Periscyphis sp. “Hallaniyat Island, Oman”

Behavior:

The animals live there on stones and rocks. There is hardly any vegetation to be found there. The animals are nocturnal and can be found in groups. The animals only become active and more agile at temperatures above 25 °C. Therefore, in my opinion, a heat source makes sense. I have attached a 3 W heating mat to the side wall of the tank. This creates different heat zones and the Isopods can choose a place that is comfortable for them. I observe differences depending on their age and moulting status.

Breeding:

Growth is quite slow and reproduction is also relatively low. This makes them a bit of a challenge for any advanced isopod keeper who wants to successfully breed this species in acceptable numbers.

Special features:

Hallaniyat Island’s climate is desert-like. There is virtually no rainfall throughout the year. The average annual temperature is 23.7 °C. Over the course of a year, precipitation totals 94 mm. There is no precipitation at all from June to September. This makes it all the more surprising that Isopods have successfully settled there.

TIP: In contrast to most other isopod species, Periscyphis sp. “Hallaniyat Island” should be moistened very sparingly. I offer them a small, slightly moister corner for safety. I place fist-sized limestone in the isopod container and only fill the cracks with a substrate consisting of 50:50 forest soil and sand.