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      Ardentiella Isopods for Sale UK

      Ardentiella, the genus the hobby knew as Merulanella until a 2025 revision, are among the most striking isopods you can keep: deep reds, yellows, oranges and blacks on animals that climb, stay on the surface and are easy to see. The Ember Bee, the Scarlet and the rest of the genus are listed here as they come into stock.

      They are not a beginner genus: the difficulty is real, and it comes down to holding humidity and airflow at the same time. Orders go out Monday to Thursday by Royal Mail Tracked 24 or Next Day, with the live arrival guarantee and a 20% overcount.

      What they are

      A 2025 revision by Kästle and Regalado Fernández raised the new genus Ardentiella, in the tropical pill woodlouse family Armadillidae, and left Merulanella with only three older species, none of them in culture. Its two described species are from Myanmar; the hobby lines are undescribed forms traded from Vietnam and western Thailand, which is why every listing reads Ardentiella sp. They live on the forest floor and in low vegetation rather than in caves, they climb rather than burrow, and although they can roll up, they seldom do.

      The lines

      Alongside the Ember Bee and the Scarlet, the range takes in the Red Diablo, Phoenix, Lava, Batman, Thunder Dragon, Pastel and Tri Colour lines. The Ember Bee care guide and the Scarlet care guide cover the two best-known in full.

      Before you buy: the care notes

      • Humidity and airflow together. They want 60 to 75% humidity and good airflow at the same time. Stagnant, humid air kills them, so give the tub fine mesh vents on two opposite sides for cross-flow.
      • Cooler than most tropical isopods. They do best at about 20 to 23°C and tolerate 19 to 26°C. A heated room keeps them in range, at the cool edge in winter, so they need no heat mat; keep them out of a room that runs above about 26°C in summer.
      • Climbers, not burrowers. Five to eight centimetres of substrate is plenty. Put the effort into bark, branches and leaf litter, with a damp, mossy spot under bark for moulting. They climb smooth plastic, so the lid has to fit.

      If you haven't kept tropical isopods before, start with a hardier species such as the Dairy Cow or Powder Blue, and come back to Ardentiella once you are comfortable managing humidity and airflow. My Ardentiella care guide covers the husbandry in full.

      Frequently asked questions

      Is Ardentiella the same as Merulanella?
      For the hobby's animals, yes. Since the 2025 revision they sit in the new genus Ardentiella as undescribed species, and Merulanella keeps only three older species that are not in culture. The animals and their care haven't changed, and you will still see both names used.

      Are Ardentiella good for beginners?
      No. They need the humidity-and-airflow balance right, cooler temperatures than most tropical isopods and an escape-proof enclosure. Build your husbandry on a hardy species first, then step up.

      What temperature do Ardentiella need?
      They do best at about 20 to 23°C and tolerate 19 to 26°C, which makes them notably cooler-running than Cubaris. That catches out keepers who assume every tropical isopod wants the same warmth.

      Can I keep Ardentiella in a vivarium with a reptile?
      It isn't a good idea. They want cooler conditions than most reptiles need, and they climb out through the gaps that typical vivarium ventilation leaves. Keep them in a dedicated enclosure.

      Why are Ardentiella isopods so expensive?
      Slow growth, a moderate breeding rate and strong demand from collectors, plus the care it takes to keep colonies stable.

      Browse the wider range in isopods for sale, and pair any colony with springtails.

      11 products
      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
      Sold Out
      Scarlet isopod, Ardentiella sp., deep glowing red splashed with yellow and black
      Scarlet Isopods (Ardentiella sp.)
      from £70.00
      Sold Out
      A Red Diablo isopod with a blue-black back marked in white and yellow and deep red side plates, on a dried leaf.
      Red Diablo Isopods (Ardentiella sp.) for Sale UK
      from £70.00
      Sold Out
      medium sized pill bug with orange, red and black platted colouring
      Ardentiella sp. 'Phoenix' Isopods
      from £80.00
      Sold Out
      A Batman isopod, slate grey with a pale yellow band across its head plate, on the edge of a dried orange leaf.
      Batman Isopods (Ardentiella sp.)
      from £80.00
      Sold Out
      Thunder Dragon Isopods (Ardentiella)
      Ardentiella sp. 'Thunder Dragon' Isopods
      from £135.00
      Sold Out
      A single Ardentiella 'Pastel' isopod, black with yellow side plates and small red marks, on a dark grainy surface.
      Ardentiella sp. 'Pastel' Isopods
      from £85.00
      Sold Out
      Tri colour isopods
      Tri Colour Isopods (Ardentiella sp.)
      from £110.00
      Ardentiella lava isopod
      Lava Isopods (Ardentiella sp.)
      from £70.00
      Sold Out
      A Lava Pastel isopod with a dark navy head and tail and peach and yellow banded segments, on a dried brown leaf.
      Lava Pastel Isopods (Ardentiella sp.)
      from £80.00
      Sold Out
      phoenix isopods
      Yellow Phoenix Isopods (Ardentiella sp.)
      from £80.00

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