Culturing Isopods

Isopods make great feeders and tank janitors in vivariums.  They are adaptable and can also be fun pets too!

There are numerous species of Isopods, ranging from tropical to temperate and even desert dwelling species.

What you will need:
*Culturing Container (Tote)
*Substrate Media
*Leaves


1. Drill several small holes into the top of the lid of your culturing container.  The goal is to maintain some humidity, but not 100%.  This helps with mold and fungi issues.

2. Place a mixture of bark, peat, coco, and leaf litter into your culturing container.  Exact ammounts are not necessary.

3. Place a healthy amount of leaves on top of this mixture.

4. Place your isopds into the culture and watch them go!


I generally use isopods and janitors only, but once establishid in a vivarium, its likely a few will be eaten by your frogs or inhabitants.

Spray your cultures down one a week litely to keep things moist.  Isopods require moisture to breath.  IF a culure gets too dry, you will start loosing isopods.

The damp leaf litter and bark in the substrate should provide plenty of food for your isopods, but you can offer them fish flake food, crished eggshell, and even cardboard!  (make sure it is not treated or dyed)

A single culture should last a very long time, possible forever as long as proper conditions are maintained and additial food sources or substrate is provided.

Clean out the Culturing Container with a bleach/water solution to insure that no mites or mold spores are transferred into new cultures. Let the container completely dry before reusing.

I highly recommend using my overlap technique and/or creating multiple cultures to insure you always have food for your Frogs. Mites mold, and unexpected deaths can happen, no matter the precautions you take.

In my opinion, Mites are unavoidable. There will always be a few mites wandering around, but you can avoid outbreaks and culture crashes. Mites will not harm your Frogs.

Where do I get my Isopods?

I highly recommend ordering your Isopods from Southeasternfruitflies.com. They have great stock They have never sent me a culture with mite or mold problems. Check them out!

You may also be able to get Isopods from other hobbyists, or even culture wild species found in your area.  I may also have Isopods available from time to time...


Isopods


Isopods are actually a crustacean.  The ones we use are terrestrial.  They are commonly called Pillbugs, Sowbugs, and Woodlice.

They have 7 pairs of legs and are typically flat.  They require moisture to breath so are often found in damp substrate.

Lifespan, size, and reproduction times depend on species, but most tropical species will reproduce quickly and will live several years.  I started a culture of Isopods using about 10 adults and had about 30 babies running around a month later.

My Vivariums

How To Build a Vivarium:


My First Vivarium - 20 Gallon

Culturing Mealworms - Tenebrio molitor

Mealworms or Tenebrio molitor are also known as Darkling Beetles or Flour Beetles. Mealworms are just the larva form of these beetles. There are several similar species available but this is the most common and practical as several 'useful' sized worms are available to use as they grow.

Culturing them is fairly simple and with a little time, your culture will be self sustaining.

What you will need:
*Culturing Container (5-10 gallon aquarium or plastic tub)
*Culturing Media (Oats, Wheat Germ, Cornmeal, etc.)
*Carrots or Potatoes

It is recommended to place your culture on Paper towels that have been treated with Mite Spray.

1. Place the dry Culturing media into your Culturing container.  About 2+ inches is enough.  A tank or tub that is at least 4 inches tall will prevent escape and allow enough room for the media/food.

·         I use Raw Oats, Wheat Germ, Flucker’s Cricket Meal, and High Protein Fish Flakes

2.  Place several carrots or slices of potatoes into your culture.

·          I use potatoes slices that have been frozen

3.  Sit back and Enjoy!

The mealworms will live and breed in the media.  They will get their moisture from the carrots or potatoes you occasionally put in.  I recommend putting a 2-3 potatoes slices or 5-8 carrots weekly.  I have also heard of people using Apple slices but I haven't tried this.

