Live Isopod Culture — 20 Common Brown Isopods (Porcellio scaber) for Bioactive Terrariums

Captive-bred isopod culture — hard-working decomposers for a self-cleaning bioactive setup. Common Brown isopods (Porcellio scaber) are land-living crustaceans, closer relatives of prawns and crabs than of any insect in your garden. They break down droppings, shed skin, uneaten food and decaying plants, aerate the substrate as they burrow, and recycle waste into fertiliser for live plants. Harmless to your animals, your established plants and your substrate.

Quick facts

• Includes: 20 live, captive-bred Common Brown isopods (Porcellio scaber), mixed sizes
• What it is: An established culture on moist substrate with leaf litter, ready to tip straight into your enclosure
• Best for: Bioactive terrariums, vivariums and naturalistic reptile/amphibian enclosures
• Ideal conditions: 18–26°C with a moist end and a drier retreat — they breathe through gills, so they always want a damp corner to go to
• How many to add: 20 seeds a small to medium terrarium (roughly 40–75L); larger vivariums establish faster with two cultures
• Feeding: Leaf litter, decaying wood and vegetable scraps; offer a calcium source such as cuttlebone for healthy moulting
• Care level: Beginner-friendly; the colony becomes self-sustaining once established
• Packaging: Supplied in a ventilated tub with substrate and leaf litter for the journey

Why add isopods?

• Eats what others can't — breaks down leaf litter, bark and animal waste before it fouls your substrate
• Builds living soil — castings feed your plants, and constant burrowing keeps the substrate aerated instead of compacted
• Odour control — waste is cleared before it has a chance to smell
• The workhorse — the hardiest of the common bioactive isopods, and forgiving of cooler rooms and drier patches

Live arrival guarantee

Your culture arrives alive or we replace it. If there's a problem, email us a photo within 24 hours of delivery and we'll sort it out — no need to return anything.

Live cultures are packed the day they ship and posted Monday to Wednesday only, so nothing sits in a depot over the weekend. An order placed Thursday or Friday goes out the following Monday. We're not able to send live cultures to WA or TAS.

Care & FAQ

Will isopods eat my live plants? They strongly prefer decaying matter and established plants are left alone. Very soft seedlings and fresh moss can occasionally be grazed if there is nothing else on offer, so keep leaf litter in the enclosure and it won't come up.

How do I establish a colony? Tip the culture in, substrate and all, to a humid planted enclosure with leaf litter and a hide. Keep one side moist and the other drier, and let the population build over a few weeks.

One of mine is two different colours — is it sick? No, that's a moult. Isopods shed in two halves, back end first, so a two-tone isopod is growing, not dying.

Where have they all gone? Isopods work mostly at night and spend the day under leaf litter, bark and hides. You'll notice their handiwork before you notice them.

Will they escape into my house? No — they need constant humidity and a damp retreat, and won't survive on a dry benchtop or carpet.

How long do they last? Individuals typically live two to three years, and a colony with food and moisture sustains itself indefinitely.

Can I feed them to my reptiles? Yes. Isopods are a good calcium-rich feeder for reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates, and a colony living in the enclosure doubles as a self-replenishing snack.

Pairs well with: springtails — springtails clear mould at the microscopic level while isopods handle the bulk. Together they're a complete bioactive cleanup crew.

New to isopods? Read our full isopod care guide.