Rubber Bee Isopods (Cubaris sp.)

The first thing to settle about the Rubber Bee is whether it is just another name for the Rubber Ducky. It is not. The hobby treats them as separate species, though neither has been formally described, and they happen to share a yellow-and-dark front; the giveaway is the back end. Where the Rubber Ducky stops at yellow and dark, the Rubber Bee finishes on a clean white rear, giving it a full three-part colour run down the body. That tricolour is the whole appeal, and it is why this Cubaris sits in the premium tier. Every one we send is captive-bred here in the UK.

Introduction

This is Cubaris sp. 'Rubber Bee', a flashy tricolour species sold as Thai: a pale yellow to orange-cream face and front segment, a deep navy-to-black midsection, and that clean white rear. It is worth knowing it looks almost identical to the Cubaris sp. 'Daxin Tricolor'; one hobby reference site separates the two by the Daxin's deeper orange and colourless pleon, and in our photographs the Daxin is the more orange of the two. There is more on the Daxin in our Daxin Tricolor care guide. Alongside the Bumblebee and the Rubber Ducky, it is one of the more sought-after premium species in the genus.

Appearance

A medium Cubaris at up to around 15 mm, carrying the three-part colour sequence that defines it. The white rear is the feature to look for; it is what separates a Rubber Bee from the otherwise-similar Rubber Ducky on sight. The full pattern firms up as juveniles mature through their moults. Like the rest of the genus they conglobate into a tight ball when disturbed.

Care

The one thing that makes or breaks a Rubber Bee is consistency. It is a warm, tropical species wanting 21 to 27°C and humidity around 70 to 80%, but the trap is moisture: it wants damp air, not a wet tub, and waterlogging brings moult failures and sudden losses. Keep one side more humid with damp sphagnum and light misting, the other drier with leaf litter and airflow, and aim for substrate like a wrung-out sponge. Build it deep, 5 to 8 cm, on organic topsoil, flake soil and white-rotted wood rather than coco coir, with crushed limestone or oyster shell worked through for constant calcium. When in doubt, err slightly drier and lift the ventilation. Our Rubber Bee care guide covers the whole setup, the mineral side included.

Diet

Rubber Bees are detritivores, so hardwood leaf litter and decaying wood are the constant base. Add small amounts of vegetable once or twice a week, the occasional soft fruit, regular protein such as fish flake or dried shrimp, and a permanent calcium source for clean moults. Clear uneaten fresh food within a day or two, as it spoils fast in the humidity and can feed the mould these want no part of. A springtail culture alongside earns its keep.

Breeding

Breeding is slow to moderate and rewards patience. A new group establishes gradually, then, once it has momentum and conditions are held steady, reproduces readily and close to year-round. Females carry their eggs in a brood pouch and release live young, pale and still short of their last pair of legs, and the tricolour comes in as the juveniles mature. Start with a group rather than a pair, keep the calcium constant and the conditions stable, and let them settle without interference.

Who is this for?

The Rubber Bee suits the keeper who loves the Rubber Ducky look but wants more colour and more to watch, since it is noticeably more day-active than most premium Cubaris, and the collector building a tricolour shelf. It is a medium-difficulty species that punishes fluctuating conditions, so it is not a first isopod; if you are new to the genus, learn on the hardy Cubaris murina first and step up once you can hold conditions steady.

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, on the Next Day or Tracked 24 service you choose, with a 20% overcount in every order. Setup components are in our accessories range.