# Isopod trap?



## Xylem (Jan 10, 2015)

In one of my plant only vivs, I appear to have an outbreak of a nemertean-like worm. In this tank I also have an amazing number of giant orange isopods.

I decided I'm going to dry out the substrate since the worms have entirely obliterated the springtail population. But I want to keep all the isopods I can, without having to spend forever picking them out one by one.

Anybody know of a way to build sort of a trap for them? There are so many, and I don't want them all to die. I love my isopods


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## cam1941 (Jan 16, 2014)

I had so many giant canyon isopods in one of my set ups that they started eating certain plants. So I started taking them out and putting them in a culture. 

I have found that they love hanging out inside the top of the coco hut I have in there. So every once in a while I take it out and there is usually 10 inside. I dump them into the culture and put the coco hut back in the tank.


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## Broseph (Dec 5, 2011)

cam1941 said:


> I had so many giant canyon isopods in one of my set ups that they started eating certain plants. So I started taking them out and putting them in a culture.
> 
> I have found that they love hanging out inside the top of the coco hut I have in there. So every once in a while I take it out and there is usually 10 inside. I dump them into the culture and put the coco hut back in the tank.


I would agree with this, and I'm surprised OP has a plant only tank with lots of giant oranges. 

Regarding removing them, I find the adults tend hang out in tight groups. Even in large spaces they find each other (pheromones?) and congregate. So if you can find spots where they concentrate (like a cocohut), and remove them, I would assume you're getting a good portion of the adult population.

Also, they breed like rabbits. So even if you only get a few, they will become many more in short order.


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

Maybe try taking out everything on the floor and putting down some cork flats. You could also try putting some food under the cork flats.


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## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

cocohut (or other coconut pieces), bark, rotting wood, potato, or good ol' handpicking.


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## RasecEsp (Jan 7, 2016)

Place some kind of bait/food in a somewhat deep container and check on it often and pulling whatever you catch, I think it'll be even better after the lights go out. It shouldn't take long to pick enough to get a colony going.

Mine love bug burger, I just put some out in the open and they come out right away, there's no frogs in this viv either.


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## Phxnoah (Sep 26, 2016)

Does anyone know where I could actually purchase Isopods? I've looked around but for some odd reason I can't find any for sale. Josh's Frogs has been out for months and that's usually where I buy most of my items.


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## Xylem (Jan 10, 2015)

Phxnoah said:


> Does anyone know where I could actually purchase Isopods? I've looked around but for some odd reason I can't find any for sale. Josh's Frogs has been out for months and that's usually where I buy most of my items.


There's an isopod classified page on Facebook, people frequently sell the ones we commonly use in the hobby.

I myself got mine from another hobbyist nearby 

Also, thanks for the suggestions! I'm using a combination of things suggested. Deep food dish, coco huts, even an upside down terracotta pot which is actually working better than anything else. They seem to LOVE it inside of there.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Are you trying to capture them alive, or simply knock the population down?

Giant Oranges, in particular, go for this one. Get some 2oz or 4oz deli cups, or something similar. These are about the size of a chicken nugget dipping sauce. Dig a hole in your substrate, and set the cup in. The top of the cup should now be level with the substrate. Pull leaf litter back a little. If it falls in, it's a ladder out. Here's the kicker. Fill it 2/3 full of water. Giant Oranges seem to love these little cups of water. They can't get out, and quickly drown. I noticed they seem to come after it more, once a few bodies had been in there a day or 3. I decided they smell it as food, making the traps irresistible. I began dropping a few flakes of fish food into new cups, to start the initial baiting. 

It'll knock down the population.


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## Woodswalker (Dec 26, 2014)

Xylem said:


> But I want to keep all the isopods I can, without having to spend forever picking them out one by one.
> 
> Anybody know of a way to build sort of a trap for them? There are so many, and I don't want them all to die. I love my isopods


It sounds like he's looking to safely transplant them in another tank.


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## Xylem (Jan 10, 2015)

Woodswalker said:


> It sounds like he's looking to safely transplant them in another tank.


Yup.

So far the best course of action is placing hollow objects upside down, with mushy fish food rubbed on the inside. They SWARM it.


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## Phxnoah (Sep 26, 2016)

Xylem said:


> There's an isopod classified page on Facebook, people frequently sell the ones we commonly use in the hobby.
> 
> I myself got mine from another hobbyist nearby
> 
> Also, thanks for the suggestions! I'm using a combination of things suggested. Deep food dish, coco huts, even an upside down terracotta pot which is actually working better than anything else. They seem to LOVE it inside of there.




Isopod classified page? How would I view it or "unclassify it" .


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## Xylem (Jan 10, 2015)

Phxnoah said:


> Isopod classified page? How would I view it or "unclassify it" .


Just go to Facebook and type "Isopod classifieds page" in the top bar and hit enter. You could probably just type isopod and hit enter as well, there are a ton of isopod... Hobbyist groups. Lol.


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