I have used P scabers basically since I have started the hobby -- so for about 8 years. During this time I have NEVER seen an isopod attack one of my frogs.
This seems to be a common rumor that is being perpetuated on the internet by people who have absolutely zero experience with dart frogs. I've even seen people proclaim that the larger isopod species are basically carnivorous and predatory. I think what they say is that they are "protein hungry"...
If you think about it logically, the idea that isopods attack frogs is a bit silly because:
I believe the idea that isopods attack frogs comes from observing the feeding response of large isopod cultures that have dozens/hundreds of individuals. If there's no constant food supply, and you add a few fish flakes (or some other meaty food item), you'll quickly see the hungrier individuals rush to grab the food, which can be misconstrued as them seeking out meat. But like, I don't know what else one should expect in this scenario; no one keeps that population density of isopods in their frog tanks...
Like, the only real scenario that I could see isopods "attacking" frogs would be if you had very small frogs/froglets in a tiny growout container (like shoebox or smaller), with several large isopods (like scaber). Like, in this scenario, the frogs are basically trapped with no where to run or hide from the isopods, and the isopods don't really have any real food. Here I can see the isopods touching the frogs to the point that they get stressed and die (similar to what can happen if you feed too many FFs and they are constantly crawling on your frogs). And then once the frog is dying/dead, the isopods finally find something to eat. So yeah.... don't do this lol
This seems to be a common rumor that is being perpetuated on the internet by people who have absolutely zero experience with dart frogs. I've even seen people proclaim that the larger isopod species are basically carnivorous and predatory. I think what they say is that they are "protein hungry"...
If you think about it logically, the idea that isopods attack frogs is a bit silly because:
1. Frogs are slippery.
If you have ever tried to catch an escaped frog, you know how hard they are to get your hands on. Now imagine you're an isopod: 10,000X smaller, basically blind, no hands, and have the brain the size of a grain of sand.
2.Except thumbnail species, most frogs are bigger than isopods.
So that's basically like you trying to win a fight with an adult cow, using only your bare hands.
3. Frogs can jump and climb to places isopods can't/won't.
Like, I RARELY see isopods out where the frogs are. And if an isopod were to touch a frog in a way they didn't like, the frogs can easily just hop away (similar to when a fruit fly crawls on them and they don't like it).
If you have ever tried to catch an escaped frog, you know how hard they are to get your hands on. Now imagine you're an isopod: 10,000X smaller, basically blind, no hands, and have the brain the size of a grain of sand.
2.Except thumbnail species, most frogs are bigger than isopods.
So that's basically like you trying to win a fight with an adult cow, using only your bare hands.
3. Frogs can jump and climb to places isopods can't/won't.
Like, I RARELY see isopods out where the frogs are. And if an isopod were to touch a frog in a way they didn't like, the frogs can easily just hop away (similar to when a fruit fly crawls on them and they don't like it).
I believe the idea that isopods attack frogs comes from observing the feeding response of large isopod cultures that have dozens/hundreds of individuals. If there's no constant food supply, and you add a few fish flakes (or some other meaty food item), you'll quickly see the hungrier individuals rush to grab the food, which can be misconstrued as them seeking out meat. But like, I don't know what else one should expect in this scenario; no one keeps that population density of isopods in their frog tanks...
Like, the only real scenario that I could see isopods "attacking" frogs would be if you had very small frogs/froglets in a tiny growout container (like shoebox or smaller), with several large isopods (like scaber). Like, in this scenario, the frogs are basically trapped with no where to run or hide from the isopods, and the isopods don't really have any real food. Here I can see the isopods touching the frogs to the point that they get stressed and die (similar to what can happen if you feed too many FFs and they are constantly crawling on your frogs). And then once the frog is dying/dead, the isopods finally find something to eat. So yeah.... don't do this lol
