Porcellio scaber 'Ghost' Isopods for Sale

Porcellio scaber 'Ghost' is one of the more genuinely intriguing pale morphs of the common rough woodlouse — a captive-bred colour variant with a soft, translucent, almost ethereal appearance that's a real departure from the standard grey-brown wild-type. The classic Ghost look is a pale mauve to grey-purple body, sometimes with subtle yellow shading, often with light eyes — the reduced pigmentation gives them a soft, slightly luminous quality, particularly in good light. Each individual shows subtle natural variation, so a settled colony has real visual depth without losing the overall ghostly character.

One thing worth being honest about up front: the "Ghost" name has a documented history of being applied to several different pale P. scaber morphs over the years. The original Ghost was specifically the pale mauve-purple variant with light eyes; over time, various other low-pigment lines have been sold under the same name, and breeding lines have sometimes been crossed with Whiteout stock. Most "Ghost" colonies today show a range from pale mauve through to more translucent whites, with individual variation across the colony. That ongoing variability is part of the morph's character rather than a problem — but worth knowing if you're hoping for a specific shade.

If you want a specifically white pale morph (with the distinctive white eyes and transparent "skirt" features), that's the Whiteout — a related but distinct morph in your range. If you want the softer, more variable mauve-to-pale look, the Ghost is what you're after. Many keepers collect both for the contrast. Like all Porcellio, the Ghost is flat-bodied and cannot conglobate — it scurries and clamps rather than rolling into a ball.

Quick Care Summary

Please note: the care figures below use the well-established consensus for Porcellio scaber. Verify against the specific care icons on this product page before finalising your setup.

• Scientific Name: Porcellio scaber 'Ghost'
• Common Names: Ghost, Ghost Scaber, Purple Ghost, Mauve Ghost
• Family: Porcellionidae
• Origin: Captive-bred morph (the species is native to Europe)
• Adult Size: Up to approximately 18 mm
• Lifespan: 2–3 years typical
• Difficulty: Easy — as forgiving as any common P. scaber; ideal for beginners
• Temperature: 17–26°C (room temperature works year-round)
• Humidity: 50–70% with a moisture gradient
• Ventilation: Medium to good — airflow important
• Conglobation: No — flat-bodied; scurries and clamps rather than rolling
• Appearance: Pale mauve to grey-purple body, often translucent, sometimes with light eyes; natural individual variation
• Behaviour: Active, often visible during the day; calm and bold
• Breeding: Very prolific once established — among the most reliable Porcellio breeders
• Rarity: Uncommon — a sought-after low-pigment morph

What Makes Ghost Isopods Special

Several factors make the Ghost a properly worthwhile addition to a coloured isopod range:

The mauve-purple "ghostly" colouration. This is the headline. The reduced pigmentation produces a soft, luminous body with pale mauve, grey-purple, and translucent tones — a genuinely unusual aesthetic among isopods that's notably different from the warm browns, blacks, oranges, and pure whites of most morphs. Against dark naturalistic substrate, the effect is properly atmospheric.

Light eyes. The classic Ghost morph often shows light eyes (paler than the dark eyes of the wild-type), reinforcing the overall low-pigment character of the morph. A small but distinctive feature worth looking for.

Natural individual variation. Rather than a uniform colony of identical individuals, a Ghost colony shows a range of shading from animal to animal — paler mauves, slightly more translucent individuals, occasional yellow-tinted ones. That variation gives the colony real visual depth and is part of the morph's character.

Bulletproof hardiness. Underneath the unusual looks, this is still P. scaber — the foundation beginner species precisely because it tolerates nearly anything. The Ghost inherits every bit of that resilience and is one of the easier "fancy" morphs to keep.

Active and visible. Unlike many shy or reclusive premium isopods, Ghost individuals are notably active and frequently visible during the day in well-structured terrariums — particularly engaging for a display species, and the pale colour makes them easy to spot.

