipping at it. You can see the damage here. Bit of shame, I've only ever seen them attack pre-killed prey before (see last pic of a meal-share with an S.hainanum) and once witnessed one kill and eat another of it's own kind who was moulting. I've always added in extra bits of food for them using small slices of banana and one or two cat biscuits, seems they really like the idea of flesh though. So, these are coming out of my tanks now. I've never trusted them with babies, hopefully I've gotten away with this and the pede doesn't drop dead.

 

[mmfh]

Wow! Hope things turn out okay.

 

[ErinM31]

Thank you for the warning! I've heard quite conflicting accounts on whether or not it's safe to keep isopods with pedes. I'm glad I've been keeping mine apart! Hopefully yours will be good as new after another molt or two!

 

[kevinlowl]

Is THAT black thing the isopod you are speaking of? Cuz it's frickin huge relative to the centipede.

 

[SDCPs]

How did the pede's antenna turn from orange to blue???

 

[Salvador]

How did the pede's antenna turn from orange to blue???

Not sure I understand the question? The antennae are usually this colour for this species/locale.

 

[Staehilomyces]

I think he means from blue to orange. The centipede in the first pic has blue antennae.

 

[Staehilomyces]

Oh, never mind. The last pic was a hainanum.

 

[Salvador]

Oh yes, sorry! I did explain the last pic was a different pede, just to show an example that woodlice will feed on vulnerable animals.

Sad update : As I suspected may happen, the centipede was found dead today. Take my warning seriously, fellow centipede keepers

 

[Salvador]

Is THAT black thing the isopod you are speaking of? Cuz it's frickin huge relative to the centipede.

That's one of our natives, yup. Just over 1cm I think? That's a 6" S.hainanum.

 

[Ghoul]

Wow that's terrifying. Poor lil centipede, RIP :c

 

[ErinM31]

Oh yes, sorry! I did explain the last pic was a different pede, just to show an example that woodlice will feed on vulnerable animals.

Sad update : As I suspected may happen, the centipede was found dead today. Take my warning seriously, fellow centipede keepers

Wow, I'm so sorry to hear that! I had hoped the damage was mostly superficial and recoverable.

Isopods and some millipedes species seem to require some animal protein in their diet and may turn on one another if this is not provided. I would have imagined these isopods would have gotten some scraps though, living with a centipede. But perhaps it is in their nature to not pass up an easy meal when presented with the opportunity.

 

[Curiosipede]

Just a warning/observation, I was checking my pedes and got excited to see my biggest Ethmostigmus trigonopodus "Yellow Leg" (6") had just completed a moult. I could see though, that despite being previously in perfect condition, a terminal leg had come off. I opened the tub, to find a crowd of half grown Porcellio scaber hanging round the pede and nipping at it. You can see the damage here. Bit of shame, I've only ever seen them attack pre-killed prey before (see last pic of a meal-share with an S.hainanum) and once witnessed one kill and eat another of it's own kind who was moulting. I've always added in extra bits of food for them using small slices of banana and one or two cat biscuits, seems they really like the idea of flesh though. So, these are coming out of my tanks now. I've never trusted them with babies, hopefully I've gotten away with this and the pede doesn't drop dead.

Honestly, in all my enclosures, I have found that P. Scaber are generally just bullies. They bully other isopods, and roaches too.

 

[EricSJCA]

I know this is an old thread, but in case anyone else comes across it, there's a guy named Adam on this thread,
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1772022706363299/permalink/2034489673449933/
who says the following:

The only isopod I trust with my inverts is P. Dilatatus. They seem to be able to subsist on the least amount of food, and get big enough that they are eaten before they overpopulate....
I have 29 centipedes, spanning 11 different species, in with dilatatus. Been using them for over a year. I feel pretty safe saying they're pretty safe...​

 

[Ghoul]

After keeping isopods for over a year, I can say that Porcellio scaber are definitly one of the more aggressive species (they bite eachother too) and they will eat anything even if provided with enough protein. Even their own young.

There's a lot of other isopod species that behave differently. I haven't kept Porcellio dilatatus myself, but I know that Armadillidium species seem to be generally very calm. Most issues with cannibalism in other species can be prevented by feeding enough protein and cuttlefish bone so they have enough calcium for their exoskeleton.

 

[benjaminfrogs]

Wow agressive roly polys lol who would have thought

 

[LawnShrimp]

Wow agressive roly polys lol who would have thought

Isopods are nasty little beggars. I keep a ton of them and I love them, but I don't trust them whatsoever. I had an old female cricket who was dying and, being in the days before I got centipedes, tossed her into the Porcellio/Armadillidium cup. Both species would take bites from her antennae and cerci whenever she stopped to rest. Before long they were tearing into her as she was still moving.

I don't doubt that a live and healthy centipede could fall prey to woodlice. As such, I keep my isopods separate from all of my other animals.

 

[dragonfire1577]

Although larger isopods, especially Porcellio scaber can harm freshly molted inverts I would not use this to say all species pose a risk. Trichorhina tomentosa have never caused me a single issue maxing out at only a few millimeters and living below the soil, they are pretty shy but clean up mold or poop decently well and are in all my enclosures that have moist substrate along with springtails.