Cubaris sp. 'Red Pak Chong' Isopods

The Red Pak Chong sits right at the root of the Cubaris family tree. It is the same undescribed Thai species as the famous Rubber Ducky, simply a different, red-faced line, and it is the stock the spectacular pink Cherry Blossom was later selected from. On its own merits it is a genuinely handsome tricolour: a blue-grey body edged in white frills with orange-red on the rear and often the face. It makes a strong first step into premium Cubaris. Every colony we send is captive-bred here in the UK.

Introduction

This is Cubaris sp. 'Red Pak Chong', named for the Pak Chong district of north-eastern Thailand where the original stock was collected, in the limestone-cave country that produces the best Thai Cubaris. The lineage is the interesting part: it is the same species as the Rubber Ducky (the yellow-faced line) and the parent stock of the Cherry Blossom (the pink line selected from it over years). It sits in the accessible end of the premium tier: distinctive enough to justify its place, but less demanding than the Rubber Ducky or Lemon Blue.

Appearance

A compact display Cubaris, up to around 15 mm, tricoloured rather than solid red: a blue-grey body, white frilled edges running along each segment, and orange-red highlights on the rear and often the face. The colour and contrast firm up as the animals mature, so young stock reads paler and less defined. Like the rest of the genus it rolls into a tight ball when disturbed, and the pattern holds even curled.

Care

Red Pak Chong care is standard premium-Cubaris, and the one rule that matters is moist but not wet. Keep warmth at 24 to 27°C and humidity around 70 to 80% on a gradient, one damp side with sphagnum and light misting, the rest drier with leaf litter and airflow, and aim for substrate like a wrung-out sponge. Overwetting is by a distance the commonest way premium Cubaris are lost, so err drier and lift the ventilation when in doubt. Build a deep substrate on organic topsoil, flake soil and white-rotted wood rather than coco coir, generous with limestone for the constant calcium a cave animal needs, and give plenty of tight cork-bark hides so a shy new colony feels secure. Our complete Cubaris care guide covers the detail.

Diet and breeding

An unfussy detritivore: leaf litter and decaying white wood as the base, small amounts of vegetable and the occasional soft fruit, regular protein such as fish flake or dried shrimp on the drier side, and a permanent calcium source. Breeding is slow but reliable, small broods of roughly six to twelve young every month or two once a colony is well settled, so it builds steadily rather than in a rush. Keep it stable and undisturbed to establish, and selective breeding from the reddest individuals can deepen the line over time. A springtail culture keeps mould down.

Who is this for?

The Red Pak Chong suits the keeper who has mastered hardier species and wants a first serious Cubaris, and the collector building the Pak Chong family alongside the Rubber Ducky and Cherry Blossom or the elegant Cappuccino. It is not a beginner's isopod and it punishes over-watering, so learn on the hardy Cubaris murina first. There is more in our Red Pak Chong guide.

All stock is captive-bred here in the UK and travels under our live arrival guarantee, in a ventilated deli tub with damp sphagnum inside a double-walled box. We post Monday to Thursday by Royal Mail next day before 1pm, with a 20% overcount in every order.