Prolific breeders. Settled colonies build substantial populations reliably and quickly — among the most productive Porcellio in the hobby. The Ghost is no exception.

No conglobation — and that's fine. Like all Porcellio, the Ghost is flat-bodied and doesn't roll into a ball. They scurry and clamp instead — different behaviour, equally interesting.

How Ghost Compares to Other Pale Morphs and P. scaber

If you're choosing between pale isopods or P. scaber morphs, here's how the Ghost fits in:

• vs P. scaber 'Whiteout': The key comparison — both are pale P. scaber morphs, but distinct looks. Whiteout shows a clean yellowish-white body with white eyes and a transparent skirt (specific named features); Ghost shows a mauve-to-pale appearance with more variation and often light (but not pure-white) eyes. Same species, different pale aesthetics — many keepers want both for the contrast.
• vs Scaber Mix: Same species. The Mix is a varied selection of P. scaber colour morphs; Ghost is the dedicated, fixed (if variable) pale-mauve morph. Same care, more consistent ghostly look.
• vs P. scaber 'Rust': Both are P. scaber colour morphs at opposite ends of the palette. Rust is the warm reddish-brown morph; Ghost is the pale mauve-to-translucent morph. Identical care — natural collection companions.
• vs P. scaber 'Yin Yang': Both are P. scaber morphs. Yin Yang is the black-and-white contrast morph; Ghost is the soft all-over pale morph. Same species, different takes on light colouration.

Browse the full Porcellio collection to compare all species and morphs.

Setting Up the Enclosure

A 6–10 litre plastic container with a secure lid suits a starter colony, with larger setups as the colony grows. P. scaber is genuinely forgiving about enclosure choice — they thrive in standard plastic tubs with appropriate ventilation. The 3L Braplast tub works for small starter groups; this species genuinely fills more space as it breeds.

Drill ventilation holes on opposite sides for cross-ventilation, covered with fine mesh. Medium-to-good ventilation suits them. Provide plenty of hides — cork bark flats (their favourite, given their tendency to clamp flat against surfaces), leaf litter, and decaying wood. The pale mauve colouration shows particularly beautifully against dark naturalistic substrate and well-structured terrariums with plenty of cover. Browse our accessories collection for appropriate enclosures, vents, and other essentials.

Substrate

Use a moisture-retentive, calcium-rich substrate:

• Organic topsoil base (pesticide-free) as the foundation
• Sphagnum peat moss mixed throughout for moisture retention
• Crushed limestone or eggshells distributed throughout for calcium
• Flake soil mixed in for added nutrition
• Decaying hardwood pieces and rotting wood incorporated throughout
• A little forest moss for humidity and grazing

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

Top layer: Generous hardwood leaf litter — magnolia leaves, oak, and beech all work well — plus cork bark flats (essential for their preferred clamp-flat hiding behaviour) and decaying wood for cover.

Humidity and Temperature

Maintain moderate humidity (around 50–70%) with a clear moisture gradient — keep one side of the enclosure damp with sphagnum moss and damp leaf litter, while the rest stays drier with leaf litter and bark cover. Good airflow prevents stagnation. P. scaber handles humidity variation well, but the gradient still produces healthier, more visible colonies than uniform conditions.

As one PostPods customer noted about following the website's care guidance, getting moisture right is the key to keeping isopods successfully — and for Porcellio specifically, the gradient is more forgiving than fussy precision. When in doubt, the moist corner does the work.

Temperature should be 17–26°C — UK room temperature works year-round. They tolerate slightly wider variation and a slight night drop into the mid-teens mimics natural outdoor conditions. Avoid sustained extremes.

