# How Many Isopods?



## savleigh (May 10, 2019)

I'm getting ready to seed my first viv (18x18x24) with microfauna, and haven't quite found this answer - how many Isopods should be used to seed? They'll be working alongside springtails.

I've ordered 25 dwarf white tropicals.. which seems like a tiny amount. Right now, I'm planning to culture them first till I get 100 or so, seed with 50, and reserve 50 in the culture. 

Or should I just dump the 25 in?


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## salvz (Nov 3, 2014)

No hard and fast rules on this stuff but the more you start with the better chance they'll take hold. 25 (or less) might be sufficient under optimal conditions but I would go with your plan and culture them first, seed with half of that culture, and keep the remainder in case the seeding is unsuccessful for whatever reason. Good luck!


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## outdoorphunk (Jul 2, 2019)

In my history 10 seeded per 25-50 square inches is the best way to ensure success especially with smaller species in a new tank. This by no means is hard and fast. I have seeded with 10 successfully in a 25x25 container. However make sure they have enough food up front. A new Viv is going to have less than stable conditions and less food than one well grown out with droppings, mold, and leaves at varying levels of decay so more will def increase the chance of success. 18x18 75 will give you a very good chance of success...more the better. Probably with feeding them the first couple months as well. Just don't overfeed.


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## Encyclia (Aug 23, 2013)

I think it depends on what your future plans are regarding enclosures and how long you are willing to wait. I think you can seed almost any size enclosure with 10 isos if it isn't inhabited by something that will eat the isos and if you are patient. Especially dwarf whites can take over in not very long. Also, if you ever plan on needing to seed another viv or re-seed your first one, it might be good to have a breeding culture of isos in which case the other advice in this thread is spot on.

Mark


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## savleigh (May 10, 2019)

An update: I immediately seeded about half the isopods I received into the viv (~12), and set the other half up in a tupperware with substrate, leaf litter, cuttlebone, and some CUC Cuisine from Josh's Frogs. I've been feeding them a little zucchini which they seem to love. After about 3 weeks, the little Iso colony seemed to double, possibly triple in size. I just picked through the substrate and added an additional ~30 isos to the vivarium- and I'm confident it's now a well seeded tank!

This worked super well for me, and I'd recommend for anyone else just starting to seed tanks. I'm planning to keep my separate colony going for a while.

Cheers froggers!


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## Rob blanks (Aug 15, 2010)

This is good info, I'm going to try that with my next batch of Isopods. 
Are you blanching the zuchini or just feeding it raw?


savleigh said:


> An update: I immediately seeded about half the isopods I received into the viv (~12), and set the other half up in a tupperware with substrate, leaf litter, cuttlebone, and some CUC Cuisine from Josh's Frogs. I've been feeding them a little zucchini which they seem to love. After about 3 weeks, the little Iso colony seemed to double, possibly triple in size. I just picked through the substrate and added an additional ~30 isos to the vivarium- and I'm confident it's now a well seeded tank!
> 
> This worked super well for me, and I'd recommend for anyone else just starting to seed tanks. I'm planning to keep my separate colony going for a while.
> 
> Cheers froggers!


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## GTYLER04 (Jul 11, 2019)

I think i used 20 in a 40g tank. And now theyre everywhere


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