Little Sea Isopod

Cubaris murina

IsopodbeginnerHarmlessCommunal OK

Harmless to people

Isopods are harmless to humans — no venom, no sting, and no bite that breaks skin. They are detritivores, so wash your hands after handling the substrate.

About

The Cubaris most people should start with — faster, cheaper and far more forgiving than the collector species in the genus, while still wanting the same warm, humid, limestone-rich setup. That makes it a genuine working clean-up crew for high-humidity enclosures rather than a display-only animal. Keep the substrate damp throughout with a wetter corner, provide limestone or cuttlebone permanently, and feed leaf litter and rotting wood continuously with an occasional protein source. Several colour forms circulate in the trade under this name. They are morphs of one species, and isolating them takes patience and separate containers rather than anything clever. DETRITIVORE, harmless.

Taxonomy

FamilyArmadillidae

GenusCubaris

Native regionPantropical; widely established

TypeTerrestrial

Temperamentharmless, active

Size & growth

Adult size0.3-0.4 inches

Growth ratemedium

Life stagesNo distinct stages

Climate

Temperature72–82°F

Humidity75–90%

Enclosure

Adult sizeshoebox tub or larger

Substratecoco fiber and topsoil kept damp; limestone, leaf litter

Substrate depth2-3 inches

Water dishOptional

Moisture gradientRequired — keep one end damp, one end dry

Feeding

Feeding modeDetritivore (decaying matter)

Food & scheduleleaf litter always available; protein weekly

Supplemental calciumRequired — cuttlebone or a calcium powder

Times kept: 1 · Unverified community entry