Large Porcellio Isopods

Porcellio Haasi "High Yellow" are among the few terrestrial isopods that reach an impressive sizes as adults with large males reaching 1 to 1.25 inches in length. Males are easily distinguishable having much longer uropods than the females. This species is typically on the shy side and you won't see them out in the open moving about like other isopod species. But once their numbers are up they will be a bit more bold to show themselves periodically. They spend much of their times on the undersides of cork bark, rotting wood and thick leaf litter. Be aware that males are very territorial and your enclosure should have ample space along with multiple hides to minimize conflicts and stress. The bright yellow coloration of these individuals is a line bred trait selectively isolated and is a breath taking sight to see in real life. Originating from the mountainous areas of Spain, these titan sized isopods prefer a drier habitat but still need a damp area to rehydrate from time to time. Quick Facts Origin: Spain Scientific Name: Porcellio Haasi Family: Porcellionidae Morph Name: High Yellow Size: Up to 1.25 inches Activity level: Generally reclusive Difficulty: Intermediate

Porcellio Flavomarginatus is one of the crown jewels in the Porcellio family. Originating from Greece, they have a bright white serrated skirt surrounding a deep gray to black base. Most individuals will also display two rows of white dots or lines running the full length of the pereon section. This species as of now is fairly less common in the hobby. We have spent at least a full year growing our robust culture to what it is now and they are an absolutely fascinating isopod worth adding to your collection! Interesting abstract fact, the translation of their scientific name is "Yellow Bordered Woodlouse" which obviously conflicts with their actual appearance as there is no yellow.  Porcellio Flavomarginatus does have a few specific care requirements that set it apart from most other isopods. They need a sharp moisture gradient with good section of their environment 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. Next is air flow. It needs to be moderate to high. This can create challenges with keeping the moist area from drying out. A deeper moist side substrate 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 of cork bark. This unique isopod will eat all of the typical food options like various vegetables, powdered isopod diets like Repashy Morning Wood or Bug Burger. But like most Porcellio, they are very fond of protein based foods like freeze dried minnows, shrimp pellets, fish flakes and dried insects.  Unfortunately (in our experience) and perhaps the reason they are less common is that they are unforgiving in these needs and a culture will quickly crash if these aspects are neglected for more than a very short time. But, if you give them what they need consistently, they will flourish and breed readily. If you are interested but still uncertain fear not! We have a thorough Porcellio Flavomarginatus Care Guide that delves into the nitty gritty details you will need to master this rare and rewarding species! Quick Facts Origin: Greece and a handful of Turkish islands bordering Greece Family Classification: Porcellionidae > Porcellio > Flavomarginatus Morph Name: N/A, this NOT the Crete Morph Average Size: Up to 0.75 inches Activity level: Daytime active and adventurous Difficulty: Intermediate

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 Spatulatus is one of the largest Porcellio isopods in the hobby. Not in length but in width. As the name implies, they have a very thin vertical profile, but in contrast have a large wide skirt with attractive serrated edging. Like other large Porcellio, they do best with a mostly dry set up, but still need an area of moisture to re-hydrate. They have a laid back disposition and do not scatter to hide quite as much as other species. They are largely hidden by day, but will beout in force during night hours exploring their enclosure and foraging for food. The young are somewhat brownish to tan with adults being light to dark gray in appearance. Porcellio Spatulatus originate from the Sardinia Islands off the coast of Italy in areas that have steep and vertical cliffs in many areas. As such they need high airflow to mimic their natural environment. An enclosure that offers some extra vertical space is ideal such as a 5-10 gallon glass tank. Carefully stacked cork bark and decayed wood will meet this need and be appreciated by this species. No more than 25% of the enclosure should be damp. This can create challenges with keeping the moist area from drying out. A deeper substrate in this area can help with this since deeper soil will retain moisture longer. This highly sought after isopod will eat all of the typical food options like various vegetables, powdered isopod diets like Repashy Morning Wood or Bug Burger. But like most Porcellio, they are very fond of protein based foods like freeze dried minnows, shrimp pellets, fish flakes and dried insects.  Unfortunately (in our experience) and perhaps the reason they are less common is that they are unforgiving in these needs and a culture will quickly crash if these aspects are neglected for more than a very short time. But, if you give them what they need consistently, they will flourish and breed readily. Quick Facts Origin: Sardinia Islands and surrounding area near Italy Classification: Porcellionidae > Porcellio > Ornatus Characteristics: Porcellionidae > Porcellio > Spatulatus Average Size: Up to 0.8" inch Activity level: Primarily nocturnal Difficulty: Intermediate

