Pillbugs and Other Isopods: Cultivating Vivarium Clean-Up Crews and Feeders for Dart Frogs, Arachnids, and Insects

Another great book by McMonigle. Top Sh

I’m somewhat new to the vivarium hobby, but unlike most people who may be keeping frogs or lizards, I used to house terrestrial snails. This was my very first attempt at a vivarium, and it was pretty darn primitive compared to the stuff that’s out there. The enclosure was just a simple 15 gallon aquarium tank with some dirt in it and a few snake plants. There was no drainage layer and no tank “clean-up” helpers other than some red wigglers. After my beloved snails died of old age, I didn’t have any pets for a long time, but I’ve recently reacquired the itch to keep beautiful mollusks once more. As such, I’ve decided that this time, I’m going to make a proper bioactive vivarium setup, complete with drainage level, more varied plantings, and extra cleanup helpers. Thus, I’ve decided that adding in some pillbugs would do me some good.Unfortunately, there isn’t really much info out there about pillbugs and other isopods – at least, not beyond the basic information of “they make good tank cleaners,” and “they are easy to care for.” I’m quite hesitant to add a creature to my tank that I don’t have prior experience with, so it was very pleasing to come across this book so I could do more research on them. The author’s really outdone himself on this one, as this is the ONLY serious guide to isopods that I’ve yet to come across. Not just that, but the book answered all my questions, such as which species of isopod can roll up into a ball and which cannot, whether or not I should be worried about massive overpopulation (as with snails), which species breed more quickly than others, and how to care for the different species of pillbug and sowbug. Not just that, but this book includes detailed information on individual cultivars that are commonly available for sale, such as the Giant Orange Sowbug and the Zebra Pillbug. This will definitely help me narrow down which species to choose for my tank.While this book is a fantastic resource and I have to give it praise for that, there are a few little critiques I have for it. First off, it’s only about a hundred pages long, and the current price (at the time of this review) of $35 is a bit steep. Still, I understand that this is a niche topic, and publishing costs can be high for those who are independent or have a limited audience, so I can forgive that pretty easily. Secondly, I felt that the cover and binding were pretty high quality, and the color photos look good, but the pages are sadly ‘regular-paper’ pages instead of being nice, thick, glossy pages. Once again, though, that may not have been in the publishing budget. It’s too bad, because those lovely photos would just ‘pop’ on some glossy paper… Speaking of photos, some of the pics have little to do with the text, such as the random pics on pg. 16-17. Also, on page 25, he's describing the physical identifying differences between two species of terrestrial isopod, but the pics on the adjacent page features neither of them – which is a baffling choice. So, I guess I could say that I wish the photos in some spots were slightly more relevant.Nonetheless, despite a few minor flaws, I still heartily recommend this book if you have any interest in vivarium-crafting or isopods. It’s a great and valuable resource, and honestly, the only serious book on isopods that I’ve yet come across. I’ve noticed that the author has written several other books on various other critters (such as millipedes, whipscorpions, spiders, etc.). I do wish he had an interest in land snails so I could buy that book, too – but oh well, can’t get everything in life!

I love these McMonigle books, this is my second, and again, it is like a religious text that I study and contemplate on. I could not do without it. McMonigle always gives the information sought and comfort needed. Remember though that these books are more of his actual working notes, and as such are not 100% written with the intent for publication, so some interpretation may be necessary, and my books are becoming full of extra notes. But that's not a bad thing.

I would recommended for anybody who's starting in the hobby of isopods

Everything you would want to know about Isopods and quality pictures.