The ‘worms’ will feed on the media, creating a powder on the bottom.  This powder is their waste and is not harmful to the culture.  Some people recommend removing it over time, but I have not found this to be necessary.   I recommend keeping at least 1-2 inches of uneaten media on top of the powdered waste on the bottom.

I also add a paper towel roll to the tank for easy collecting, as many will often crawl into the tube.

Here is the Meal worms Setup:

 

The colony is practically odorless, minus the smell of oats and media. A lid with holes keeps the colony secluded as well as helps prevent moisture buildup.  Excess moisture can cause mold or mites. 

Where do I get Mealworms?

I highly recommend ordering your Mealworms from Southeasternfruitflies.com. They have great They have great stock and many other live foods you might be interested in. Check them out!

Mealworms can often be obtained at pet stores or from other hobbyists.

The ‘Worms’
As I mentioned earlier, Tenebrio molitor are the larvae of the Darkling beetle.

The Male Beetle chases the female down and mates with her. Approximately 24 hours later, the female will burrow down and lay roughly 500 eggs.  In about 10-20 days (room temperature) the eggs will hatch into the small larvae stage.  These are the ‘Mealworms’.  

During the larval stage, they will molt 9-20 times, growing larger each time. They will remain in this stage for about 60 days.  During its last molt it will curl into its pupae form.  

The mealworm remains in this from about 10 to 30 days.  Time depends on temperature.  Around 80 degrees will give you fast growth in both larvae and pupae.  The pupa starts off a white color, and changes slowly to brown as it nears its final stage.

Culturing Fruit Flies - Drosophila melanogaster

Fruit Flies are a staple diet in the Dart Frog Hobby. They are easy to culture and feed to your frogs.

The most common species that is cultured is Drosophila melanogaster.

What you will need:
*Culturing Container (Deli Cup)
*Culturing Media (Fruit Fly Food)
*Baker’s Yeast
*Coffee Filters

It is recommended to place all cultures on Paper towels that have been treated with Mite Spray.

1. Place the dry culturing media in your culturing container, in the amount directed. Add the directed amount of hot water.
         
          * I place ¼ a cup of dry media and add hot water until it has a paste like consistency.
                       (I exclusively use Josh’s Frogs Melanogaster Fruit Fly Media.)

2. Add a pinch of baker’s yeast. (This is a microorganism that will be eaten by the larvae)

3. Place 3 folded coffee filters into the media cup. (The flies will reside and mate here.)

4. Let the culture cool for 12 hours.

5. Add 25-50 flies to the culture.

6. Sit back and Enjoy

I highly recommend dusting the flies with vitamin powder before feeding.

I create a new culture every 10 days. This is a little over-kill, but it allows for some overlap in the event of a mysterious crash or fouled culture. I discard old cultures after 30 days. Cultures can produce longer than 30 days, but I do this to avoid potential mite breakouts, as well as mold that tends to show up in older cultures. This helps insure that that my cultures are in a healthy, producing state for the duration of the life of the culture.

I freeze the flies of my 30 day cultures to be fed to my fish at a later time.

A single culture, following the above method, can feed 2 adult frogs (with extras) for the life of the culture. Just be sure to have a culture that is producing before you dispose of the old culture.

Clean out the Culturing Container with a bleach/water solution to insure that no mites or mold spores are transferred into new cultures. Let the container completely dry before reusing.

I highly recommend using my overlap technique and/or creating multiple cultures to insure you always have food for your Frogs. Mites mold, and unexpected deaths can happen, no matter the precautions you take.

In my opinion, Mites are unavoidable. There will always be a few mites wandering around, but you can avoid outbreaks and culture crashes. Mites will not harm your Frogs.

Cultures with mold or excessive mites should be thrown out, no matter the age, to prevent cross contamination.

A producing culture is a culture that flies have already mated in, and larvae are pupating and emerging as adults. You feed out of your producing cultures only. It takes about 10-14 days for a culture to start ‘producing’. It is very important to have a producing culture before you get your frogs.

