Citrus Panda King Isopods (Cubaris sp.)

There is a marmalade brightness to the Citrus Panda King that stops people mid-scroll. Where the standard Panda King wears black-and-white, the Citrus glows warm orange through to a deep citrus-red, often finished with a neat patch of white at the tail, the "white bum" the morph is known for. It is one of the cheeriest Cubaris on the shelf, and, being a Panda King at heart, one of the more forgiving Cubaris to keep. Every colony we send is captive-bred here in the UK.

Introduction

This is Cubaris sp. 'Citrus Panda King', a selectively bred orange colour form of the Panda King. Sellers place the group in limestone karst country, most of them in Vietnam and a few in Thailand; we have found no published record of a collector, a year or a collection site. It shares the group's real virtue: unlike the premium Cubaris, the Panda King family is approachable, more tolerant of a slip than the rarities and a reliable breeder once settled. The Citrus simply puts that on an eye-catching bright body.

Appearance

A small Cubaris in line with the rest of the Panda King group, rounded and neat, in saturated orange-to-citrus-red with the characteristic pale rear. Colour deepens over successive moults, so newly released young look paler before the orange comes through. Like the rest of the genus it conglobates into a tight ball when disturbed, and the bright colour holds whether it is active or curled.

The Citrus Panda King is a selected line of an undescribed species, so nothing published gives its adult length, and the 10 to 18 mm in our care panel reflects what keepers report rather than any measured description.

Care

Care follows the standard Panda King, and it differs from the hardy European isopods in the ways every Cubaris does. It wants warmth, 21 to 27°C leaning warm, and consistent light dampness rather than a strong wet-to-dry gradient, kept humid but never waterlogged, with medium ventilation to keep the air from going stale. Overwetting is the one real risk, so aim for lightly damp and mist rather than soak. Build a deep substrate on organic topsoil, flake soil and white-rotted hardwood rather than coco coir, and be generous with limestone: woodlice build a calcium carbonate cuticle, so the demand is high, and it feeds straight into moulting and breeding. Our calcium guide and complete Cubaris care guide cover it.

Diet

Leaf litter and decaying white wood are the base, kept topped up. Add small amounts of vegetable, the occasional soft fruit, and regular protein such as fish flake or dried shrimp, which supports breeding and heads off cannibalism, plus a permanent calcium source. Clear uneaten fresh food within a day or two so it does not turn in the warmth, and let a springtail culture graze the soft mould.

Breeding

The Citrus follows the Panda King pattern: slow to settle, then a prolific breeder. Give a new group stable warmth, steady dampness and constant calcium, leave it undisturbed to establish, and numbers build steadily from there. Young are released live from the female's brood pouch, still short of their last pair of legs, and colour up as they grow. Keep the line pure if you want reliably orange offspring, away from the standard, Red and Pink morphs.

Who is this for?

The Citrus suits the keeper who wants bright colour without demanding husbandry, and the collector assembling the Panda King family in all its shades. It is fine for a beginner, even as a first isopod. It makes a sound first Cubaris and a stepping stone towards the rarities like the Rubber Ducky. It is not for a bone-dry setup, an over-waterer, or anyone needing constant visible activity from day one.

Our new Panda King care guide covers the whole Panda King family in one guide, Citrus included, from conditions to breeding.

All stock is captive-bred here in the UK and travels under our live arrival guarantee, packed into a ventilated deli tub with damp sphagnum inside a double-walled box. We post Monday to Thursday by Royal Mail Tracked 24, or Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm if you choose Next Day at checkout, with a 20% overcount in every order.