Popular among enthusiasts for their unusual colors and low-maintenance care needs, lava isopods are a fascinating and elegant species of isopods. If you have never kept invertebrates or isopods generally, lava isopods are a fantastic beginning point. Their vivid orange or red colors make them very arresting, and they are robust animals that flourish in bioactive surroundings. Here’s how to maintain the health and happiness of your terrarium’s lava isopods.
Arranging the Perfect Setting
Your lava isopods must be kept content in their natural habitat; hence, you must design surroundings that reflect that. Lava isopods live in dark, moist environments with lots of hiding places. Here are some pointers on furnishing the ideal house for them:
- A tiny colony would be ideal in a small to medium-sized enclosure—akin to a 10-gallon tank. As your colony expands, you will continually be upgrading.
- Good substrate is a combination of organic soil, coconut coir, and leaf litter. Love to burrow, lava isopods find this combination lets them dig and explore as they would in the natural. Including some rotting leaves increases food supply and helps preserve humidity levels.
- Lava isopods flourish under high humidity, usually between 70 and 90%. Maintaining a modest degree of dampness, keep the tank from being overly moist. Given their inclination toward moderate circumstances, the temperature should be between 18 and 22°C (64–72°F).
- Isopods are timid animals that like hiding. Giving them bits of clay pots, stones, or bark will help them to feel safe.
Feeding Isopods from Your Lava
Lava isopods are detritivores; that is, they eat broken-down organic material. Their diet ought to be mostly composed of plant matter like vegetables, rotting wood, and leaf litter. Sometimes you can augment their diet with sporadic protein sources like tiny bits of dried meat or fish food flakes. To prevent mold development, be sure you discard any uneaten food.
Maintaining Your Lava Isopod Health
Although lava isopods require little maintenance, there are a few steps you can take to guarantee their health:
- Your tank should have a small dish of fresh water for a source. Make sure the water doesn’t collect excessively since it can drown the isopods.
- Regular maintenance for your tank entails waste removal and the addition of fresh food and water. They are sensitive to changes in their habitat, hence avoid too much disturbance of their surroundings.
- If you want to breed lava isopods, give them lots of food and room. They will reproduce quickly under the right conditions, and before long, you’ll have a thriving colony.
Lava isopods are stunning, easy-to-care-for creatures that make a great addition to any terrarium. By creating the right environment, providing proper food, and maintaining optimal humidity and temperature, you’ll ensure that your lava isopods thrive in their new home. Their vibrant colors and fascinating behaviours will bring your terrarium to life, offering a unique and rewarding experience for beginners and seasoned hobbyists alike.