The method I use is not the only way to culture these flies. There are many other containers, media recipes, and other methods used by other hobbyists. Feel free to experiment, but make sure you have producing cultures elsewhere, just in case everything goes horribly wrong.

Culture: New

Culture: 10 Days
 

Culture: 20 Days



Culture: 30 Days
 

Where do I get my Fruit Flies?

I highly recommend ordering your Fruit Flies from Southeasternfruitflies.com. They have great flies with great genetics and they can send you an already producing culture in a suitable container. They have never sent me a culture with mite or mold problems. Check them out!

You should also be able to get flies from any hobbyist who has frogs.


You can sometime find Fruit Flies at pet stores.

The Flies
Drosophila melanogaster are and awesome little insect. They are tan/brown in color and generally have red eyes. Females are about 2.5 millimeters, males are slightly smaller.

The most commonly cultured flies are the wingless variety, and a flightless variety, which have wings but cannot fly.

Lifespan and development varies depending on temperature. At 77 °F, it takes approximately 8.5 days to reach adulthood.

Females lay roughly 400 eggs into suitable media. They generally lay them in groups of 5 eggs. The eggs are about 0.5 millimetres long and will hatch after 12–15 hours at 77 °F. The larvae grow for about 4 days while molting twice, 1-2 days after hatching. The larvae feed on microorganisms found in the media, as well as on sugars present. At 4 days, they will pupate and undergo metamorphosis for 4 days. Mature Flies will emerge from the pupae.

Females will start breeding after about 8 – 12 hours of emerging. Mating lasts around 15–20 minutes.
The average lifespan of a single fly at 77 °F is roughly 30-40 days.

Eublepharus macularius - Leopard gecko

Scientific Name : Eublepharus macularius

Common Names : Leopard gecko

Origin : Northwest India, Pakistan, and Asia Minor.

Size : 8" - 10" Males are generally larger then Females.

Tank Size : 10 gallon terrarium.  Larger is better.

Temperature : Tank Temperature will vary.  (See Below under HOUSING)

Lifespan : Up to 20 years

Temperament: Generally Peaceful.

Feeding: Insects (Crickets, Roaches, Mealworms, etc)

 

GENERAL INFORMATION:
Leopard Geckos are an awesome and easy reptile to care for.

They are found in the dessert regions of India, Pakistan and Asian Minor.  There are many color morphs and patters available, but typical seen are a light colored body with darker spots.  Young juveniles are more colorful and often broad striped.

Geckos can be shy at first, but once they realise where the food is coming from, they will warm up to you nicely.

HOUSING:
A 10 gallon aquarium/terrarium is suitable for one or two geckos.  I prefer a 20 gallon 'Long' aquarium for 2 or 3 geckos personally.  The geckos cannot climb, but I recommend a screen lid for keeping feeder insects fro escaping.  A wire lid also provides a place to place a heat lamp. 

I prefer to use 'Cage Carpet' for my Gecko substrate.  Many people use sand for looks, however, many young geckos become impacted with sand which can be a lethal health issue.  I would avoid sand at all costs, though some people have reported no issues with older geckos and sand.  Paper towles or clean newspaper is a great substrate as well.

Heating is very important.  A heat lamp should be placed at one end of the tank so that there is a temperature difference between one end of the tank and another.  the heated end should reach temperatures of 90F.  This fluctuation will allow your geckos to choose which spots in the tank they are most comfortable in at any time.  It is recommended to have hiding spots or caves at both ends of the tank.  I do not recommend an under tank heater or heat rock, as geckos bellies are sensitive, and it is harder to provide a good temperature fluctuation.  The heat should be on all the time. (24/7/365)

A 'Humid Hide' should be provided in the tank.  This is a small hidding spot that is kept damp where the gecko can go in to aid in shedding, or simply when desired.  I recopmend a small deli cup with hole cut into the lid large enough for the gecko to enter or exit.  Make sure the edges are not sharp on the hole.  Wet sphagnum moss should be inside the cup, and it should be kept damp.  You can also use damp paper towel.

