Porcellio expansus husbandry

Porcellio expansus isopods are native to Spain, preferring to be in arid environments with very little humidity. They require large amount of space to thrive and breed. Adults reaching lengths of over 1.5 inches, it is safe to say that these are some of the largest species kept in todays hobby. Porcellio expansus isopods enjoy regular amounts of protein in their diets, as well as vegetables. They are slow to establish, but have medium – large sized broods once they are properly acclimated.

I have had good luck with keeping my Porcellio expansus isopods in a 28 qt tub with lots of ventilation. I keep around 15-20% of one side damp with sphagnum moss, which i spray every 3-5 days. This will help with gravid females and mancae during the molting process, as well as providing an appropriate amount of humidity for the enclosure. Over spraying can be fatal to Porcellio expansus, so it is best to start off with spraying only around 10-15% of the enclosure. This will help to ensure there is not too much moisture inside the setup. Putting them in a larger tub will also help with this and maintaining proper microclimates.

I feed my Porcellio expansus isopods once a week. One week i will feed protein such as Red River Shrimp, Fish Flakes, Freeze Dried Minnows, Mealworms, and Fly Larva. The following week i will feed vegetables such as Squash, Zucchini, Potato, Sweet Potato, and Carrots. It’s best to not leave any food left over after 48 hours of offering it, this will help keep away any unwanted pests. I will also have readily available amounts of leaf litter and cuttlebone at all times.

Porcellio expansus isopods can be a little tricky to master as far as keeping them successfully. Its always recommend to do research before purchasing isopods of any species you’re unfamiliar with. If you have any questions regarding specific species care, feel free to contact us at any time!