Armadillidium Pallasii also known as the Croatian Giant is a medium size isopod with a wide swooping skirt. This variant procured from specimens collected on Corfu Island near Greece features a pleasant semi translucent pastel orange color. This is a relatively easy species o keep that will reproduce readily with good husbandry.
For housing the average 6 to 12 quart tote or small glass aquarium is fine for a starter culture amount of 12-20 individuals. Just know you will likely be needing to upgrade or make other plans sooner than later once they start producing offspring.
Average room temperature is fine for this species. A. Pallasii prefers a temperate environment and takes well with a standard moisture gradient. Around one third to half of the enclosure should have damp (not wet) sphagnum moss with the remainder being a bit on the dry side, but not completely lacking some level of moisture. Good ventilation is key with this species so adjust your air flow to balance good moisture without things dying out too fast.
Their primary diet is dried leaf litter and soft decayed wood which should always be available in abundance. They also enjoy veggies like squash, carrots, radishes and similar. These can be added on a supplemental basis a few times a week. Other supplemental options such as commercial isopod powdered food like Repashy are also devoured without hesitation. Armadillidium Pallasii isopods also need some protein in their diets. Options like freeze dried minnows, shrimp, fish pellets, fish flakes and other protein based food sources work well. Be sure to feed these on the drier side as they can spoil quickly in humid environments and attract unwanted pests.
Armadillidium Pallasii Orange is a visually appealing species adding a nice pop of color. They're not extremely sensitive and fairly tolerable to typical new keeper mistakes and learning curves. They do take some time establish, but once set they will produce broods fairly regularly.
Quick Facts
- Origin: Corfu Island and Greece
- Family Classification: Armadillidiidae > Armadillidium > Pallasii
- Size: Average is around 0.75 inches with large adults reaching 0.80+ inches
- Activity level: Primarily nocturnal
- Difficulty: Intermediate