Dwarf white isopod (Trichorhina tomentosa)

Short answers

Dwarf white isopod: How big does the enclosure need to be?

A container or box from 15×10×10 cm for a starter colony; a colony animal.

Dwarf white isopod: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–28 °C (optimum for breeding 25–28 °C), at night 20–24 °C (not permanently below ~22 °C).

Dwarf white isopod: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: No UVB needed.

Dwarf white isopod: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: approx. 1 year.

Dwarf white isopod: Is it suitable for beginners?

Yes – it is considered suitable for beginners (difficulty: Beginner).

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–28 °C (optimum for breeding 25–28 °C)

Night temperature

20–24 °C (not permanently below ~22 °C)

Basking spot

—

Humidity

70–90 % (permanently humid)

UVB

No UVB needed

Enclosure

Minimum size

a container or box from 15×10×10 cm for a starter colony; a colony animal

Substrate

Permanently damp coco humus or a peat and sand mix with leaf litter and rotten wood; very damp, well ventilated

Feeding

Food

Rotten wood, leaf humus, fish flakes, vegetables (courgette or carrot), calcium (cuttlebone)

Feeding interval

fish food and vegetables 1–2×/week, leaf litter and wood always available

Key facts

Adult size

approx. 0.3–0.5 cm (a dwarf isopod)

Life expectancy

approx. 1 year

Origin

(Sub)tropical, kept worldwide in the hobby

Protection status

Not protected (no CITES, no German Federal Nature Conservation Act listing)

Brumation

None

Cohabitation

Colony. The species lives in large colonies and reproduces without males (females only), so just a few animals can found a colony. Do not put it in a breeding tub with other isopods: with its fast breeding, burrowing and swarming of food it crowds out other species.

Notes

A tiny white feeder and clean-up isopod, ideal as live food for small frogs and geckos and as a bioactive clean-up crew. It needs warmth and high humidity; very undemanding and productive. It reproduces asexually.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Little sea isopod (Cubaris murina) – Beginner
• Greek pill woodlouse (Armadillidium gestroi) – Beginner
• Giant canyon isopod (Porcellio dilatatus) – Beginner
• Common pill woodlouse (Armadillidium vulgare) – Beginner
• Rubber ducky isopod (Cubaris sp. Rubber Ducky) – Intermediate
• Powder blue isopod (Porcellionides pruinosus) – Beginner
• Marbled pill woodlouse (Armadillidium granulatum) – Beginner
• Common shiny woodlouse (Oniscus asellus) – Beginner

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Dwarf white isopod (Trichorhina tomentosa) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (a container or box from 15×10×10 cm for a starter colony; a colony animal), substrate (Permanently damp coco humus or a peat and sand mix with leaf litter and rotten wood; very damp, well ventilated), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.