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      All Isopod Species

      This page lists every isopod species and morph I sell, over 200 of them across more than 20 genera, in one place. It is the quickest way to browse everything at once or search for something specific; if you already know the genus you want, the genus pages below are shorter and each has its own care notes.

      Unless a listing says otherwise, they are bred or grown on here in the UK, posted Monday to Thursday by Royal Mail Tracked 24 or Next Day, with the live arrival guarantee on every livestock order and a 20% overcount as standard.

      Types of isopods, genus by genus

      An isopod's genus tells you most of what you need to know about how it behaves and what it needs.

      • Porcellionides: the Powders. Fast, prolific and forgiving, all one species in a spread of colours, and one of the easiest places for a beginner to start.
      • Porcellio: large, active and flat-bodied, from the Dairy Cow to the giant Spanish species. They can't roll up.
      • Armadillidium: the pill bugs, most of which roll into a complete ball. Hardy and temperate, with a wide range of colour morphs, the Zebra and Magic Potion among them.
      • Cubaris: the tropical genus that changed the hobby, with over 50 lines. The Panda King and Penguin are easy enough for a first isopod; the Rubber Ducky and Crazy Horse are the premium end.
      • Ardentiella: vivid, surface-active climbers from the Southeast Asian forest floor. Demanding, but spectacular.
      • Armadillo: Mediterranean rollers; Armadillo officinalis hisses when disturbed.
      • Oniscus and Trachelipus: temperate Eurasian woodlice, including the shiny woodlouse familiar from British gardens and its selectively bred morphs.
      • Cristarmadillidium, Filippinodillo, Ignamba, Troglodillo and Venezillo: smaller genera, most of them uncommon in the hobby.
      • Other species: genera with one to three lines each, among them Spherillo, Nesodillo and Helleria, the Giant Cannonball.

      The Dwarf White (Trichorhina tomentosa) has no genus page of its own: it is a tiny white cleanup isopod, a favourite for small vivariums, and you will find it on this page.

      Which genus should you choose?

      A rough guide, based on what you want from the animals:

      • First isopods, or a cleanup crew that just works: Porcellionides, or Porcellio laevis morphs such as the Dairy Cow. Both are fine in a heated room and breed faster with a little added warmth from autumn to spring.
      • Something large and visible you'll actually see: Porcellio.
      • The classic roll-into-a-ball pill bug: Armadillidium.
      • A Cubaris: start with the Panda King or the Penguin, both fine even as a first isopod, and leave the premium lines until you have some experience.
      • Colour above all else: Ardentiella, once your husbandry is solid.

      If you are new to the hobby, the beginner isopods page is the short list, and my beginner's guide to keeping isopods in the UK covers the setup. My guide to isopod species and morphs explains how the genera differ in more depth.

      Frequently asked questions

      What are the different types of isopods?
      Hobby isopods are grouped by genus. The main ones are Porcellionides (fast, prolific, beginner-friendly), Porcellio (large and active), Armadillidium (the pill bugs that roll into a ball), Cubaris (tropical, from easy starters to premium morphs) and Ardentiella (vivid, surface-active climbers). Less commonly kept genera include Armadillo, Cristarmadillidium, Filippinodillo, Ignamba, Oniscus, Trachelipus, Troglodillo and Venezillo.

      Can all isopods roll up?
      No, and it is the clearest dividing line between the genera. Armadillidium are the classic rollers, and Cubaris, Armadillo, Cristarmadillidium and Venezillo roll up too, though not every species rolls fully. Porcellio, Porcellionides, Oniscus and Trachelipus can't: they rely on running or clinging instead. Ardentiella can roll but seldom do.

      What are the easiest isopods for beginners?
      Powders such as the Powder Orange, Porcellio laevis morphs such as the Dairy Cow, and Armadillidium such as Magic Potion and the Zebra are the most forgiving. The Panda King and the Penguin are the easiest Cubaris, and fine for a beginner too. Leave the premium Cubaris, such as the Rubber Ducky, until you have kept an easier species for six months or so.

      What is the most visually appealing isopod?
      It depends what appeals to you. For sheer colour, the Ardentiella and Cubaris morphs such as the Rubber Ducky are the most striking in the hobby. For pattern, the Zebra and the Dairy Cow are hard to beat. And for variety within a single colony, the Jelly Bean produces a different colour in almost every individual.

      Can you mix types of isopods?
      It's best avoided, particularly as a beginner. Different morphs of the same species will interbreed and dilute your colour lines, larger species can outcompete or predate smaller ones, and different genera often want different humidity. One species per enclosure is the safe default for any breeding project.

      How many isopod species do you stock?
      Over 200 species and morphs across more than 20 genera, from common beginner species to rare collector lines. Not every line is in stock at once; a sold-out listing has a Notify me when available button.

      Looking for something specific? The main isopods for sale page has the shopping guide, new arrivals the latest additions and special offers the current deals. For substrate, leaf litter and setup essentials, see drygoods and accessories, and pair any colony with springtails for a complete bioactive cleanup crew.