Diet

Ghost isopods are unfussy detritivores with broad appetites:

• Primary diet (always available): Hardwood leaf litter (oak, beech, magnolia), decaying rotting wood, dried plant matter, lichen, mosses
• Vegetables (1–2x weekly): Carrot, courgette, sweet potato, squash, leafy greens. Replace within 24–48 hours.
• Fruit (occasionally): Small amounts of soft fruit
• Protein (1x weekly): Fish flakes, freeze-dried shrimp, dried daphnia. Beneficial for breeding females. Browse our accessories collection for the full range of protein supplements.
• Calcium (essential — always available): Cuttlefish bone, crushed limestone, oyster shell, eggshells. Important for healthy moulting — provide a constant source.

Feeding approach: Maintain a base of leaf litter and decaying wood, supplementing with vegetables, occasional fruit, weekly protein, and a constant calcium source. Remove uneaten fresh foods within 24–48 hours to prevent mould.

Breeding

Ghost isopods breed very prolifically once established under stable conditions — building substantial colonies quickly. P. scaber is one of the most reliable breeders in the hobby, and the Ghost is no exception.

Breeding basics:

• Females carry developing young in a marsupium (fluid-filled brood pouch) and release fully-formed live juveniles
• Multiple broods throughout a female's lifetime
• The pale mauve colouration develops as juveniles mature through successive moults
• A pure Ghost colony breeds the morph reliably, with natural individual variation in shading
• Occasional darker or paler offspring are normal given the morph's documented history of variation

For breeding success:

• Stable temperatures within range (20–24°C is ideal)
• A proper moisture gradient
• Adequate calcium for breeding females
• Regular protein supplementation
• Plenty of cork bark and leaf-litter hides
• A larger starter group establishes faster and provides genetic diversity

As a very prolific breeder, the Ghost rewards keepers with strong, steady colony growth — and a settled colony of pale mauve adults makes a properly atmospheric display.

Pair With Springtails

Add a thriving springtail culture to any Ghost setup. Springtails handle mould and microbial growth at a scale isopods can't manage — particularly useful around protein foods. They coexist peacefully with the Ghost and form a helpful cleanup partnership.

Who Should Buy Ghost Isopods?

Ideal for:

• Keepers drawn to unusual mauve and pale-purple colouration
• Beginners wanting a forgiving but distinctive coloured morph
• Display enthusiasts wanting an active, visible, atmospheric species
• Hobbyists building a P. scaber morph cluster (Ghost + Whiteout + Rust + Yin Yang + Mix)
• Bioactive setup builders needing hardy, reliable cleanup crews
• Reptile and amphibian keepers wanting active, prolific cleanup populations

Not ideal for:

• Keepers wanting an isopod that conglobates — Porcellio don't roll (try Magic Potion or other Armadillidium instead)
• Anyone wanting a uniformly-coloured colony — individual variation is part of the morph's character
• Those wanting specifically white-with-white-eyes-and-transparent-skirt — that's the Whiteout, not the Ghost
• Heavily-planted bioactive setups where plant-nibbling is a concern

Realistic Expectations

Individual variation is normal. Set expectations toward a range of shading from pale mauve through to more translucent individuals — not a perfectly uniform colony. The variation is part of the morph's documented history and character.

The colour is mauve-to-pale, not pure white. If you want a clearly white morph with the white eyes and transparent skirt features, that's the Whiteout. The Ghost leans toward softer, more atmospheric pale-purple tones.

They don't conglobate. P. scaber is flat-bodied and doesn't roll into a ball. They scurry and clamp instead — interesting behaviour, just different from the famous pill bug roll.

They're properly easy. Care-identical to the common rough woodlouse — among the most forgiving isopods in the hobby. A sensible choice even though the morph looks unusual.

Prolific colonies. Once established, expect substantial population growth — they're one of the most reliable breeders available.

Building Your Setup

A complete Ghost setup needs a roomy enclosure, basic substrate components, abundant calcium, generous leaf litter and cork bark flats, 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 Porcellio collection for more species and morphs — including the related pale Whiteout morph, the warm Rust, or the contrasting Yin Yang P. scaber morphs.