Little sea isopod (Cubaris murina)

Short answers

Little sea isopod: How big does the enclosure need to be?

A box from 20×15×15 cm for a starter colony (10–15 animals); a colony animal.

Little sea isopod: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 20–25 °C, at night 18–22 °C.

Little sea isopod: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: No UVB needed.

Little sea isopod: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: approx. 1.5–3 years.

Little sea isopod: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

20–25 °C

Night temperature

18–22 °C

Basking spot

—

Humidity

70–85 %

UVB

No UVB needed

Enclosure

Minimum size

a box from 20×15×15 cm for a starter colony (10–15 animals); a colony animal

Substrate

Humus-rich soil or coco humus with leaf litter (oak, beech), white-rotted wood and moss; a damp-to-dry gradient, substrate at least 3 cm

Feeding

Food

Fallen leaves, rotten pale wood, vegetables; protein (fish food or dried shrimp), calcium (cuttlebone)

Feeding interval

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

Key facts

Adult size

approx. 1.0–1.2 cm

Life expectancy

approx. 1.5–3 years

Origin

Pantropical / the Caribbean, introduced worldwide

Protection status

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

Brumation

None

Cohabitation

Colony. Isopods are gregarious and are kept as a group – 10 to 20 animals to start; a single animal cannot breed. Only one species and one colour morph per tub: a faster-breeding species crowds out the slower one, and morphs of the same species interbreed back within two to three generations.

Notes

An easy-care beginner's Cubaris; the damp corner must never dry out completely; cuttlebone or calcium matters for moulting; watch the ventilation (mites and mould). The colour forms (Mandarin, Papaya) are the same species.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Rubber ducky isopod (Cubaris sp. Rubber Ducky) – Intermediate
• Panda king isopod (Cubaris sp. Panda King) – Beginner to intermediate
• White shark isopod (Cubaris sp. „White Shark") – Intermediate
• Greek pill woodlouse (Armadillidium gestroi) – Beginner
• Giant canyon isopod (Porcellio dilatatus) – Beginner
• Common pill woodlouse (Armadillidium vulgare) – Beginner
• Powder blue isopod (Porcellionides pruinosus) – Beginner
• Marbled pill woodlouse (Armadillidium granulatum) – Beginner

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Little sea isopod (Cubaris murina) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (a box from 20×15×15 cm for a starter colony (10–15 animals); a colony animal), substrate (Humus-rich soil or coco humus with leaf litter (oak, beech), white-rotted wood and moss; a damp-to-dry gradient, substrate at least 3 cm), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.