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Porcellio Ornatus Witch's Brew Is a beautifully patterned isopod. The common name "Witch's Brew" is a subtle nod to its distant cousin the "Magic Potion" Isopod (Armadillidium Vulgare). They have the same orange yellow splotching on a translucent white base. This coloring is not as pronounced on mancae and younger individuals, but will start to show with sizes from sub adult to adult. Set up and care for this species is similar to that of other large Porcellio Isopods.   Porcellio Ornatus Witch's Brew does have a few specific care requirements that set it apart from most other typical isopods. They need a sharp moisture gradient with good section of their environment with very minimal moisture to completely dry. Like any isopod, they still need a moist area to hydrate their gills, but this should not be more than 25% of the enclosure. A "middle area" where it's not damp as the moist area, but not completely dry is fine. Natural botanicals can be used not only for decorative appeal, but also to create micro climates within the enclosure to give your isopods more choices to regulate their moisture needs. Next is ventilation. It needs to be moderate to high. This can create challenges with keeping the moist area from drying out. A deeper substrate on the moist side can help with this since deeper soil will retain moisture longer. They also seem to enjoy and benefit from some extra height in the mid range and/or dry section. This is best achieved with carefully stacked medium pieces cork bark. This impressive isopod will eat all of the typical food options like various vegetables, powdered isopod diets like Repashy Morning Wood, Bug Burger and others. But like most Porcellio, they are very fond of protein based foods like freeze dried minnows, shrimp pellets, fish flakes and dried insects. Remember that isopods in their natural elements are detrivores. Their primary diet is decayed wood and dried leaf litter which should always be available. Porcellio Ornatus Witch's Brew is at this time still relatively rare in the hobby and is a highly desirable isopod to have in any collection. Ornatus is not overly difficult to keep, but a culture can quickly crash if it's care needs are neglected for more than a very short time. But, if you give them what they need consistently, they will flourish and breed readily. Check out our care guide for Porcellio Ornatus Witch's Brew that takes a closer look at specifics for successfully keeping and breeding this designer isopod. Quick Facts Origin: Spain Family Classification: Porcellionidae > Porcellio > Ornatus Morph Name: Witch's Brew Average Size: Up to 1 inch Activity level: Daytime active but primarily nocturnal Difficulty: Intermediate

Porcellio Scaber "Lava" is an iconic morph that has earned it's right as "attention grabber" in the isopod hobby due to it's desirable striking appearance combined with it's ease of availability. Lava isopods along with all other Porcellio Scaber morphs are an excellent choice for beginners. They have a wide tolerance for both temperature and humidity. This convenient forgiving nature in their husbandry requirements means they can generally tolerate a moderate level of learning curves without disaster. The morph characteristics of Porcelleio Scaber "Lava" are displayed as a highly variable patterning of deep orange/red hues on a mostly gray to black base. They are very prolific and will reproduce readily if well cared for. Be aware the patterning on each and every isopod is unique. Some offspring may exhibit high levels of red/orange while others may be nearly all gray due to their unique genetic lineage. All isopods you will receive from us will exhibit a good ratio of red/orange patterns. A 6 quart gasket sealed storage bin or small glass aquarium is sufficient for a small starter culture. 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 in the mid 70sF will suit them just fine. Slightly warmer is desirable if you wish to see a thriving culture that is active and reproduces faster. This species 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. Being a Porcellio, they are especially fond of protein 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. Porcellio Scaber Lava is just one of many color morphs of this hardy isopod. Their adaptability to a wide range of humidity and ventilation needs make them a top choice for a clean up crew or a display pet. See our full care guide for Porcellio Scaber which has comprehensive expanded details for all care aspects of this amazing isopod species including breeding! Quick Facts Origin: Europe, but established nearly worldwide Family Classification: Porcellionidae > Porcellio > Porcellio Scaber Morph Name: "Lava" Variable splotches of red/orange on a gray/black base Average Size: 0.65" to 0.75" inches  Activity level: Primarily nocturnal but does show some daytime activity Care Level: Easy

Porcellionides Pruinosus was among the first commercially available isopods thanks to their hardiness and flexibility with environmental habitats. They are close as you can get to "bullet proof" when it comes to isopods making them a hands down best choice for beginners and/or non traditional isopod set ups that may be more arid. Powder Orange Isopods were derived from selective trait line breeding from their counterparts the powder blue. They have a soft fragile body and a velvety appearance and texture. The oranges can range from bright and vibrant to deep and rich. They are pleasantly daytime and night time active making them an excellent display species. They are generally not shy at all and are quite voracious feeders. descending on a food source and devouring it as if it were their last. Basic husbandry for this species is stright forward and offers moderate flexibility. They thrive in humid or semi arid set ups so long as they have a nook that is consistently moist so they can rehydrate as needed. Just provide them a standard moisture gradient in their enclosure along with the typical isopod foods consisting of varied veggies like carrots, radishes, squashes and so on. They are fond of powdered isopod diets like Repashy Morning Wood and Bug Burger as well. Being in the Porcellio family, they are no exception in the fact that they relish protien based foods like freeze dried shrimp or minnows. Similar items like fish flakes, shrimp pellets and dried insects are also consumed readily. When provided with the basic care needs they will reproduce quite readily and potentially fast. To learn more beyond the very basic care parameters stated here,  see our full care guide for Porcellionides Pruinosus "Powder Orange" which has comprehensive expanded details for all care aspects of this rewarding and entertaining isopod! Quick Facts Origin:  Family Classification: Porcellionidae > Porcellionides > Pruinosus Morph Name: Powder Orange Average Size: 1/4" to 1/2" inches Activity Level: Highly active both day and night Difficulty: Easy

