Thanks guys. I've gone ahead and made plant collections. The paludarium is finished. ill figure out how to get the video up in a bit. I made sure that there wasn't too many hitch hikers by doing a rinse before planting. The whole thing is getting aclimatized now.
I decided to forego the snails. I am now culturing the Arm. vulgare, since it seems they are so pervasive that i should just consider them naturalized if not native.
Dan, I did try to research the native isopods, but by my reckoning none are suitble for the purpose. I will try to collect some aquatic specimens soon. Thanks for being aware on the legal front. I'm a massive proponent of that. I have a hunting and fishing license and have inquired to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department as to what is permissible. Also, it is apart of general education in texas to know the in's-and-out's of collecting plants. Every single kid in highschool has to participate in a wildflower project where the collect specimens for biology. Its a huge deal here to know how to treat the wildlife.
Im rambling lol