Leopard Geckos are generally not messy and often pick a corner of the cage as their bathroom.  this makes clean up very easy.

You can also remove your geckos from the cage temporarily and vacuum any present messes.

One male can be housed with multiple females, as long as the geckos are relatively the same size.  Multiple males will fight and injury or death can result.

FEEDING AND NUTRITION:
Insects are the main diet of Leopard Geckos.  Crickets, Roaches and Mealworms are a great diet.  I recommended Roaches or Mealworms, as they are easy culture.  Make sure your insects are well fed a 12-24 hours before feeding them to your geckos.  I recommend covering them in Viatimin powder and Calcium powder prior to feeding.

I also recommend providing a dish of calcium powder, which geckos will eat from.

A water dish should be provided for thirsty geckos.


See My section on Culturing Live Foods for more information on Roaches and Meal Worms.

SEXING:
Adult males will have a much larger bulge behind the vent.  That is where the hemipenes are located. You can also readily see the row of femoral pores shaped like a "V" in front of the vent.

The Female has neither the bulge nor a noticeable row of pores. There is a row there, but it is really not that noticeable.

You will have to wait til the Geckos are about 6 moths old to sex.  Juvenile male Leopard Geckos look very much like females.


BREEDING:
Breeding is semi-simple.  Houseing a Male and female will often result in breeding.  The breeding season is typically long (February - August)


To condition a female for breeding make sure she is well fed and has plenty of calcium.  A laying box will need to be provided, which is essentially a larger 'Humid Hide'...  You can use sphagnum moss or even vermiculite/perlite. 


You can often see eggs under the skin of the females.  The female will enter the box and dig around before laying eggs.  2 eggs will be deposited in the dug out spot.  She will most likely lay eggs about once every 2-4 weeks and be noticeably skinnier after.  She will be very hungry so make sure plenty of food is provided.  You can remove the eggs to be incubated.  It is very important that you do not turn the eggs and that they remain just as they were, in the incubator.  Some people will actually mark the top of each egg with a marker so there is not error when moving.


Incubation can be done in another tank.  Temperature will be discussed below.  Basically this tank can be another 'Humid Hide' style tank, where the temp is high and so is the humidity.  The substrate should be the same as your 'Humid Hide'...


Temperature plays a role in what the sex of your hatched geckos will be.  Temps of about 81F will yeil mostly females.  Higher temps of 88F will yeilds mostly males.  Temps of 85F will be about even, however it is common for some of these to be sterile.  It is a good practice to shoot for either males or females, to insure that offspring are fertile.


Hatchlings generally dont eat until they have shed.  This can take as long as a week, so dont be alarmed if your geckos aren't eating yet.  Hatchlings are also often born with remains of yock sacks attached.  They will scrape these off.  Keep any eye on youngsters as some can be grumpy.  Separate any problematic geckos.  In fact, separating all your geckos for a month or 2 is a good idea.  They can be kept together until you start sexing them ans separating the males.

Apistogramma cacatuoides

This is, by far, one of my favorite fish!

Male Apistogramma cacatuoides- (photo by Craig Taylor)














Scientific Name : Apistogramma cacatuoides

Common Names : Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid

Common Varieties : Orange Flash, Double Red, Triple Red

Origin : Upper Amazon Basin (South America)

Size : 1" - 3.5" Males are much larger then Females

Tank Size : 10+ gallons. Larger is better if breeding is desired.

pH : 6.5 - 7.5 ... Tank bred stock can live in higher ph.

Temperature : 7F - 84F Ideally around 80F

Water Hardness : 4 - 6° dH but up to 10 is OK for Captive bred specimens.

Lifespan : 4-5 years

Temperament: More peaceful then most Cichlids.