      210 products
      Sale
      Dairy Cow isopod, Porcellio laevis, close-up, marked in bold black and white patches
      Dairy Cow Isopods for Sale UK (Porcellio laevis)
      £3.50 from £2.50 Save £1.00
      Sale
      white shark isopods
      White Shark Isopods (Cubaris sp.)
      £40.00 from £12.50 Save £27.50
      Sale
      Panda King isopod, Cubaris sp., with bold black and white banding
      Panda King Isopods (Cubaris sp.)
      £20.00 from £10.00 Save £10.00
      Dwarf White isopods, Trichorhina tomentosa, plain white with a fine felted surface
      Dwarf White Isopods (Trichorhina tomentosa)
      from £6.00
      Giant Orange isopods, Porcellio laevis, the orange colour morph of the species
      Giant Orange Isopods (Porcellio laevis)
      from £3.50
      A pale Magic Potion isopod marked with bright yellow and black blotches, on dark soil among dried leaves.
      Magic Potion Isopods (Armadillidium vulgare)
      from £15.00
      Sold Out
      powder orange isopod
      Powder Orange Isopods (Porcellionides pruinosus)
      £10.00 from £6.00 Save £4.00
      zebra isopod
      Zebra Isopods (Armadillidium Maculatum)
      from £10.00
      Small Rainbow Mix isopods in orange, cream and white scattered across dark brown substrate and fine roots.
      Rainbow Mix Powdered Isopods (Porcellionides pruinosus)
      from £6.00
      Graphic of an open black box with a lime green isopod drawn on each side and the words Mystery Box above it.
      Isopod Mystery Box
      from £25.00
      Sale
      Crystal pineapple isopods
      Crystal Pineapple Isopods (Cristarmadillidium muricatum)
      £25.00 from £15.00 Save £10.00
      Rubber Ducky Isopod
      Rubber Ducky Isopods for Sale UK (Cubaris sp.)
      from £47.50
      A single Powder Blue isopod, dusty grey blue, on ridged pale golden wood.
      Powder Blue Isopods (Porcellionides pruinosus)
      from £6.00
      clown isopod
      Montenegro Clown Isopods (Armadillidium klugii)
      from £10.00
      porcellio snow white isopod
      Snow White Isopods (Porcellio laevis)
      from £2.50
      Sale
      Armadillidium Granulatum Isopods
      Armadillidium granulatum Isopods (Yellow Spanish)
      £6.00 from £5.00 Save £1.00
      powder orange dalmation isopod
      Powder Orange Dalmatian Isopods (Porcellionides pruinosus)
      from £6.00
      Sale
      moo cow isopod
      Moo Cow Isopods (Porcellio scaber)
      £10.00 from £7.50 Save £2.50
      Sale
      Granulatum orange isopod
      Orange Granulatum 'Naranjito' Isopods (Armadillidium granulatum)
      £45.00 from £9.00 Save £36.00
      Sold Out
      Jumbo gestroi isopods
      Armadillidium gestroi 'Jumbo' Isopods
      £25.00 from £12.50 Save £12.50
      An Oreo Crumble isopod on orange-brown bark, its pale blue-white back blotched with slate grey and edged in white.
      Oreo Crumble Isopods (Porcellionides pruinosus)
      from £6.00
      yellow zebra isopod
      Yellow Zebra Isopods (Armadillidium Maculatum)
      from £20.00
      Sale
      High Yellow Spotted Giant Isopods (Armadillidium Gestroi)
      Armadillidium Gestroi - Yellow Spotted Isopods
      £17.50 from £15.00 Save £2.50
      white long slender isopod with long antenna
      Powder White Isopods (Porcellionides pruinosus)
      from £5.00
      Sold Out
      Gem Mix isopods in rust orange, spotted cream and slate grey on pale cork bark.
      Armadillidium vulgare 'Gem Mix' Isopods
      from £12.00
      An Ember Bee isopod with a slate grey back and orange red flank markings on pale stone, a second blurred behind it.
      Ember Bee Isopods (Ardentiella sp.)
      from £50.00
      Sale
      red panda king isopod
      Red Panda King Isopods (Cubaris sp.)
      £60.00 from £25.00 Save £35.00
      A Lava isopod on pale cork bark, orange body mottled with grey and covered in fine raised bumps.
      Lava Isopods (Porcellio scaber)
      from £12.50

      Blog posts

      View all
      Five pastel-pink Cherry Blossom isopods on the underside of a pale bark ledge
      Pink Isopods: Species, Morphs and How to Keep Them
      A Daxin Tricolor isopod on dark leaf litter, orange at the front, dark slate through the middle and white at the tail
      Daxin Tricolor Isopod Care Guide (Cubaris sp.)
      An orange Armadillidium nasatum on a white fibrous pad
      Armadillidium nasatum Care Guide: The Nosey Pill-Woodlouse