Wood lice???

Ashmash · Post by **Ashmash** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 11:32 pm

I read in a post that wood lice are actually good to put in the tank. Is this true? Supposedly they maintain the subtrate. Would this be something to look into doing? Or is it going to do something harmful to the tank?

Willow · Post by **Willow** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 12:14 am

I guess they really are quite beneficial. I found one in my basement the other day, and put him in my 'tat. I love roly-polys, anyway, so no problem for me

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Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 2:01 am

I told my sis to have my nephew hunt for 12 for me, but she said they were gone for the winter.

I need to order some me thinks!

Jedediah · Post by **Jedediah** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 2:52 am

I keep woodlice in all my rainforest tanks (frogs and crabs) and it works very well. They will feed on mold spores, leftover food and plant matter. It's probably a good idea to give them some moss or leaves to hide in and feed on, the crabs will enjoy it, too.
Here are two good websites on woodlice:
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/ ... /wlice.htm
http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/wlice.htm

Elle · Post by **Elle** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 8:48 am

Wow- I didn't know that wood lice were rolly polies! I had these little white things that looked like live grains of sand, and people thought those were wood lice. Maybe i shouldn't have spent about a month trying to get rid of them!

Jedediah · Post by **Jedediah** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 8:51 am

The walking grains of sand are usually booklice, which are extremely hard to get rid of sicne they live in many houses anyway. They are just as beneficial as woodlice, though.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 10:27 am

Woodlice ! Now theres a really good idea

Have been having a problem with my little guys burying bits of vegtables in the substrate and not being able to find it till small patches of mold show up.

And yes they are crusteaceans so they like damp and dark and would be very well suited to a crabitat.

They do have same cannabalistic tendencies as the hermies tho. You moult, your lunch.

Hermit_of_Hermit_Crabs · Post by **Hermit_of_Hermit_Crabs** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 10:29 am

I had booklice in my old 55G tank and even after I did a deep clean they came back. Once I found out what they were I stopped worrying. I never once saw one of these booklice on a crab or on its shell for that matter. They generally stayed around the food dish waiting for food to get overripe. It was strange because if you shined a flashlight on them they would instantly dissapear under a shell or something.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 10:47 am

Hermit_of_Hermit_Crabs wrote:...It was strange because if you shined a flashlight on them they would instantly dissapear under a shell or something.

lol Did you discover this from flashing your bully? (I think it was you that posted something to that effect...)

Hermit_of_Hermit_Crabs · Post by **Hermit_of_Hermit_Crabs** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 11:05 am

Not from that specifically. I often look in the crabitat at night with my flashlight just to make sure everyone is ok and there are no shell fights or something.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 11:14 am

~*raises eyebrow*~ Do you have an overly noisy tank or are you just very cautious?

Hermit_of_Hermit_Crabs · Post by **Hermit_of_Hermit_Crabs** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 11:23 am

Overly cautious. I am heavily OCD and I probably check the thermometer/hydrometer gauge 4 times a day. Also, my movies have to alphabetized along with all of my books. I also wash my hands about 8 times a day.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 11:38 am

Hermit_of_Hermit_Crabs wrote:Overly cautious. I am heavily OCD and I probably check the thermometer/hydrometer gauge 4 times a day. Also, my movies have to alphabetized along with all of my books. I also wash my hands about 8 times a day.

That really doesn't seem out of the ordinary for me. ~*shrugs*~ My only experience with someone who is OCD was an old roommate of mine. She freaked out on me for accidently forgetting to turn the jar of peach jam in the fridge so that the label was facing out. ~*shrugs*~ Everything you mentioned just makes me think organized and clean. I organize everything and I'm sure I wash my hands more than 8 times a day considering I make meal for myself, my crabs and occasionally my roomie's kid as well. And then there's the usual bathroom stuff... hair product stuff... dishes... pen from work... newprint... etc. etc.

Hermit_of_Hermit_Crabs · Post by **Hermit_of_Hermit_Crabs** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 11:40 am

Well, my wife thinks I am OCD even though I have never been tested for it. Trash also has to be put in the trash can immediately after use.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 11:43 am

lol That still makes me think clean... lol

I went to Uni for Bio... I know the creepy critters that crawl around kitchens. Not to mention my ex was the head chef of a restaurant. So to me, it's just habit and a dislike for germs/ filth/ cross contamination. ~*shrugs*~

HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Wood lice???

Wood lice???

Woodlice!