Feeding: Flake, Live, Frozen.












GENERAL INFORMATION:
This fish is an incredible species to own! I have several varieties and have breed all of them. Males will have the most color on their fins and will grow the largest. I would not call them aggressive but I would call them 'Grumpy'. These fish are naturally found in dense leaf litter and wood, though they will appreciate a planted tank or tank with rock caves. I have kept Apistos in my planted tanks, and several 'Black Water' tanks.

BREEDING:
Breeding can seem tricky, especially if you have high ph/hardness. Generally the best egg and fry survival will be in soft, acidic water. I generally dont alter my water chems but for this species. I came up with a trick that has increased the amount of spawning and fry survival! The key is to have lots of tannins in the water. Add a bag of peat moss to your filter and watch your water darken up and the ph drop! OR you can use oak or almond leaves in the water which will add tannins. This is known as the 'Black Water' effect and in the frog world as 'Tadpole Tea'. Bump the temperature to 80F -82F. Do a cold water change of 30% and a spawn will almost always occur.

Pairs or Harems are formed generally with one male and female or multiple females. The females often will turn a bright yellow when they are ready to spawn and actively guarding eggs or fry.

Female Apistogramma in spawning color - (photo by Craig Taylor)














The pair will find a suitable cave or out cropping where they can conceal and guard their eggs. The female will do most of the work. Clay pots, coconut huts, cave structures, etc. all make excellent breeding spots.

(photo by Craig Taylor)


















Eggs are usually laid on the roof of the desired spot and guarded by the female. It is likely she does some sort of fanning to keep circulation around the eggs to prevent fungus. She may eat little during this time. Eggs are generally a bright pink or red color

(photo by Craig Taylor)


















The fry will become little wigglers after about 5 days and will feed on their yoke sacs. After about 7 days the fry should be free swimming and will be in a swarm around the mother who will guard them well.

(photo by Craig Taylor)














Agression can be seen at this time, but in my experience has been mild and never resulted in any injury or death.

Feeding Fry can be extremely difficult, a they are some of the smallest fry I have ever seen. they will take powdered food or Frozen BABY Brineshrimp. I have found thought that you will have a much higher survival rate when feeding Live Baby Brinshrimp or Live Vinegar Eels. I generally feed live and crushed flake and as they grow incease the size of the crushed flake. Using a turky baster to gently spray food at the group of fry is helpfull as they may have a hard time finding food in such a large area.

2 day old Fry - (photos by Craig Taylor)


































3 week old Fry - (photo by Craig Taylor)











I find Apsitos to be Slower grows, but higher protein and healthy food will increase the grow rates. They can take up to a year before you can sex them and pair them off.

6 month old Fry/Juvies - (photo by Craig Taylor)














9 month old Fry/Juvies - (photo by Craig Taylor)

Endlers - Poecilia wingei

(photo by Craig Taylor)
















Scientific Name : Poecilia wingei

Common Names : Endler (Endler's Guppy)

Origin : Venezuela (South America)

Size : .5" - 1.5"

Tank Size : 5 gallons or larger.
These will do well in a pond if the temperature requirements are met.

pH : 6.0 - 8.0 Extremes should be avoided, though this species is highly adaptable.

Temperature : 64F - 84F ... Ideally 75F - 81F

Water Hardness : KH 10 - 30

- Note: This is a very hardy, adaptable fish. However, sudden extreme changes in water parameters should be avoided.

Lifespan : 1 - 3 years

Temperament: Peaceful.

Feeding: Flake, Live, Frozen. They are not picky eaters.