Made right here in the USA, Repashy Bug Burger is an excellent option to suppliment your isopods diet. It's packed with nutrients and can be served as is in powder form or mixed with water to create a gel. Either way, isopods love this stuff! Our 50+ species we culture waste no time to eat up any powdered Repashy diet we offer them a few times a week. Repashy makes numerous other blends that are completely suitable to offer your isopods so they can have some variety. Please note, while Repashy Bug Burger is a superb option we highly recommend, an isopods primary diet should always consist of dried leaf litter and decayed wood. These two items must always be available in abundance. Isopods have evolved as detrivores consuming any dead plant and/or animal matter they encounter in the wild. Strictly feeding powdered diets may seem logical, but it will not work for isopods. So limit supplemental diets to a few times a week for best results. Mixed veggies and some protein like fish pellets or freeze dried minnows should also be offered on a supplemental basis as well. 

Made right here in the USA, Repashy Morning Wood is a high quality top choice supplemental food option for your isopods. It's packed with nutrients and can be served as is in powder form or mixed with water to create a gel. Either way, isopods love this stuff! Our 50+ species we culture waste no time to eat up any powdered Repashy diet we offer them a few times a week. Repashy makes numerous other blends that are completely suitable to offer your isopods so they can have some variety. Please note, while Repashy Morning Wood is a superb option we highly recommend, an isopods primary diet should always consist of dried leaf litter and decayed wood. These two items must always be available in abundance. Isopods have evolved as detrivores consuming any dead plant and/or animal matter they encounter in the wild. Strictly feeding powdered diets may seem logical, but it will not work for isopods. So limit supplemental diets to a few times a week for best results. Mixed veggies and some protein like fish pellets or freeze dried minnows should also be offered on a supplemental basis as well. 

Made right here in the USA, Repashy Grasshopper Pie is a high quality top choice supplemental food option for your isopods. It's packed with nutrients and can be served as is in powder form or mixed with water to create a gel. Grasshopper Pie is ideal for the more protein hungry type isopods like Porcellio but is also good for any other species. Either way, isopods love this stuff! Our 50+ species we culture waste no time to eat up any powdered Repashy diet we offer them a few times a week. Repashy makes numerous other blends that are completely suitable to offer your isopods so they can have some variety. Please note, while Repashy Grasshopper Pie is a superb option we highly recommend, an isopods primary diet should always consist of dried leaf litter and decayed wood. These two items must always be available in abundance. Isopods have evolved as detrivores consuming any dead plant and/or animal matter they encounter in the wild. Strictly feeding powdered diets may seem logical, but it will not work for isopods. So limit supplemental diets to a few times a week for best results. Mixed veggies and some protein like fish pellets or freeze dried minnows should also be offered on a supplemental basis as well. 

Made right here in the USA, Repashy Meat Pie is ideal for all isopods. Especially types like most Porcellio that relish and devour protein based foods. It's packed with beneficial nutrients and can be served as is in powder form or mixed with water to create a gel. Either way, isopods love this stuff! Especially our Porcellio Laevis isopods. Our 50+ species we culture waste no time to eat up any powdered Repashy diet we offer them a few times a week. Repashy makes numerous other blends that are completely suitable to offer your isopods so they can have some variety. Please note, while Repashy Meat Pie is a superb option for all isopods their primary diet should always consist of dried leaf litter and decayed wood. These two items must always be available in abundance. Isopods have evolved as detrivores consuming any dead plant and/or animal matter they encounter in the wild. Strictly feeding powdered diets may seem logical, but generally will not work for isopods. So limit supplemental diets to a few times a week for best results. Mixed veggies and some other protein sources like fish pellets, freeze dried minnows and/or shrimp should also be offered on a supplemental basis as well. 

Made right here in the USA, Repashy Morning Wood is a high quality top choice supplemental food option for your isopods. It's packed with nutrients and can be served as is in powder form or mixed with water to create a gel. Either way, isopods love this stuff! Our 50+ species we culture waste no time to eat up any powdered Repashy diet we offer them a few times a week. Repashy makes numerous other blends that are completely suitable to offer your isopods so they can have some variety. Please note, while Repashy Morning Wood is a superb option we highly recommend, an isopods primary diet should always consist of dried leaf litter and decayed wood. These two items must always be available in abundance. Isopods have evolved as detrivores consuming any dead plant and/or animal matter they encounter in the wild. Strictly feeding powdered diets may seem logical, but it will not work for isopods. So limit supplemental diets to a few times a week for best results. Mixed veggies and some protein like fish pellets or freeze dried minnows should also be offered on a supplemental basis as well. 

Made right here in the USA, Repashy Super Worm Pie is a high quality top choice supplemental food option for your isopods. It's packed with nutrients and can be served as is in powder form or mixed with water to create a gel. Either way, isopods love this stuff! Our 50+ species we culture waste no time to eat up any powdered Repashy diet we offer them a few times a week. Repashy makes numerous other blends that are completely suitable to offer your isopods so they can have some variety. Please note, while Repashy Superworm Pie is a superb option we highly recommend, an isopods primary diet should always consist of dried leaf litter and decayed wood. These two items must always be available in abundance. Isopods have evolved as detrivores consuming any dead plant and/or animal matter they encounter in the wild. Strictly feeding powdered diets may seem logical, but it will not work for isopods. So limit supplemental diets to a few times a week for best results. Mixed veggies and some protein like fish pellets or freeze dried minnows should also be offered on a supplemental basis as well.