Cubaris sp. 'Moby Dick' / 'Orcha' Isopods for Sale

Cubaris sp. 'Moby Dick' (also traded as 'Orcha' or 'Orca') is one of the most genuinely exciting new Cubaris in the UK hobby — a strikingly pale, ghostly-white recessive morph that emerges from the famous Penguin / White Side line. The name says it: the body is dominantly white-to-cream, with a darker line running down the centre (the visible digestive tract through the pale carapace) reminiscent of a great white whale. Individuals vary subtly between brilliant white and softer cream tones, giving a colony genuine visual variety. For collectors who love the pale, ghostly end of the Cubaris world — or anyone interested in the genetics of new morphs as they emerge — the Moby Dick / Orcha is a rare and rewarding piece.

This stock was UK-bred by Mark Titterton, the breeder who first introduced this morph to the hobby. We were fortunate to acquire 10–15 individuals from Mark at the start of the year. They were initially slow to establish — similar to the Penguin line in their characteristic pace — but by late spring, mancae began appearing in the enclosure and the colony has built steadily since. As a recessive morph from the Penguin / White Side line, some normal Penguin / White Side offspring naturally appear among the mancae; the colour does not change or develop over time as with some morphs, which means it's straightforward to identify and remove the standard-looking offspring to keep the line producing as many visual Moby Dick / Orcha individuals as possible.

As a Cubaris originally native to Thailand (like most premium Cubaris in the hobby) but with care and breeding now established in UK conditions, they fit the standard tropical Cubaris husbandry — warmth, consistent humidity, and patience. They sit alongside their parent Penguin / White Side Cubaris and other premium morphs like the iconic Rubber Ducky, the striking Black Pearl, and the pale Snow Queen. Like all Cubaris, they conglobate (roll into a tight defensive ball) when disturbed.

Quick Care Summary

• Scientific Name: Cubaris sp. 'Moby Dick' / 'Orcha'
• Common Names: Moby Dick, Orcha, Orca, Cubaris Moby Dick
• Family: Armadillidae
• Genus: Cubaris
• Origin: Native to Thailand; this stock UK-bred by Mark Titterton
• Adult Size: Up to 1.5 cm (15 mm) — small-to-medium Cubaris
• Lifespan: 2–3 years typical
• Difficulty: Moderate — accessible for keepers with some Cubaris experience; doesn't suit complete beginners
• Temperature: 21–27°C (warm-preferring; lean middle of range)
• Humidity: Medium-to-high (70–80%) with a gentle moisture gradient
• Ventilation: Medium — retain humidity while preventing stagnation
• Conglobation: Yes — rolls into a tight defensive ball
• Behaviour: Social and curious; mostly nocturnal; bolder in larger colonies
• Breeding: Moderate — slow to establish but reliable once settled; recessive morph from the Penguin / White Side line
• Rarity: Very rare — a brand-new UK-bred morph

What Makes Moby Dick / Orcha Isopods Special

Several factors make this a properly exciting new Cubaris:

The dominantly white-to-cream body. This is the headline — a strikingly pale, ghostly body that ranges from brilliant white to soft cream between individuals, with a darker line running down the centre (the visible digestive tract through the pale carapace). Hence both names: the Moby Dick white-whale reference and the Orcha contrast.

A genuinely new morph. The Penguin / White Side line was only discovered around 2017, and the Moby Dick / Orcha is one of the recessive morphs to have emerged from it. For collectors interested in the cutting edge of the Cubaris hobby — and the genetics behind new morphs — there's real novelty here.

UK-bred provenance. Introduced to the hobby by UK breeder Mark Titterton, this stock has been raised in UK conditions rather than imported — a quietly valuable selling point for keepers concerned about adaptation and acclimatisation.

Predictable morph genetics. An unusually useful detail: the colour does not change with age like some morphs. This means you can identify true Moby Dick / Orcha individuals from young, making selective breeding straightforward — separate the normal-looking offspring early to keep the line producing visual morphs.

A natural pair with the Penguin / White Side. As a recessive morph from that line, the Moby Dick / Orcha is a natural collector's pairing with the parent Penguin / White Side. Some Penguin / White Side offspring will naturally appear in any Moby Dick colony, so keeping both is a sensible commitment.

