Powder Blue Isopods — Porcellionides pruinosus

💙 Powder Blue Isopods — Porcellionides pruinosus “Powder Blue”

They’re hardy, extremely prolific breeders and one of the most adaptable isopods available. Powder Blue Isopods are fast-moving, active and excellent at breaking down decaying organic matter, making them a fantastic choice for bioactive enclosures and clean-up crews. Their soft, dusty blue-grey colouring makes them especially attractive in a naturalistic setup. 🦎💙

🌍 Origin: Porcellionides pruinosus is considered to have a Mediterranean/European origin and is now widespread throughout much of the world. The Powder Blue is a captive colour morph of the species rather than a separate species or wild locality.

Excellent for temperate, semi-arid to humid bioactive enclosures, provided they always have access to a consistently moist refuge. They are very adaptable, but should never be allowed to become completely dry.

A good setup is:

• 💧 Moisture: Maintain a clear moisture gradient, with approximately ⅓–½ of the enclosure kept moist and the remaining area less damp and well ventilated.
• 🏜️ Semi-arid setups: They can adapt well to drier environments as long as a reliable moist retreat is always available.
• 🍂 Food: Leaf litter and decaying hardwood should form the foundation of their diet. They can also be supplemented with vegetables, fish food, shrimp pellets or other suitable protein sources.
• 🪵 Hides: Cork bark, rotten hardwood and a generous layer of leaf litter provide cover and help retain moisture.
• 🦴 Calcium: Provide a constant calcium source such as cuttlebone, calcium carbonate or crushed eggshell.
• 🌡️ Temperature: Approximately 20–27°C (68–80°F) is a good general range. They can tolerate warmer temperatures when adequate moisture is available.
• 📏 Adult Size: Approximately 1–1.5 cm (0.4–0.6 inch).

Powder Blue Isopods are an excellent beginner species because they are hardy, highly adaptable and reproduce very quickly once established. They are also highly active compared with many larger isopods, making them particularly effective as a clean-up crew.

Hardy • Extremely fast breeding • Adaptable • Great clean-up crew • Nutritious supplemental feeder

*12–15 Isopods