# Isopods wont reproduce



## Davidk1616 (Mar 31, 2018)

I have dwarf white and purple isopods i feed them Morning wood and different kinds of furits and veggies. But they just wont get going if anything there are less . I keep them at mid 80s to low 80s i have tried everything ive had them for 3 months now and they just wont do anything. Any suggestions?? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## harrisbt (Feb 19, 2013)

Try this: 




And if not that, try Repashy bug burger with expired dart frog supplements mixed in (especially calcium supplements). My isopods go nuts for it, and bigger isopods will clean up extra vitimin powder I sprinkle in there.


----------



## Woodswalker (Dec 26, 2014)

I keep mine at room temperature, which is about 74dF during the day, and in the upper 60s at night. Your high temps could be contributing to their lack of breeding. Isopods, at least most (if not all) of the ones we keep in the hobby, do not need additional heating, in my experience. If anything, you might find that it will slowly kill them, as I've read from others' experiences in the past.


----------



## gary1218 (Dec 31, 2005)

I agree with Woodswalker on the temps. Keep them in the low to mid 70s.

Make sure also that your media isn't too wet. It should be just moist but not wet. I find that when I feed mine a lot of veggies for a few weeks in a row the moisture from the veggies gets the media too damp.


----------



## Davidk1616 (Mar 31, 2018)

Okay ill try that and ill let you guys know thank you so much for the responses 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Tptp279 (Jul 29, 2014)

Hey, I’m staring up my isopods and wanted to see how the lower heat/room temp was going for your ISO’s?


----------



## Organics (Jan 17, 2020)

I found 75 really boosts my production, any lower and it slows a lot, any higher and it slows a lot. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

I know this is old, but since is has been dug up from the crypts, I'd like to update some info that was given.

Yes, isopods go absolutely nuts for leftover vitamin supplements, especially Repashy Calcium Plus. That is why it is so very important to severely limit the amount of excess dust that goes into your vivarium. Putting it into cultures is a practice you might want to reconsider. My kids go nuts for cotton candy, but I knew it wasn't good for them. I never once made it their main course. 

See, Repashy Calcium Plus, and most other supplements will have tocopherols, a form of vitamin E, in their ingredients list. In the proper amounts, that's just fine for your frogs. But Allen Repashy never intended for us to be dumping it into our isopod tanks. Isopods cannot process tocopherols. Neither can they harmlessly pass them. They are sequestered, or stored indefinitely, in your isopod. Now you keep feeding him vitamins, instead of actual food??, and the vitamin E in all of your isopods climbs higher, and higher. Your frog eats a few, and is suddenly dosed with a lifetime's worth of vitamin E in a moment's time. Even if your frog can manage to deal with that, he cannot deal with the massive road block you just gave him. Elevated levels of vitamin E block the uptake of both vitamin A, and vitamin D. Without vitamin A, your frogs can quickly die of STS, Sticky Tongue Syndrome. If a fly won't stick to his tongue, that is what is commonly referred to as a dead frog. If you block the vitamin D, then you can throw all the calcium in the world at your frog, but he can't use it. We don't supply UVB, so without D3, you soon have a frog with a severe calcium deficiency. When that gets bad enough, he'll hop a few times, perhaps when he's startled, then sprawl out flat on his belly, with all arms and legs extended, and go into convulsions. Once again, without prompt intervention, that is a dead frog.

Vitamin supplements are a great thing, when used properly. Let me ask you this. Would any of you ever consider eating an entire bottle of One-A-Day vitamins? If the answer is yes, then I'm wasting my time. 
Massively overdosing yourself on vitamins is a very bad idea. It is every bit as questionable to massively overdose your bugs and frogs on vitamins. Remember, they sequester...there is no small, acceptable dose. Every dose given to your isopods is in them forever, climbing higher and higher, until that little pill bug is much more like a cyanide pill!

The lack of calcium is sometimes the limiting factor in isopod growth. Repashy Calcium Plus, my favorite supplement, is NOT just calcium. It's jam packed with vitamins that will absolutely not do your isopods any long term favors. Consider a source of calcium. A purer source of calcium. Ed has suggested a piece of cuttlebone from the bird supply area of a pet store. A little sprinkle of calcium carbonate from any vitamin section could be helpful. Cheaper, grind up some eggshells as fine as you can, and dump that in there. The best method would be to grow them on a calcium bearing clay substrate. 

Isopods love veggies, and many veggies are high in calcium. Banana has calcium, and isos love them. Dark, leafy greens, like a bit of decomposing Kale, would be helpful. Look up veggies high in calcium, and give some a try.

Remember, though, mainlining vitamin E...well, it might take longer than shooting smack, but in the end, you're just as dead.


----------



## Kmc (Jul 26, 2019)

You cant really get finer scope on the weeist of the wee, than Master P, but after dietary factors are addressed, I would be pressed to ask, just to cover some out of the box bases, if you have a dog or cat, and have applied a topical flea med in the near past?

Many of the topicals work in part by inhibiting arthropod reproductive mechanisms.

It isnt far _that_ distal to connect a current application + how much we touch our companion animals + husbandry contact, fingers in sub and food contact.

No studies of course have been done, and if it doesnt apply to OP situation its a note to keep on some burner, as many people do have companion pets and apply flea topicals, continue to have affectional contact with their pet and also mill thru or touch bug stuff, perhaps without washing hands, unlike the prudency we would take if having to touch our frogs by necessity.

When the monthly flea topicals are applied, most people forget about the event immediately.

Again wash hands before all animal work.


----------



## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

Pumilo said:


> See, Repashy Calcium Plus, and most other supplements will have tocopherols, a form of vitamin E, in their ingredients list.


Morning Wood does, too:

https://www.store.repashy.com/morning-wood-3-oz-85g-jar-clone.html

Bug Burger does, too:

https://www.store.repashy.com/bug-burger-4-oz-bag.html

So do all these German isopod foods I've never heard of before:

https://insektenliebe.com/shop/isopod-food/?lang=en

This claim, then, is patently false:



Pumilo said:


> Remember, they sequester...there is no small, acceptable dose. Every dose given to your isopods is in them forever, climbing higher and higher, until that little pill bug is much more like a cyanide pill!


Everything in moderation, yes, but let's not be afraid of the bogey man.


----------



## Kmc (Jul 26, 2019)

Hmm. I like the look of those FW shrimps (_in an aluminum can!we repeat, Its Aluminum, People!_)

But yeah I think my lizards would enjoy those, rehydrated. Gallotia are omnivores and fun to provide for. 

I have have noticed german stuff, like tools etc to be of good quality, I would like to know Im not buying shrimp from China company, but chain of co supply, would have to look into.


----------



## cobe (Oct 10, 2015)

How long have you had the culture? They can take time to get going, it took my dwarf whites months now I have 6 big tubs full of them.


----------