Conglobation. Like all Cubaris, they roll into a tight defensive ball when disturbed — the classic rounded Cubaris charm in a strikingly pale package.

How Moby Dick / Orcha Compares to Other Pale and Premium Cubaris

If you're choosing between pale and premium Cubaris, here's how the Moby Dick / Orcha fits in:

• vs Penguin / White Side: The parent line — Penguin / White Side shows the standard appearance; Moby Dick / Orcha is the recessive pale-bodied morph that has emerged from it. Identical care, naturally paired in collections. Some Penguin offspring will appear in any Moby Dick colony.
• vs Snow Queen: Both are pale-bodied premium Cubaris. Snow Queens have their own distinctive pale colouration; Moby Dick / Orcha is the recessive penguin-line variant. Different lines, similar pale-Cubaris appeal.
• vs Rubber Ducky: Rubber Duckies are the iconic premium Cubaris with their duck-face markings; Moby Dick / Orcha is the strikingly pale ghostly alternative. Both rare, sought-after premium Cubaris.
• vs Black Pearl: Black Pearls are the bold dark premium Cubaris; Moby Dick / Orcha is the pale opposite. The two together make a striking high-contrast premium pair.

Browse the full Cubaris collection to compare all options in this popular genus.

Setting Up the Enclosure

A 6–10 litre container with a secure lid suits a starter colony. As tropical Cubaris that appreciate consistent humidity, aim for a setup that holds moisture while allowing medium ventilation — enough airflow to prevent stagnation without drying out the enclosure. The 3L Braplast tub works for starter colonies, with larger housing as the colony grows; our Braplast vent plugs help maintain humidity while preventing mancae from escaping.

Provide plenty of hiding spots — cork bark, leaf litter, and decaying wood — to help the colony feel secure, which in turn promotes feeding and breeding. The pale ghostly bodies show beautifully against dark naturalistic substrate. Keep the enclosure out of direct sunlight. Browse our accessories collection for appropriate enclosures, vents, and other essentials.

Substrate

Use a substrate mix that retains moisture and provides calcium:

• Organic topsoil (pesticide-free) as the base
• Sphagnum peat moss and sphagnum moss for moisture retention
• Flake soil for added nutrition and structure
• Crushed limestone or eggshells worked throughout for calcium
• Decayed hardwood pieces and leaf litter mixed in
• Small pieces of rotting white wood for nutrients

We recommend a topsoil and sphagnum-based mix rather than coco coir. Substrate depth: at least 5–8 cm for burrowing and security.

Top layer: Generous hardwood leaf litter — magnolia leaves work particularly well for long-lasting cover. Add cork bark, decaying wood, and a sphagnum moss patch on the humid side. Plenty of cover helps the colony feel secure.

Humidity and Temperature

Maintain medium-to-high humidity (70–80%) with a gentle moisture gradient. Keep one side of the enclosure more humid — add damp sphagnum moss and mist this area regularly — while the drier side still has leaf litter coverage but won't need regular misting. This gradient lets the isopods regulate their own moisture needs. The substrate should be damp in the moist zone but never waterlogged.

Arid conditions are genuinely lethal. As tropical Cubaris with high moisture needs, the Moby Dick / Orcha cannot tolerate dry conditions — humidity must stay consistent within the comfort range. At the same time, swings between extremes are equally damaging. As one PostPods customer noted about following the website's care guidance, getting moisture right is the key to keeping isopods successfully — too much moisture is a common, avoidable mistake. Aim for stable damp-not-wet conditions with a gradient and good cover.

Temperature should be 21–27°C — they're warm-preferring tropical Cubaris that appreciate stable conditions. Room temperature in heated UK homes works toward the middle of this range; avoid fluctuations and don't place the enclosure near heat sources or windows. If your home runs cold, a heat mat on a thermostat helps — position it on one side to maintain the gradient, never underneath. Optimal breeding temperatures sit around 22–26°C (72–80°F).

Diet

Moby Dick / Orcha isopods are detritivores feeding on the usual range of forest materials:

• Staples (always available): Hardwood leaf litter (oak, beech), decaying rotting wood, and the substrate's organic matter
• Vegetables (supplementary): Small amounts of carrot, courgette, sweet potato, squash. Replace within 24–48 hours.
• Fruit (occasionally): Small amounts of soft fruit
• Protein (1–2x weekly): Fish flakes, dried shrimp. Browse our accessories collection for the full range of protein supplements.
• Calcium (essential — always available): Cuttlefish bone, crushed limestone, eggshells, oyster shell. Important for healthy moulting and exoskeleton development — provide a constant source.

