Lava Isopods (Porcellio scaber Lava) 10 Count

See the care specifications above and check out our full guide to Lava Isopods for more nuanced care advice.

A staple diet of leaf litter is essential, so you’ll need to provide a regular supply. While a balanced bioactive terrarium/vivarium can be somewhat self-supporting, in the absence of appropriate foods, all isopods can potentially snack on live plants.

Porcellio scaber have large appetites and a hunger for protein-rich foods, so initial supplementation with a pinch of Superfood powder every 4-7 days is advised.

As the ecosystem and colony are established, you can reduce the frequency accordingly. When kept in culture boxes, there won’t be any decomposing terrarium matter, and you’ll need to continue frequent supplementation (a pinch every 4 days). See our full guide to isopod food for more information.

A standard 10 count will need at least a 3 gallon terrarium container or a shoebox-size isopod enclosure.

For isopods in closed terrariums we recommend looser fitting lids and regularly opening for feeding. Porcellio are a species that are fairly tolerant of low ventilation, but they will still need some level of regular air exchange.

When kept in culture boxes, our isopod partners, RDI, suggest that regularly opening for watering/feeding alone may provide enough ventilation. Alternatively, drilling holes in the plastic culture container is a popular method in the hobby (though it does bring an increased risk of pests).

Isopods in tropical terrariums should have no need for extra moisture top-ups beyond your typical watering schedule (as long as you’re maintaining tropical conditions). However, isopods in culture boxes will need regular watering.

How frequently you need to spray your isopod enclosure will depend on the species, the setup, and the ambient humidity in your home. RDI recommends every 3-4 days as a loose rule of thumb (checking daily for the first week after receiving them). These Porcellio isopods prefer a high-humidity setup, so they will lean towards more regular watering.

We recommend opening your order immediately after it arrives and checking them over. For best results, put your isopods into their new home right away; we recommend gently tipping them in along with the contents of the tub.

If that’s not possible, isopods can stay in the tub they’re in for up to a week, provided they have a leaf litter supply and you open the tub up at least every 2 days minimum for air exchange.

Generally speaking, isopods cannot climb glass. That said, some isopods are better climbers than others and may be able to climb cracks and/or dirty glass to some extent. So keep your glass enclosure clean and clear.

For most standard planted terrariums, a 10 count is ideal. As they breed, they’ll naturally find a good population balance. For larger installations and vivariums with predatory pressures you may need to start with more isopods.

Clean up crew isopods are species selected for their large appetites and high activity, making them particularly good at breaking down and recycling organic matter in a terrarium. Pet isopods are those that are especially interesting to look at, but waste management skills and terrarium suitability vary from species to species.

Springtails and isopods serve different functions in a terrarium, with springtails primarily tackling mold and isopods breaking down larger decomposing organic materials.

See our Temperate White Springtails for a versatile option.

While neither are strictly necessary, they individually bring a number of benefits and offer even more as a bioactive combo working synergistically together.