Isopod Factory 10+ Cubaris Sp. Rubber Ducky Isopods Bioactive Clean Up Crew

Description: This listing is for 10+ Cubaris Sp. Rubber Ducky Isopods. You will receive a mix of juveniles and adults with a few extra to offset any possible losses in the shipping process. The coveted Rubber Ducky is quite likely a huge part of why the isopod hobby has quickly grown from odd and reclusive to main stream. Who couldn't fall in love with their brilliant contrasting colors and adorable duck face like features? Outside of folks who just need a simple effective clean up crew for an enclosure, the Rubber Ducky isopod is an essential component and must have for any hobbyist or collector. But that cuteness does have some strings attached if you want to have a thriving culture and enjoy these top tier crustaceans. Firstly, this NOT an ideal isopod for beginners with zero experience or understanding of general isopod keeping and husbandry. Most Cubaris with a few exceptions are considered an advanced species far as needs go to keep them alive and healthy. While they do not require intense daily care, they do have specific environmental needs that must be consistently maintained without large swings. A sharp change in temperature and/or humidity alone can end all of them in a short period of time. There is a wealth of information out there about how to care for these isopods and get the best results. As with almost any topic, if you read enough you will find some details from one source do not always 100% line up with another. There are many fine points that are legit debatable and many of these come from respectable experienced keepers. Our mantra is not to say who is potentially right or wrong or squabble about micro details. But only to provide you the best practices which is largely the relevant straight forward needs of this designer isopod so you can share your success with others. First, a large reality check for anyone who needs it. Ducky Isopods are shy and reclusive. Unless you are up for a little while after the lights go out, you likely will not see these isopods out and about during the day very much. A random here and there sighting during the day is not uncommon and you will in fact see more with higher numbers in a given space, but this species is primarily nocturnal. They also do not enjoy being disturbed and will quickly scurry to hide if exposed. Constantly flipping over bark, leaves and other hiding spots to look at them will stress them out and can lead to much worse things happening. Our advice is to leave them alone as much as realistically possible outside of necessary husbandry and enclosure maintenance needs. The less they are disturbed, the faster they will settle in and get along with their natural life processes. A 6 quart gasket sealed storage bin or small glass aquarium with tight fitting lid is sufficient for a small starter culture of 10-15 individuals. Rubber Ducky Isopods are slow to reproduce compared to many other species typically taking up to 3-4 months in ideal care conditions before young start appearing. So this size should last you a decent amount of time before a size upgrade is needed. Standard or bioactive enclosures can be enhanced with natural botanical items to simulate the isopods habitat in the wild. This helps them feel secure which in turn promotes their natural processes like eating and breeding. Ducky Isopods are a sub tropical to tropical species so they do prefer it on the warmer side. High 70s to very low 80s F is their comfort zone. Small deviations in temperature are not detrimental, but do whatever you need based on your enclosure set up to avoid large swings in either direction. Rubber Duckies do not need a defined moisture gradient like most other isopods. Their native environments are warmer temperatures and higher humidity most times of the year. The soil should be mostly moist but not soggy! A very small moisture gradient in our experience has worked well. Just ensure neither side gets anywhere remotely close to dry. Our breeder tank is best described as "moist side and slightly less moist side". A few pieces of cork bark strategically placed will help retain the humidity levels and reduce the frequency of watering needed to maintain a reasonably consistent humidity. Do also provide a deeper substrate as they tend to burrow sometimes. Depth should be a minimum 4-6 inches. Deeper substrates will also retain water longer so this goes hand in hand with humidity needs. Isopods are detritivores. Their primary diet in nature is leaf litter and decayed wood. Both of these should always be available in abundance. They will also happily consume any other decomposing organic plant or animal matter they come across. As such it is vital to supplement your isopods with other food sources on a semi regular basis. They enjoy food options like squash, radishes, carrots and other veggies along with commercial isopod powdered food like Repashy. They also need some occasional protein in their diets which can be things like freeze dried minnows, shrimp, fish pellets, dried insects and other protein based food sources. Be sure to feed these on the drier side as they can spoil quickly in humid environments and attract unwanted pests. Rubber Duckys are noted to be fond of limestone, mirroring the caves and rocky areas they naturally occur. This holds true for our Duckys as they quickly devour calcium sources like cuttle bone when offered. Texas Holy Rock (in small chunks) is reported to be a favorite as well. In conclusion when compared to many other isopods, Rubber Duckies are certainly a bit more "needy". But if you can meet their care needs and most importantly keep them consistent, your Rubber Duckies will not only survive but will multiply and flourish in due time. Quick Facts Origin: Thailand Scientific Name: Cubaris Sp. Common Name: Rubber Ducky Characteristics: Light to dark brown mid section with yellow on the rear and front area. Orange to reddish color in the face area resembles a duck's bill. Size: 0.70 to 0.80 inch Activity level: Primarily nocturnal Shipping and LAG (Live Arrival Guarantee) Information We only ship Isopods Monday through Wednesday. Delivery addresses close enough to our location to facilitate one day delivery will be shipped on Thursdays as well when possible. If your order is placed Wednesday after 2PM EST through Sunday, the next possible shipping date would be the following Monday. Please note depending on the factors that affect how a specific live animal(s) order is boxed up, the lead time can be 1-2 days from the time the order is placed. We will make every effort to ship quick as possible, but the welfare of the animals will always come first.If temperatures between origin and destination is forecast to be over 90°F, or below 40°F, we reserve the right to hold the order until weather conditions are more favorable for live animal shipping. If weather is determined to cause more than a minimal delay we will contact you or issue a refund if we can't establish communication in 24 hours or less. We use heating and cooling elements as needed to ensure safety for the isopods.We will happily combine shipping on all orders to which it applies. LAG (Live Arrival Guarantee) only applies with "hold for pick up" through UPS. This is the EXPEDITED shipping option when checking out. Hold for pick up while not required in all cases is highly encouraged to minimize the chance of the animals perishing. Packages left outside on a doorstep or similar significantly elevates the risk factor. Regular sunlight even in fair weather conditions can quickly raise temperatures to deadly levels inside of the box. LAG orders will be delivered to the nearest UPS store of the delivery address. UPS stores will hold the package up to 3 days before it's RTS (returned to sender). If a package isn't picked up in the 3 day window and is returned to us, this greatly increases the odds of the isopods perishing. LAG protection requires delivery to a UPS store & you must pick up the package the same business day it's first available. No refunds for unclaimed packages returned to sender. If you elect EXPEDITED shipping at checkout, please send a message immediately after you make your purchase to indicate you want LAG coverage using UPS hold for pick up. You are welcome to provide us a preferred UPS store location or we will provide the nearest UPS store location to your shipping address if needed.

Price: 89.95 USD

Location: Dayton, Ohio

End Time: 2024-12-10T07:06:20.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD