One of the most important aspects of a bioactive setup is microfauna – those little bugs that help break down waste into a form more easily processed by plants and fungi. Sometimes called tank janitors, the most useful and sought-after microfauna are isopods. Isopods are detritivores (consumers of dead organic material) and are an important part of most ecosystems they are a part of. Technically, isopods are a terrestrial type of crustacean – they’re more closely related to shrimp than insects! As well as serving as a cleanup crew for your vivarium, keeping Isopods as pets has become more common within both the vivarium & exotic pet hobbies. Isopods are unbelievably low maintenance by comparison to just about anything short of a houseplant, and they make a great quirky pet in a variety of different settings.