Merulanella spec. “China”

Merulanella spec. “China” was the first isopod species from the Middle Kingdom for us. It is always interesting from different points of view to get a species from a new country. For example, how does the species behave with the food offered and what climatic conditions must be fulfilled. We also always pay attention to the following generations and start a long-term project to see if this species can establish itself in the hobby in the long run.

The relatively small species is almost always found near the ground and rarely under bark or stones but rather in the foliage. The behaviour is typical for many Merulanella species. The nimble attempts to flee when disturbed can also be observed in other subspecies of the genus. The difference lies in the reproduction and also in the husbandry requirements. Merulanella spec. “China” is a wonderful introduction to this genus. They do not make any demands on food and readily eat everything. The substrate should always be kept moist and at a humidity of 75% they thrive splendidly. However, this species can also survive a short dry period, which leads us to believe that Merulanella spec. “China” could have a large catchment area in China. Unfortunately, we do not know exactly from which region they originated.

If you want the terrarium to be close to nature, choose a layer of deciduous forest humus, leaves and white rotten wood, approx. 10 cm high, as substrate. Moss and foliage should be spread over this layer of substrate. On the one hand, these things serve as shelter, on the other hand as food and to keep the humidity in the tank. As mentioned, the tank should always be kept moist. However, waterlogging should be avoided at all costs.

A humidity of 75-85 % will normally settle by itself with regular spraying. The temperature in the tank should be between 23 and 28°C. The animals need lime to build up their shell, which can be given in the form of cuttlefish, crushed eggshells or similar. The white rotten wood and the foliage in the substrate serve as food. In addition, vegetables, fruit, blossoms and isopod food is readily accepted.