Feeding approach: Maintain a base of leaf litter and decaying wood, supplementing with small amounts of vegetables, occasional fruit, regular protein, and a constant calcium source. Remove uneaten fresh foods within 24–48 hours to prevent mould in the humid conditions Cubaris require.

Breeding

The Moby Dick / Orcha breeds at a moderate rate — slow to get going initially, but reliable once established. In our experience, mancae appeared after several months of letting the colony settle.

Breeding basics:

• Females brood eggs in a marsupium and release fully-formed live young
• As a recessive morph from the Penguin / White Side line, some standard Penguin / White Side offspring will appear among the mancae — this is normal and expected
• The colour does not change with age — Moby Dick / Orcha juveniles are visually identifiable as such from young. This is useful for selective breeding
• If you're maintaining a pure Moby Dick / Orcha line, separate the standard-looking offspring early

For breeding success:

• Consistent humidity (70–80%) — avoid fluctuations
• Stable temperature (22–26°C is ideal)
• Plenty of calcium for breeding females
• Abundant hiding spots so the colony feels secure
• Patience — the line is slow to establish but reliable once it does
• A larger starter group establishes faster and provides genetic diversity

It's likely that more morphs will continue to emerge from the Penguin / White Side line in the coming years, given how recently the parent line was discovered. For collectors interested in being involved at the leading edge of Cubaris morph development, the Moby Dick / Orcha is a rewarding place to start.

Pair With Springtails

Add a thriving springtail culture to any Moby Dick / Orcha setup. Springtails handle mould and microbial growth at a scale isopods can't manage — particularly important in the humid conditions Cubaris require, and around fresh foods. They coexist peacefully with the Moby Dick / Orcha and form an essential cleanup partnership.

Who Should Buy Moby Dick / Orcha Isopods?

Ideal for:

• Collectors wanting a genuinely new, rare Cubaris morph
• Keepers drawn to pale, ghostly Cubaris colouration
• Penguin / White Side keepers building out the morph family
• Hobbyists interested in the genetics of recently-discovered Cubaris lines
• Experienced Cubaris keepers (not first-time isopod buyers)
• Display enthusiasts wanting a striking pale-bodied species

Not ideal for:

• Complete beginners — start with hardier species like Cubaris murina first
• Low-humidity or excessively-ventilated setups (arid conditions are lethal)
• Setups prone to humidity fluctuation (consistency matters)
• Cool rooms that can't provide the warmth they prefer
• Anyone wanting fast colony growth — they're slow to establish

Realistic Expectations

It's a new morph from a relatively new line. The Penguin / White Side parent line was only discovered around 2017, and the Moby Dick / Orcha is one of its recessive offshoots. Set expectations toward genuine rarity and novelty — this is leading-edge Cubaris collecting.

Penguin / White Side offspring will appear in any colony. As a recessive morph, breeding produces some standard-looking juveniles alongside the visual Moby Dick / Orcha. This is normal genetics, not a defect — and you can identify the morph from young thanks to the stable colouration.

They're slow to get going. Don't expect immediate breeding — colonies typically take several months to settle and begin producing mancae. Patience is rewarded.

Consistency matters most. The key husbandry point is stable, medium-to-high humidity and steady warmth — avoid fluctuations and arid conditions, both of which are damaging. Get the consistency right and they're genuinely manageable.

Difficulty is moderate, not easy. Like other premium Cubaris, this isn't a beginner species — at a premium price, set realistic expectations about the warmth, humidity, and patience required.

Building Your Setup

A complete Moby Dick / Orcha setup needs a humidity-retentive, calcium-rich substrate, abundant calcium sources, generous leaf litter, plenty of cork bark hides, and protein supplements. Browse our accessories collection for everything you need — enclosures, ventilation, leaf litter, calcium (cuttlebone, limestone, oyster shell), and protein supplements.

Browse the full Cubaris collection for more species and morphs, including the parent Penguin / White Side line.