Porcellio Hoffmanseggi is nearly the largest land isopod that exists today. Bested in size only by it's cousin Porcellio Magnificus. Hoffmannseggi isopods are sometimes referred to as "titans" and once you've handled one it's easy to see why. Their antennae can be just as long if not longer than their body length. They are generally a light to medium gray with a nice white edged skirt giving them good visual contrast. Full grown males on average reach 1.5 inches with females only slightly smaller. With that said, they need generous space. Males can be territorial and an off balance ratio of males to females can result in fighting along with the females being "harrassed" which causes stress and other potential issues. A sterilite gasket sealed bin or glass tank measuring at least 18-24 long by 12 or more inches wide is ideal for a starter colony with some room to grow. 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. Thepreferred temperature range for P. Hoffmanseggi is 68-76F. Moisture gradient and ventilation is where the potential challenging aspect of this species comes into play. They do best in a drier set up than most typical isopods but still need a moist area or two to avoid desiccating. If your set up is large enough, a few different areas that vary in this way can be beneficial. Such as having two separate moist corners and some dry area in between. They will often migrate between moist and dry areas at different times of the day to facilitate their biological processes as needed. A second layer of needs that further makes them a little more involved is that they need medium to high ventilation. This is easiest achieved with an enclosure that has some level of height up and away from the substrate. In the areas that are to be moist, the substrate can be a bit deeper which in turn retains humidity longer. A few pieces of cork bark strategically placed over some of the moist side will also help retain the humidity levels and reduce the frequency of watering needed to maintain a proper moisture gradient. They also seem to appreciate some stacked cork bark which gives them another dimension to regulate their moisture needs by climbing higher away from the substrate. 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 do appreciate some protein occasionally 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. It should also be noted it's highly recommended to have some form of calcium available at all times. As these unique isopods naturally occur in the limestone caves of eastern Spain, they spend all of their lives in such environments and the closer your set up can mimic their natural surroundings, the better your chance of success. Hoffs are a rewarding species to keep and never fail to impress with their sheer size. Though they are mostly hidden by day, if you look in on them after the lights have been out for a short time, you will see them fully out and about foraging for food and exploring their surroundings. There are some color variants in the hobby like chocolate, albino and even an orange version! Hoffs do require a little more care and upkeep than some other types but watching your own colony of titans grow and flourish is well worth the effort! Quick Facts Origin: Spain Taxonomy: Porcellionidae > Porcellio > P. Hoffmannseggii Size: Up to 1.50 inches Activity level: Primarily nocturnal Difficulty: Intermediate

Porcellio Hoffmanseggi is nearly the largest land isopod that exists today. Bested in size only by it's cousin Porcellio Magnificus. Hoffmannseggi isopods are sometimes referred to as "titans" and once you've handled one it's easy to see why. Their antennae can be just as long if not longer than their body length. The standard common variety in terms of color is a light to medium gray. But this "chocolate" version is the result of a genetic mutation that slightly affects certain pigments resulting in coloration ranging from light to dark browns. The young are most often a dark brown and lighten with age. They have a nice white edged skirt giving them a pleasant visual contrast. Full grown males on average reach 1.5 inches with females only slightly smaller. With that said, they need generous space. Males can be territorial and an off balance ratio of males to females can result in fighting along with the females being "harassed" which causes stress and other potential issues. A sterilite gasket sealed bin or glass tank measuring at least 18-24 long by 12 or more inches wide is ideal for a starter colony with some room to grow. 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. The preferred temperature range for P. Hoffmanseggi is 68-76F. Moisture gradient and ventilation is where the potential challenging aspect of this species comes into play. They do best in a drier set up than most typical isopods but still need a moist area or two to avoid desiccating. If your set up is large enough, a few different areas that vary in this way can be beneficial. Such as having two separate moist corners and some dry area in between. They will often migrate between moist and dry areas at different times of the day to facilitate their biological processes as needed. A second layer of needs that further makes them a little more involved is that they need medium to high ventilation. This is easiest achieved with an enclosure that has some level of height up and away from the substrate. In the areas that are to be moist, the substrate can be a bit deeper which in turn retains humidity longer. A few pieces of cork bark strategically placed over some of the moist side will also help retain the humidity levels and reduce the frequency of watering needed to maintain a proper moisture gradient. They also seem to appreciate some stacked cork bark which gives them another dimension to regulate their moisture needs by climbing higher away from the substrate. 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 do appreciate some protein occasionally 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. It should also be noted it's highly recommended to have some form of calcium available at all times. As these unique isopods naturally occur in the limestone caves of eastern Spain, they spend all of their lives in such environments and the closer your set up can mimic their natural surroundings, the better your chance of success. Hoffs are a rewarding species to keep and never fail to impress with their sheer size. Though they are mostly hidden by day, if you look in on them after the lights have been out for a short time, you will see them fully out and about foraging for food and exploring their surroundings.  Hoffs do require a little more care and upkeep than some other types but watching your own colony of titans grow and flourish is well worth the effort! Quick Facts Origin: Spain Taxonomy: Porcellionidae > Porcellio > P. Hoffmannseggii Size: Up to 1.50 inches Activity level: Primarily nocturnal Difficulty: Intermediate