GENERAL INFORMATION:
Enders are and attractive fish that are about as easy to care for as Guppies. Males have several natural color variations, and generally include green, orange/red, and black. Male Endlers commonly have sword tails or lyre tails which are orange. The most common variation is often referred to as the 'Black Bar Endler' Some other variations include 'Peacock' spots in the tail or on the body. Females generally have no distinct color or markings, other then the grey or olive colored body. Albino or 'Blonde' Endlers may be possible, but I believe these to be Hybrids. (Picture in the Hybrids Section)

Their small size does allow them to be kept in smaller aquariums, though I recommend one per gallon with a minimum of 5 gallons. Larger aquariums with space and hiding will be appreciated by your female Endlers, who are constantly chased by males in attempts to breed.

It is possible to keep a large amount of these in a realities small tank, though proper filtration and aeration will be a must!

Endlers are Live bearing fish and breed like rabbits so a Male only tank may be considered if a massive amount of offspring is undesired.

Male Endler - (photo by Craig Taylor)
















Female Endler - (photo by Craig Taylor)














BREEDING:
Endlers will breed readily in almost any condition. However, higher temperatures increase breeding as well as the number of fry that are born. Endlers are Livebearers. Females will give live birth to as many as 50 fry.

Males will chase females around the tank and quickly 'tag' the female with his Gonopodium. Gravid females will grow in size and will give birth in 20-40. It is recommended to keep on male per 2-3 females to avoid females being chased to death. There really isn't much to it. as long as you have males and females, and your water parameters and temperature are good, you will have babies.

Fry take about 2-3 months before they start showing color (or not if female) and shortly after are sexually mature.

CLASSIFICATION:
Endlers have been separated into various classes based on genetics (or perceived genetics). This classification system is generally excepted amongst Endler breeders.

CLASS N: Any Endler's Livebearer (and progeny) that can be shown to have originated from their native waters in Venezuela will be considered a 'Class N' Endler.

CLASS P: Any fish of unknown origin but appearing to be an Endler's Livebearer based on the characteristics of size, shape and color will be considered a 'Class P' Endler.

CLASS K: The progeny of any Endler's Livebearer crossed with any other livebearer or any Hybrid strain will be considered a 'Class K' Endler.


HYBRIDIZATION:
While Hybridization of fish species is generally frowned upon, Endler hybrids tend to find a more excepting niche in the hobby. Most of the Hybrid 'flack' is due to the fact that Pure Endlers are often hard to find, and many hybrids look like Pure Endlers. Keep this in mind if Genetically Pure Endlers is what you seek.

Endlers hybrids are most often crossed with variations of Guppies (P. reticulata) but could possible be crossed with other Poecilia sp.

Endler/Guppy Hybrids are fertile, allowing the breeder to line breed hybrid traits into next generations. Most of the crosses are quite stunning, and careful selective breeding has mixed some of the best traits in both species.

Albino or Blonde variations have appeared but may be hybrids. These typically are missing some of the intense green and all of the black, which is replaced by a cream colored body.

Albino Male Endler Hybrid - (photo by Craig Taylor)














If the Hybridization of Endlers interests you, please be considerate and make others fully aware of the genetics of the fish, and cautions they should take with mixing them with other Poecilia sp. if you trade with other hobbyists.

A few my Hybrids - Poecilia wingei x Poecilia reticulata
(photos by Craig Taylor)

HISTORY:
Endlers were first discovered by Franklyn F. Bond in 1937, and rediscovered by Dr. John Endler in 1975 in Laguna de Patos in Venezuela. These fish are not on the endangered species list, though they are believed to be in danger of extinction in the wild, due to pollution.


NOTES FROM MY EXPERIENCES:
I received a small batch of these from a friend a while back. At that time I believed them to be genetically pure, but after a few generations of fry, it became obvious that they were not. At this point I experimented with Hybrids because that is what I apparently started with. Line breeding these requires several tanks to develop solid strains quickly, as well as selecting breeders for line improvement. Recently I gave my Hybrid colony to a friend for her pond while I made some changes in my fish room. Once I have constructed a small indoor Pond/Riparium, I will get some back. Culls will be used as feeders for other fish.

You can read my experiments with hybrids in many of my older posts.