Have giant isopods been bred in captivity/How can this video be explained?

D

dinosauria

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
As the title says - has this feat been accomplished?

This video
might show juvenile giant isopods (confirmed Bathynomus) in captivity, which might mean that breeding has been accomplished, but it's also possible that these are actually members of a smaller Bathynomus species. If they are actually full-grown, however, how did the aquarium get so many of them in what seems to be a temporary enclosure?
 
Definitely B. doerderleini, the first part of the title reads Ōgusokumushi, the Japanese name that specifically refers to doerderleinii (Japanese has different names for the two species, giganteus is called Daiōgusokumushi). As Chlidonias mentioned, they are fished off Japan so the aquarium would have an easy supply of that many isopods. As far as I know, no Bathynomus species has been bred in captivity, but I believe adults carrying offspring (young are kept in a pouch under the mother's belly for a while after hatching, like a kangaroo) have been caught and the young have emerged from the pouch in captivity. Giant isopods are quite plentiful in their natural habitat and easily caught so I don't think there will be any dedicated breeding programs anytime soon.
 
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