Cubaris sp. "Panda King"

A high-end collector species with bold black-and-white markings — expensive, slow-breeding, and not for beginners.

Humidity 75–90%

Temperature 23–27°C

Starter Group 10–15+

Ventilation Controlled

Difficulty Advanced

About this species

Cubaris sp. "Panda King" is a striking isopod from Southeast Asia, named for its bold black-and-white patterning. It is one of the more expensive and sought-after species in the hobby. Like other cave-associated Cubaris, it requires stable tropical conditions and is unforgiving of environmental fluctuations.

This is an advanced species — do not buy Panda Kings as your first or second isopod. Gain experience with hardier species (Porcellio scaber, then Cubaris murina) before investing in animals that cost significantly more and die easily when conditions drift. Like all isopods, it is a terrestrial crustacean that breathes through gill-like pleopods.

Enclosure

A well-sealed plastic tub with small, controlled ventilation holes is essential. The challenge with Cubaris is maintaining high humidity (75–90%) with enough airflow to prevent mould and bacterial blooms. Many experienced keepers use modified containers with precisely sized ventilation holes. Include limestone or calcium-rich rock, cork bark, sphagnum moss, and a deep leaf litter layer.

Substrate

50% coco coir
20% organic topsoil
15% crushed limestone or calcium powder
15% sphagnum moss

Substrate should be consistently moist — wrung-out sponge consistency — but never waterlogged. Standing water kills. Depth 5–8 cm. Top with dried hardwood leaves and sphagnum moss. Never use any softwood (pine, cedar) — toxic to isopods.

Feeding

Dried hardwood leaves (oak, beech) — primary food
Cuttlefish bone — leave permanently; calcium is critical for moulting
Small vegetable portions: courgette, carrot
Weekly protein: dried shrimp, fish flakes
Bee pollen — widely used as a supplement for Cubaris

Remove uneaten fresh food within 24 hours. In the warm, humid conditions Panda Kings need, food spoils rapidly.

Breeding

Panda Kings breed very slowly. Females carry small broods in their marsupium, and new mancae appear infrequently. This is the norm for high-end Cubaris — do not expect anything like the productivity of Porcellio species. Starting with at least 10–15 individuals is strongly recommended; smaller groups may fail to establish. Building a colony is a long-term project measured in years, not months.

Common mistakes

Buying them as a first isopod — they are not forgiving of learning mistakes
Starting with too few animals — 5 or fewer is a recipe for colony collapse
Overwatering — high humidity does not mean soggy substrate; standing water is fatal
Neglecting ventilation — mould thrives in the enclosed, warm conditions Cubaris need
Temperature instability — a steady 23–27°C matters more than hitting a specific target