The Four Groups of Cubaris
Cubaris isn't one thing. What gets sold as "Cubaris" in the UK hobby actually falls into four distinct groups, and knowing which is which tells you most of what you need about price, difficulty and care. There are the Thai cave species (Rubber Ducky, White Shark, Pak Chong - the famous, expensive ones), the Vietnamese Panda King family, the far more forgiving Cubaris murina variants, and finally the "Soil Isopods" - which, despite being traded as Cubaris everywhere, aren't Cubaris at all. This guide explains the difference, and which group you should actually start with.
What Cubaris Actually Are
Cubaris is a genus in the family Armadillidae - related to the European Armadillidium through that wider family, but distinct from it. The premium hobby species mostly originate from Southeast Asian limestone cave systems, particularly in Thailand and Vietnam, where they evolved in stable, humid, dark environments rich in calcium leached from the cave geology.
That origin explains nearly everything about how they need to be kept:
- High humidity, typically 75-85%
- Warm tropical temperatures, 22-26°C
- Calcium-rich substrate, ideally with real limestone rather than powder
- Stability above all - they react badly to fluctuation
- Low light and plenty of cover; most are far less active in bright conditions
Our complete Cubaris care guide covers the husbandry in full.
Group 1: Thai Cave Cubaris (the premium tier)
The most famous Cubaris in the hobby, mostly from limestone cave systems around the Pak Chong region of Thailand. Premium-priced, visually spectacular, and the least forgiving of husbandry mistakes.
This group includes the Rubber Ducky - discovered in 2017 and still the animal that pulls most people into the hobby - along with the Amber Ducky, White Ducky, White Shark, Pak Chong, White Side, Jupiter, Yellow Tiger, Thai Blue Angel and Citrus Panda King.
They vary in difficulty within the group. Pak Chong and White Shark are noticeably more forgiving than the rarer morphs, which makes them the sensible entry point if you've decided you want a Thai cave species.
Group 2: The Vietnamese Panda King Family
Vietnamese cave species, built around the classic Panda King and its colour variants - Pink, Red and White Panda King.
As a group they sit slightly easier than the premium Thai species while still delivering the striking black-and-white contrast that made the Panda King famous. They want the same calcium-rich, humid, stable conditions, but they're less punishing about small mistakes. For a lot of keepers, a Panda King is the first premium Cubaris that actually works.
Group 3: Cubaris murina (the genuinely beginner-friendly ones)
This is the group most people overlook, and it's the one most people should start with.
Cubaris murina is a cosmopolitan tropical species - not a cave specialist - and it comes in several colour variants: the Little Sea Isopod, Murina Glacier, Marina Papaya and Cappuccino among them. They're genuinely forgiving, tolerate a wider range of conditions than the cave species, breed more readily, and cost a fraction as much.
If you want to learn Cubaris husbandry without an expensive lesson, this is where you do it.
Group 4: The Ones That Aren't Cubaris At All
Here's the part most sellers won't tell you. The "Soil Isopods" traded across the hobby as Cubaris sp. are not Cubaris. They're Troglodillo - a separate genus entirely.
They're Vietnamese forest species from moist, shaded habitats, dark purple to almost black with white antennae, and sometimes sold under names like "Black Evil" or "Gothic Isopods". They're low-maintenance, they burrow, they hide under leaf litter, and they become more visible as they settle in.
None of that makes them a bad animal - they're excellent, and genuinely easy. But they're not Cubaris, and if you're buying on the assumption that you're getting a cave species, you should know what you're actually getting. Browse our Troglodillo collection for correctly classified stock.
Choosing Your First Cubaris
The practical breakdown, in the order most keepers should approach it:
- Genuinely new to the genus: any Cubaris murina variant - Little Sea, Glacier, Papaya or Cappuccino. Forgiving, rewarding, and cheap enough that a mistake isn't painful.
- Your first premium Cubaris: Pak Chong, White Shark, or one of the Panda Kings. Premium looks, meaningfully more forgiving husbandry than the strictest cave species.
- You want to actually see them: Red Edge Blonde (day-active), Citrus Panda King, or Yellow Tiger. Most Cubaris hide; these don't, as much.
- The collector's tier: Rubber Ducky, classic Panda King, White Shark - the iconic species that define the premium end of the hobby. Worth doing, once your husbandry is solid.
Browse the full range in our Cubaris collection, or read up on the Rubber Ducky specifically before you commit to one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the different types of Cubaris?
Four groups: Thai cave species (Rubber Ducky, White Shark, Pak Chong and similar), the Vietnamese Panda King family, the far more forgiving Cubaris murina variants, and the "Soil Isopods" - which are actually Troglodillo, a different genus sold under the Cubaris name.
Are Soil Isopods really Cubaris?
No. Despite being traded as "Cubaris sp. Soil Isopods" across the hobby, they're Troglodillo - a separate genus of Vietnamese forest isopods. They're excellent animals and genuinely easy to keep, but they aren't cave Cubaris and shouldn't be sold as such.
What is the easiest Cubaris to keep?
The Cubaris murina variants - Little Sea, Glacier, Papaya, Cappuccino. They're a cosmopolitan tropical species rather than a cave specialist, so they tolerate a far wider range of conditions and breed more readily than the premium species. Start here.
What is the most expensive Cubaris?
The Thai cave species command the highest prices, with Rubber Ducky the most famous. Slow breeding, small broods and demanding husbandry keep supply tight while demand stays high.
What is the difference between Cubaris and Armadillidium?
Different genera in the same wider family. Armadillidium are temperate European pill bugs - hardy, cheap, and happy at UK room temperature. Cubaris are tropical cave species needing warmth, high humidity and calcium-rich substrate, and they breed far more slowly.
Are Cubaris good for beginners?
As a genus, no - but the murina group is a genuine exception and makes a reasonable first tropical isopod. The premium Thai and Vietnamese cave species are best left until you've kept something hardier successfully for six months or so.
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