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Delaine Marker

Isopod Care and Setup

Watch Isopods live
Large feature photo placeholder for isopod habitat.

DIET

I primarily feed my isopods a variety of foods, including:

  • Vegetable scraps
  • Freeze-dried bloodworms and freeze-dried shrimp
  • Crushed cuttlefish bone (for calcium)
  • Leaf litter and dried duckweed
  • The occasional deceased fish from my aquariums

Note: Personally, I avoid feeding my isopods fish flakes; it tends to mold very quickly.

HOUSING

Large Colonies & Planted Terrariums

Approximately 70% of my isopods are housed in planted terrariums. I prefer to use the 2.5-gallon Aqueon aquariums available at PetSmart for these enclosures.

Example of a 2.5 gallon planted isopod terrarium.

For the lids, I use a 7-mesh plastic canvas as a base and then place a piece of custom-cut glass on top. I have my glass cut at Perkins Glass & Mirror Co Inc in SoDo; they are affordable and always great to work with.

The glass cover leaves about one inch open at both the front and back of the tank. This setup provides adequate ventilation while still maintaining optimal humidity levels inside the enclosure.

Diagram showing the two-inch gap left by the glass lid for ventilation.

Selective Breeding & Starter Colonies

For selective breeding projects or small starter colonies, I use containers from Daiso known as "Rearing Case-Slider." These containers measure 7"x5"x5", which I find to be an ideal size for maintaining colonies of 10 to 50 isopods, depending on the species.

Daiso Rearing Case Slider Container for Isopods

The compact dimensions provide ample space for the isopods to move around, while still keeping them close enough to encourage interaction within the group. This setup strikes a good balance between movement and socialization for growing healthy colonies.

Substrate & Enrichment

For substrate, I use a blend of coco coir, organic topsoil, organic potting soil, perlite, playground sand, and crushed horticultural charcoal.

I add a top layer of pine chips and leaf litter to create a natural environment. Additionally, I like to keep one section covered with a 1–2 inch layer of moist sphagnum moss to help maintain humidity.

For decoration, I incorporate wood pieces, branches, and live plants suchs as pothos and various types of moss. This not only enhances the enclosure’s appearance but also provides enrichment for the isopods.

Example of wood pieces, branches, and live plants used for isopod enclosure decoration.

PRODUCT LINKS

Here are links to some of the specific products I use for my enclosures and substrate blend: