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Armadillidium Gestroi is a large robust isopod and is among the handful that are pleasantly daytime active. Zingers are a color morph of the common Gestroi variety that take on more of a monochrome look with the yellow spots being replaced with an off white color. Some individuals may have very faint traces of yellow in their spots. Care and all details for this unique isopod are the same as the standard variety. They're easy to keep and make an aesthetically pleasing display isopod. This fascinating isopod is a bit of a tank, but the average 6 quart 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. Gestroi prefers a temperate environment, but slightly higher on the moist side. Good ventilation is key with this species as you do not want a completely semi tropical enclosure. 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. Isopods are detrivores. 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 Gestroi 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.  Zinger is a fantastic isopod for beginners. It is not extremely sensitive and fairly tolerable to typical new keeper mistakes and learning curves. They will reproduce readily once established and is an all around rewarding species for any collection. See our full care guide for Armadillidium Gestroi which has comprehensive expanded details for all care aspects of this showy isopod species! Quick Facts Origin: France and Italy Family Classification: Armadillidiidae > Armadillidium > Gestroi Size: Average is around 0.75 inches with large adults reaching 0.80+ inches Activity level: Generally outgoing and daytime active Difficulty: Easy

The zebra isopod, Armadillidium Maculatum is a fan favorite in the isopod hobby. Who couldn't love bold zebra stripes on such a tiny creature?! Native to southern France, this adorable little crustacean is hardy and very easy to care for. It's attractive appearance, outgoing nature and ease of keeping combined with it's overall reasonable price point make it a top choice for beginners.  Building your own thriving culture of A. Maculatum isopods is easy. A starter group of 12-20 individuals can be kept in a small enclosure like a 6qt storage bin or small glass tank. Slightly above average room temperature of 75-82F is their comfort zone, but they will also do just fine in slightly cooler temperatures. An average moisture gradient is acceptable. Zebras can withstand somewhat drier conditions better than most isopods, but ensure they always have a moist area to rehydrate their gills. All typical isopod foods are readily accepted. Mixed veggies like carrots, squash, radishes and similar are good. Commercial powdered isopod diets like Repashy are highly recommended and ours here at our facility absolutely relish it! A serving or two of protein each week is also very beneficial. Fish pellets, freeze dried shrimp or minnows are widely available and work fine. Armadillidium Maculatum is daytime active and quite bold. Especially once their numbers increase. They make an excellent clean up crew if used in a bioactive, but be aware all Armadillidium isopods have a reputation for eating live plants. They make a fantastic display isopod for any age or experience level. See our full care guide for Armadillidium Maculatum which expands much deeper into all aspects of keeping and breeding this classic show off isopod. 

St. Lucia Isopods, also sometimes referred to as "Jelly Bean" isopods in the hobby are a must have if a display isopod is high on your list. It's easy to see where the common name jelly bean came from. This version of Armadillidium Vulgare has an assortment of bright vivid colors including various hues of orange, yellow, gold, light pinks and deep red along with some wild type colors ranging from gray to almost black. Even better, this genetic morph also has other variations within those colors such as defined segmented stripes, dalmatian patterns and some with infused gold metallic splotching. It should be noted all of these colors and characteristics can and do vary with each and every individual. Intensity and frequency of colors and patterns are all over the chart. The offspring will also come out the same variety of colors regardless of the coloration of the parents. Armadillidium Vulgare is a very common isopod species and the one most people are referring to when the iconic term "pill bug" or "roly poly". They are native to Europe, most notably in the Mediterranean basin area but have established themselves nearly worldwide. They are a beginner friendly species being fairly flexible in their needs and tolerant of a variety of environmental conditions. Armadillidium Vulgare is a relatively outgoing isopod that can be seen exploring and moving about their enclosure at various times. As with most isopods, higher numbers means higher visibility. A 6 quart gasket sealed storage bin or small glass aquarium is sufficient for a small starter culture of these beauties. Standard or bioactive enclosures can be enhanced with natural botanical items to simulate the isopods habitat in the wild. This helps them feel secure which in turn promotes their natural processes like eating and breeding. Average room temperature around the mid 70sF will suit them just fine. A. Vulgare prefers a temperate climate with good ventilation. 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 devoid of some moisture. They will often migrate between moist and dry areas at different times of the day. A few pieces of cork bark strategically placed over some of the moist side will help retain the humidity levels and reduce the frequency of watering needed to maintain a proper moisture gradient. Isopods are detritivores. Their primary diet in nature is leaf litter and decayed wood. Both of these should always be available in abundance. They will also happily consume any other decomposing organic plant or animal matter they come across. As such it is vital to supplement your isopods with other food sources on a semi regular basis. They enjoy food options like squash, radishes, carrots and other veggies along with commercial isopod powdered food like Repashy. They also need some occasional protein in their diets which can be things like freeze dried minnows, shrimp, fish pellets, dried insects and other protein based food sources. Be sure to feed these on the drier side as they can spoil quickly in humid environments and attract unwanted pests. While this isopod is also a great bio custodian, it should be noted they have a reputation for munching on live plants as well. We can attest to this after trying several times to have various small plants in the enclosure with all being completely consumed in a few days or less.Armadillidium Vulgare "Saint Lucia" is an easy species to keep and is fairly forgiving with the learning curves of new keepers or the occasional memory lapse. Their visually appealing variety of colors combined with the fact they are modestly day active instead of hiding the bulk majority of the time means this is an isopod you can actually enjoy and appreciate all hours of the day or night. See our store front for many other fascinating and unique isopods! Quick Facts Origin: Mediterranean Europe Classification: Armadillidiidae > Armadillidium > A. Vulgare Characteristics: Various mix of bright colors ranging from orange, red, yellow, gray, black and more! They also have a mix of striping, splotching, and some with metallic sheens. Average Size: 1/" tp 3/4" inch Activity level: Active both day and night Difficulty: Easy

A. Werneri is actually one of the larger Armadillidiums reaching sizes of up to 0.85" inch in length and they are fairly bulky as well. This gives reason for their common name in the hobby of "Greater Clown Isopod". They tend to be on the shy side and stay hidden during most daylight hours only coming out to forage and explore when it's dark. But larger cultures will exhibit some level of daytime activity. The orange coloring varies slightly from individual to individual with the middle section usually a bit darker than the edges. But overall nice bright coloring with attractive contrasting white spotting from the head to end section.  For housing, a 6 quart gasket sealed storage bin or small glass aquarium is sufficient for a small starter culture of 12 to 25 individuals. Standard or bioactive enclosures can be enhanced with natural botanicals to simulate the isopods habitat in the wild. This helps them feel secure which in turn promotes their natural processes like eating and breeding. Average room temperature around the mid 70sF will suit them just fine. Avoid temperatures lower than the mid 60sF and no higher than 80F. Like it's Klugii cousins, A. Werneri prefers it's climate slightly drier overall with easy access to a moist area when they need to re-hydrate their gills. Around one quarter to one third of the enclosure should have damp (not wet) sphagnum moss with the remainder being a bit on the dry side, but not completely devoid of some moisture. It's not an issue to let it get drier than most other isopods may need, but do avoid allowing it to become 100% bone dry. They will often migrate between moist and dry areas as needed to maintain their needed ambient humidity levels. A few pieces of cork bark strategically placed over some of the moist side will help retain the humidity levels and reduce the frequency of watering needed to maintain a proper moisture gradient. A longer piece that straddles both the moist and drier area also seems to be beneficial for this species.  Isopods are detritivores. Their primary diet in nature is dried leaf litter and rotting decayed wood. Both of these should always be available in abundance. They will also happily consume any other decomposing organic plant or animal matter they come across. As such it is vital to supplement your isopods with other food sources on a semi regular basis. Marbleized Isopods relish food options like squash, carrots, cucumbers and other veggies along with commercial isopod powdered food like Repashy Morning Wood. They also appreciate some protein once or twice a week so offer them things like freeze dried minnows, shrimp, fish pellets, dried insects and other protein based food sources. Be sure to feed these on the drier side as they can spoil quickly in humid environments and attract unwanted pests. A. Werneri Orange is not overly difficult to keep so long as you consistently provide the proper environment they need to thrive. They do tend to be on the slower side to reproduce, so understand it takes patience and time to see a few turn into many. At least 4-6 months of good care before you will notice tiny mancae in the substrate. They are also on the slower side to mature to breeding age taking 6+ months before they can contribute to increasing numbers. These facts are likely one of the biggest reasons this isopod is not quite common and readily available being somewhat hard to find. But they are an amazing and rewarding addition worth having in any collection! Quick Facts Origin: Greece and select Turkish islands Family Classification: Armadillidiidae > Armadillidium > A. Werneri Average Size: Between 0.80" to 0.85" inch Activity level: Primarily nocturnal. Some day activity is common with larger established cultures Difficulty: Intermediate

First and foremost be aware this is a DWARF isopod species. This means it's SMALL. Average adult size is about 1/4 inch or 6 to 8 mm. If you already know this obvious fact or it's not a deal breaker then read on. Spiky Pineapple Isopods are an intermediate skill level species most anyone with at least some successful isopod experience can easy keep and enjoy. As their name implies, their exterior is adorned with little spiky nubs that are in no way actually sharp or anything to be concerned about. They vary in color, mostly a washed out orange to light yellow. They are nocturnal and tend to form tight clusters underneath of cork bard or decayed wood and come out at night to feed and forage. Their spectacular appearance more than makes up for their smaller size and are a rewarding species to keep. A 6 quart gasket sealed storage bin or small glass aquarium is beyond sufficient for a small starter culture. You don't want to start off with much bigger than this unless you are getting or already have a large number of these isopods on hand. Being dwarf isopods, if they are too spread out it will take much longer for them to find each other and start reproducing. Conversely you don't want too small either as environmental changes in a very small space happen much faster which isn't a good thing for this and most other isopod types. Standard or bioactive enclosures can be enhanced with natural botanical items to simulate the isopods habitat in the wild. This helps them feel secure which in turn promotes their natural processes like eating and breeding.  Average room temperature will suit them just fine. A good temperature range is 72-78F leaning more towards the warmer end if possible. Spiky Pineapples do not need a pronounced moisture gradient like most other isopods. A small gradient is fine, but a consistent lightly damp (not wet) enclosure is ideal. They will not fare well if allowed to get any level of dry so allow for some ventilation. A few pieces of cork bark strategically placed over different parts of the enclosure will help retain the humidity levels and reduce the frequency of watering needed to maintain a proper moisture gradient. Keeping your substrate at least 3-4 inches deep also helps retain humidity and gives them some room to burrow if things get too dry. They will simply dig down where there is more moisture until conditions on the surface are more to their liking.  Isopods are detritivores. Their primary diet in nature is dried leaf litter and decayed wood. Both of these should always be available in abundance. They will also happily consume any other decomposing organic plant or animal matter they come across. As such it is vital to supplement your isopods with other food sources on a semi regular basis. Spiky Pineapples enjoy food options like squash, carrots, cucumbers and other veggies along with commercial isopod powdered food like Repashy Morning Wood. They also tend to be protein hungry so offer them things like freeze dried minnows, shrimp, fish pellets, dried insects and other protein based food sources. Be sure to feed these on the drier side as they can spoil quickly in humid environments and attract unwanted pests. Supplemental calcium is recommended as well. This can be in the form of crushed pellets they can nibble or small light weight stones they can crawl on and hide under. In our experience either will work, but our pods seem to enjoy Texas holy rock. Some cuttle bone pieces are always a welcome treat as well. Spiky Pineapples have shot up in popularity as of recent and we are happy to offer some of our quality in house specimens for your terrarium! They are not extremely difficult like some Cubaris, but they do require a little bit more upkeep and monitoring to ensure their environment stays optimal. Their pleasant contrasting colors look great in the terrarium and even though they typically not too visible at day, they do come out in force once the day light hours have ended. Quick Facts Origin: Spain. Mostly in the Iberian Peninsula region Classification: Cristarmadillidium > Cristarmadillidium Muricatum Average Size:1/4" inch Activity level: Primarily nocturnal Care Level: Intermediate

The Cappuccino isopod has a timeless appeal with it's smooth creamy off white and accents surrounding various shades of light and dark brown. They instantly conjure up thoughts of warm coffee drinks making it easy to see how they got their trade name. They typically rank quite high on anyone's want list who is enchanted by the world of isopods being on par with similar species like it's cousin the Rubber Ducky. If you have little to no experience with isopods, we strongly urge you to not buy these until you have some experience and a firm foundation with isopod husbandry. Most Cubaris species with a few exceptions are considered an advanced far as needs go to keep them alive and healthy. While they do not require intense daily care, they do have specific environmental needs that must be consistently maintained without large swings. A sharp change in temperature and/or humidity alone can end all of them in a short period of time. First, a large reality check for anyone who needs it. Like many other Cubaris, Cappuccinos are shy and reclusive. Unless you are up for a little while after the lights go out, you likely will not see these isopods out and about during the day very much. A random here and there sighting during the day is not uncommon and you will in fact see more with higher numbers in a given space, but this species is primarily nocturnal. They also do not enjoy being disturbed and will quickly scurry to hide if exposed. Constantly flipping over bark, leaves and other hiding spots to look at them will stress them out and can lead to much worse things happening. Our advice is to leave them alone as much as realistically possible outside of necessary husbandry and enclosure maintenance needs. The less they are disturbed, the faster they will settle in and get along with their natural life processes. A 6 quart gasket sealed storage bin or small glass aquarium with tight fitting lid is sufficient for a small starter culture of 10-15 individuals. Cappuccino isopods are slow to reproduce compared to many other species typically taking at least a few months in ideal care conditions before young start appearing. So this size should last you a decent amount of time before a size upgrade is needed. Standard or bioactive enclosures can be enhanced with natural botanical items to simulate the isopods habitat in the wild. This helps them feel secure which in turn promotes their natural processes like eating and breeding. Cappuccino isopods are a sub tropical to tropical species so they do prefer it on the warmer side. High 70s to very low 80s F is their comfort zone. Small deviations in temperature are not detrimental, but do whatever you need based on your enclosure set up to avoid large swings in either direction. Cappuccinos do not need a defined moisture gradient like most other isopods. Their native environments are warmer temperatures and higher humidity most times of the year. The soil should be mostly moist but not soggy! A very small moisture gradient in our experience has worked well. Just ensure neither side gets anywhere remotely close to dry. Our breeder tank is best described as "moist side and slightly less moist side". A few pieces of cork bark strategically placed will help retain the humidity levels and reduce the frequency of watering needed to maintain a reasonably consistent humidity. Do also provide a deeper substrate as they tend to burrow sometimes. Depth should be a minimum 4-6 inches. Deeper substrates will also retain water longer so this goes hand in hand with humidity needs. Isopods are detritivores. Their primary diet in nature is leaf litter and decayed wood. Both of these should always be available in abundance. They will also happily consume any other decomposing organic plant or animal matter they come across. As such it is vital to supplement your isopods with other food sources on a semi regular basis. They enjoy food options like squash, radishes, carrots and other veggies along with commercial isopod powdered food like Repashy. They also need some occasional protein in their diets which can be things like freeze dried minnows, shrimp, fish pellets, dried insects and other protein based food sources. Be sure to feed these on the drier side as they can spoil quickly in humid environments and attract unwanted pests. Sharing the common theme of most other Cubaris, Cappuccinos are noted to be fond of limestone, mirroring the caves and rocky areas they naturally occur. This holds true for our breeding colony as they quickly devour calcium sources like cuttle bone when offered. Texas Holy Rock (in small chunks) is reported to be a favorite as well. Cappuccinos do require a higher level of care and upkeep than your standard run of the mill types. But if you can meet these needs and most importantly keep them consistent, your Cappuccinos will not only survive but will multiply and flourish in due time. Quick Facts Origin: Various parts of Thailand and Vietnam Classification: Armadillidiidae > Cubaris > Cubaris Sp.  Average Size: 3/4" inch Activity level: Primarily nocturnal and active at night Care Level: Advanced