Powder blue isopod (Porcellionides pruinosus)

Short answers

Powder blue isopod: How big does the enclosure need to be?

A box from 20×15×15 cm for a starter colony; a colony animal.

Powder blue isopod: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–26 °C, at night 18–22 °C.

Powder blue isopod: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: No UVB needed.

Powder blue isopod: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: approx. 1–2 years.

Powder blue isopod: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–26 °C

Night temperature

18–22 °C

Basking spot

—

Humidity

50–70 % (a humid corner, otherwise semi-dry)

UVB

No UVB needed

Enclosure

Minimum size

a box from 20×15×15 cm for a starter colony; a colony animal

Substrate

A semi-dry soil or coco floor with leaf litter and pale wood; one corner permanently slightly damp (not wet), well ventilated

Feeding

Food

Fallen leaves, rotten wood, vegetables (potato and carrot peel), fish food or protein, calcium

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. 1–2 years

Origin

Cosmopolitan (originally Mediterranean, 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. Only one species and one colour morph per tub: this very fast-breeding species outcompetes slower isopods at the food, and morphs interbreed back within two to three generations.

Notes

A very fast, robust clean-up and feeder isopod (also in "powder" colour forms: orange, blue, white). The population explodes quickly – an ideal feeder animal. The damp corner must never dry out completely, or breeding stops; good ventilation.

Do you keep this species?

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Powder blue isopod (Porcellionides pruinosus) currently offered

• Kubanische asseln orange – Orange · Kalletal · 5 €

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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
• Marbled pill woodlouse (Armadillidium granulatum) – Beginner
• Common shiny woodlouse (Oniscus asellus) – Beginner
• Dairy cow isopod (Porcellio laevis) – Beginner

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Powder blue isopod (Porcellionides pruinosus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (a box from 20×15×15 cm for a starter colony; a colony animal), substrate (A semi-dry soil or coco floor with leaf litter and pale wood; one corner permanently slightly damp (not wet), 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.