The Cubaris murina is a small terrestrial isopod that has gained popularity amongst reptile and terrarium hobbyists in recent years. This species is also known for being a very forgiving pet isopod as well, among exotic pet keepers. Join me in finding out why this small isopod, commonly referred to as the “little sea” has gained popularity in recent years.
The cubaris murina isopod is a smaller sized species that belongs to the order isopoda. They are part of the family armadillidae because they can roll into a ball and are natively found in tropical regions. The cubaris murina was found and classified originally by German naturalist and entomologist Johann Friedrich von Brandt in 1831. The murina is found in pan tropical and subtropical areas around the world, including the gulf coast of the USA and all along the Florida coast.
This isopod is one of the smaller species in the hobby as it averages 1-2 cm or about 15 mm (.5 inch). As mentioned previously the “little sea” can roll into a ball or conglobate when startled or scared as a protective measure. The cubaris murina likes to inhabit ecosystems that are humid, somewhat damp and contain light salinity in the water sources near where the isopods live. In Florida, I have found and collected cubaris murina “little seas” in an area 5 miles from the east coast, under a saw palmetto tree in the Myakka fine sand. More often than not there is a buildup of dead and dying leaf material on the top of the soil where these small land crustaceans are found.
Did you know that it’s believed the “Little Sea” got its nickname because when first witnessed in the wild, it was mistaken for a little sea creature because of its smooth appearance and dark exoskeleton? 😊This makes sense when looking at the standard color “little sea” with its dark grey exterior and two small orange dots on the bum end of its body.
However, in more recent years polymorphism has been observed and line bred to produce the “Papaya” a pink hued murina with pink eyes, thus making this a true albino of the species, “Florida Orange” an orange bodied polymorphic trait that has the murinas retain their black and brown eyes, “Glacier” a completely white individual, including white eyes and the “Anemone” an orange and blue / grey speckled cubaris murina. Based on availability, the morphs of the cubaris murina range in price and are not usually as cheap as the original “Little Sea” variant. I am lucky enough to have been able to be the one to provide an American line of orange Cubaris murina the “Florida Orange” to the hobby in 2022.
Cubaris murina in the hobby are kept much the same as other cubaris species, though they are more forgiving and thus recommended for newer keepers. These isopods are best kept in temperatures between 70-90 degrees F, (21-32 C) though when on the higher end of that spectrum, hydration is key to keeping the cubaris murina alive and thriving. Do be mindful to avoid a sudden shift in temperatures though as they may have issues with self-regulation. To ensure proper molting, the cubaris murina needs a humidity point of above 55%, mimicking its natural environment, however it has been known to thrive in humidity up to 70%.
Just like with other cubaris species, start your bin habitat with a 5qt bin from whichever big chain store you frequent, I usually get the Sterlite brand latching storage bins with the purple handles from Target for under $6.00 USD. I have recently found similar sized bins that work well, in Ikea called the Samla and they hold enough substrate and have enough space for starter colonies. These bins are roughly $5 USD or £1.50 in the UK.
Either bin will require you to add ventilation holes for your isopods. You can use a drill bit, small hole bit or soldering iron to make the holes. I recommend adding mesh screening over the ventilation holes, to discourage gnats entering your bin or isopods leaving it.
Your substrate will need to be a mix of nutritious soil, sand, moss and leaf material. You can always start with organic topsoil or reptisoil and add extra things tailored to your isopods’ needs such as softened wood pellets, bat guano or worm castings in small amounts, horticulturists charcoal or pelletized lime. This will provide a great base for your isopods to live on and utilize for nutrition.
Some isopods, including the cubaris murina are naturally found in areas with high concentrations of limestone, so make sure to add a little extra calcium by using repti-cal without vit d, eggshells, limestone rock, seashells or multiple cuttle bones.
Leaf litter is very important to the “Little Sea” and should make up most of their diet. You can use a lot of different leaf litter, but pine needles are discouraged because they release saps that can harm the isopods. I personally have used oak, sycamore, cottonwood, birch, magnolia, sea grape, aspen, beech, mango, ginkgo or even palm fronds that have been dried out. Just make sure that they come from a pesticide free area, and you check them over for galls or other pests that may harm your isopod colony.
All isopods should be provided with an area of moss in their bin, to keep the humidity up and provide an area where the isopods can go for moisture. Cubaris murina are no exception to this. Even though these land crustaceans don’t require a soaking wet substrate, they have gills located on the underside of their back end that require moisture, if the isopods dry out too much they may perish. Make sure to add a piece of bark or a few small ones for them to choose their hiding spots and plenty of the aforementioned leaf coverage for them to thrive.
The captive diet of the Cubaris murina “little sea” depends on the application in which they will be kept. If you are keeping these isopods purely as a hobby ‘pet’, in a dedicated bin, I recommend feeding mainly leaf litter, but adding in supplemented foods like vegetables and proteins. Some vegetables that my colonies like are carrots, cucumber, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, yellow squash, chard, romaine lettuce. Protein options include dried minnows or river shrimp, pieces of fish and their skin, snake or other reptile shed and high-quality fish flakes or wafers. I also recommend all in one option like Repashy Morning Wood or Bug Burger either in powdered or gel form.
If you are adding cubaris murina isopods in with your reptile, amphibian or snail as a cleanup crew then they will need smaller supplemented feeding if at all, depending on the waste produced by your main animal. They can survive on the leftover food left by many other species but to avoid any unpleasant interactions, it is best to over feed your isopods, so they won't actively seek out tank mates. Some reptilian tank mates that this species does well with in particular are ball pythons, carpet pythons, corn snakes and king snakes. Lizards that the cubaris murina can be housed with include larger and small anole species, larger skinks and most arboreal species of lizard. I would not recommend them with leopard geckos because the care requirements are not the same, or with chameleons because of their fragility. I have personally kept cubaris murina isopods with my unicorn and West Indian Bulimulis snails with no adverse reactions. However, with my larger snails, the helix aspersa, the cubaris murina in the enclosure made them hide more at the top of the tank and not be as active, so I removed the isopods from there.
Whichever color morph of C. murina that you choose, they will be a great little isopod to watch. You may even choose to house them all together if you are looking for variety but aren't overly concerned with the lines becoming muted. In the early days, your colony will be small, so you might not see the isopods regularly. Once the population increases though, throughout the day and evening you'll be able to see these industrious little workers carry on with their tasks.
