# Any one use isopods (roly polies)?



## Jadenkisses (Jun 9, 2010)

Just curious as to if anyone here uses isopods in their vivariums ...
(CB - not WC from outside, of course)
I use them to help with cage clean-up of feces, disgarded pieces of insects and even mold when it occurs.
I have two types of isopods in every single one of my tropical vivariums. 
So, when I got my PDF's I put a dozen or so in their vivarium, and they work well, and are too large for my dart frogs to be interested in them as food.
And they are good for a healthy, mini-Eco system.

Anyway - just wondering if any body utilizes these helpful little critters.

And if not, you should concider getting some - they're awesome!
Thanks for reading...
- jade


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

i use several isopods in vivs, 

white 
dwarf white
orange
browns
purple soon, when i get some more growing, they are a bit slow in reproduction


I don't rteally use them for feeding just as tank cleaners


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## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

I use woodlice
and Springtails:
Black
Silver
Pink
Blue
Tropical


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

I use them as feeders mostly. Those that escape do a good job cleaning up.....most don't escape.
Im really only propogating the dwarf whites these days


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

I've used the dwarf white...seem to be popular with the frogs. If you provide rocks or driftwood for them to hide under the frogs have a harder time completely decimating the population. 

I also used regular roly polies from outside...I never saw the frogs feed on the adults but I'm fairly certain they fed on the offspring, pretty sure I remember actually seeing them do it...they are tinier then fruit flies in the beginning, and so small that even if the shell is fairly hard its so thin I doubt it would pose much problem to all but thumbnail species or froglets.

The shell thickness/hardness didn't seem much more then dwarf whites of similar size except in the largest dwarf white adults the hardness difference might have been more pronounced. They definately left the large adults alone though  Imagine eating a jaw breaker the size of a grapefruit!


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Anyone try these in a viv?

THEY EAT DORITOS! (see link)









The Holophusicon: Better Know an Arthropod: Giant Isopod


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## Jadenkisses (Jun 9, 2010)

Dendro Dave said:


> I've used the dwarf white...seem to be popular with the frogs. If you provide rocks or driftwood for them to hide under the frogs have a harder time completely decimating the population.
> 
> I also used regular roly polies from outside...I never saw the frogs feed on the adults but I'm fairly certain they fed on the offspring, pretty sure I remember actually seeing them do it...they are tinier then fruit flies in the beginning, and so small that even if the shell is fairly hard its so thin I doubt it would pose much problem to all but thumbnail species or froglets.
> 
> The shell thickness/hardness didn't seem much more then dwarf whites of similar size except in the largest dwarf white adults the hardness difference might have been more pronounced. They definately left the large adults alone though  Imagine eating a jaw breaker the size of a grapefruit!


I also observed one of my frogs eating a little tiny baby isopod. I put some gravid females in there just to see if they would, and one came across one and slurped it up. I honestly cannot for the life of me remember what the names are of the two kinds I have right now, but I know one kind is the ones you find outside. the other one looks like a tiny, thinner version of a little dubia roach, and its a lighter grey color.
my boyfriend indroduced me to using isopods when he began getting tropical tarantulas, and sometimes their enclosures would get nasty or moldy from the humidity and dead prey.

and, oh my god... is that thing real? ehhhh
an isopod that doubles as a basking rock, hah.


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