Thai Blue Angel Isopods (Cubaris sp.)

Under a 365 nm UV torch, says the breeder whose description most sellers follow, the Thai Blue Angel glows electric blue; the breeder is specific about 365 nm, and a cheaper 395 nm torch may show little. Fluorescence turns up in several pale woodlice, so it is not unique to this Cubaris, but it is a rare chance to test for it in your own animals. In ordinary light it is a smooth, pale isopod, lilac-grey to cream with a cool blue tint on some animals. Every colony we send is captive-bred here in the UK.

Introduction

This is Cubaris sp. 'Thai Blue Angel', a pale form, sold as Thai, with a smooth, rounded body that nobody has yet matched to a scientific name. Despite the premium looks it sits in the accessible tier of the genus alongside the Panda King: hardy, productive once settled and forgiving of the odd husbandry slip in a way the sensitive premium rarities are not. One honest point on the name, though: the "Blue Angel" is a tendency, not a guarantee. Individuals range from white through blue-grey and silver to cream and even faintly orange, and one breeder says the blue came through only in mature adults, so young stock can look pale before it settles. Our Thai Blue Angel care guide covers the colour, the UV glow and what is actually known about this form.

Appearance and behaviour

A medium-to-large Cubaris at 10 to 20 mm by sellers' figures, smooth and glossy-shelled. Sellers disagree on how it lives: one breeder says it burrows a lot, another seller that it clings to the undersides of cork and wood, a third that it is shy and keeps to shelter. Offer both and your colony will show you which it prefers. Like the rest of the genus it rolls into a tight ball when disturbed.

Care

Aim for 22 to 26°C, held steady, so winter heating is realistically needed in most UK homes, on a thermostat and mounted to the side. Keep humidity around 60 to 80% on a gradient, roughly a third damp and the rest drier, damp but never waterlogged. Give them 7 to 10 cm of substrate to dig into and plenty of wood structure to cling to: stack cork and decaying white wood in various orientations, leaving gaps beneath for them to hold on to. Build the substrate on organic topsoil, flake soil and white-rotted hardwood rather than coco coir, with crushed limestone through it for constant calcium. Our complete Cubaris care guide has the detail.

Diet

An unfussy detritivore: leaf litter and decaying white wood as the constant base, plus small amounts of vegetable, the occasional bit of fruit and a little protein about once a week, such as fish flake or dried shrimp. Keep a permanent calcium source going, feed lightly and often rather than in big drops, since excess food moulds fast in the warmth, and let a springtail culture keep it in check.

Who is this for?

The Thai Blue Angel suits the keeper with a little experience stepping up into Cubaris, anyone drawn to the UV feature, and the display keeper who wants an elegant, pale Cubaris. It makes a sound stepping stone towards the demanding rarities like the Rubber Ducky, and sits well beside the Cappuccino and the tricolour Pak Chong. It is a poor fit for a cool, unheated room, or for anyone expecting every individual to be uniformly blue in daylight. The rest of the genus is there to compare.

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.