Powder blue isopods dying - thrips?

[banjocat]

I have zebra isopods, powder blue isopods, and some wild ones I collected. The only container that is having problems is the one with the powder blue isopods. Their container seems to be infested by thrips. Or at least I think they are thrips. They are much smaller than the isopods and elongated(hence why I don't think mites) and white. They are too small for any hope of taking pictures. I always find them covering carrots I put in there. I throw out the carrots along with the thrips but next time I check the new carrots are covered as well. I've been finding dead powder blue isopods lately covered with the thrips. I'm not sure if they could be attacking them or just eating them after they die.

I plan to transfer the isopods to a new container tonight. Any advice on how to not bring the thrips along with them? I'm worried the thrips or whatever they are will hitchhike on the isopods. For their new container I used coconut fiber, bark, and leaves. I made sure to microwave the bark and leaves in water to boiling a bunch of times.

I regularly mist the ispods and feed them some crushed fish flakes along with small pieces of carrots. They are kept with regular topsoil, leaves, and pieces of bark. Haven't had trouble with my other isopods. Only the container of the powder blues and thrips.

Thanks for any help.

 

[banjocat]

Not saying they are thrips for sure, but they look similar to this picture of thrips

 

[banjocat]

Ended up just moving them last night. Only could find about 6 or 7 of them. Thought I originally had about 15. Had them for a little over 3 months, but haven't noticed any offspring. Only my wild ones have had offspring so far. Kept the old container and substrate so I'll check it a few times to make sure there aren't any left in there.

For in case I have to move them again during an infestation, advice is still welcome. I'm sure some of the thrips or whatever they are probably made it into the new container. Thought I've read that isopods/woodlice can survive for short times in water, so maybe they could be rinsed off. Wouldn't want to risk that killing them though.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

I think a quik dip into water would be ok,have u considered getting something to eat the thrips?
If I remember correctly some isopod lay their offspring in water which would explain the lack of breeding

 

[Deadliestviper7]

By the way can u post pics?

 

[banjocat]

By the way can u post pics?

Thanks I might try the water dip if the problem returns. Not sure what would eat the thrips without eating adult or baby isopods. I think lady bugs eat thrips but not sure if they'd eat baby isopods. Someone on another forum suggestd they might be spring tails instead of thrips, but I thought spring tails jumped and these look similar to thrips I've found on green onions I grew before.

I can try to take some pics in a day or two, if you mean the isopods. I keep them at my dad's house. I usually check on them every other day. I don't think pics of the thrips would come out well and they've become more scattered in the old container since I removed the powder blues and took away food sources.

I don't think this kind of isopod lays eggs in water, but I'll look into that to be safe. Know the only ones that have for sure bred are some I caught wild(Oniscus asellus I think). Also have some wild pillbugs but they seem as slow to breed as the zebras(Armadillidium maculatum) and powder blues(Porcellionides pruinosus).