Durian
Laureola sp.Heavily spiked, durian-textured dwarf Laureola from Vietnam — a rare armored showpiece.
Overview
Laureola sp. 'Durian' (Durian Spiky), a small (8–14mm) tropical isopod from Vietnam with a ridged, spiky exoskeleton like a durian's skin. Reached the US hobby around 2024 and is still uncommon. Intermediate — success hinges on the humidity-vs-ventilation balance.
Diet
A detritivore that grazes leaf litter and decaying wood constantly; a lighter feeder than common cleanup species. Add soft veg and a weekly pinch of protein.
Once a week, small — freeze-dried shrimp, fish flakes or dried mealworm. Remove leftovers within 24–48h to prevent mould / grain mites.
Always available and especially important — crushed cuttlebone or oyster shell for the thick, heavily-armored shell and clean moults.
Environment
Moderate — high humidity but enough airflow to avoid stagnation; getting this balance right is the whole game. Too much airflow dries them out, too little rots them.
A 6qt gasket bin is plenty (small, reclusive). Deep substrate, cork bark, lichen sticks (they climb) and sphagnum moisture pockets.
Substrate
Deep (2–3in) ABG-style tropical mix (sphagnum, coco, orchid bark, charcoal, worm castings) under a thick leaf-litter layer (oak / magnolia). Moist, never waterlogged, with a wet side and a slightly drier side.
Temperament
Shy and fossorial — hidden much of the time — but will climb lichen sticks and vertical bark. A display / collector species, not an active cleanup crew.
Breeding
Moderate. A new colony can take several months to produce mancae; stress from shipping or swings slows it. Keep conditions stable, calcium constant, substrate deep, leaf litter topped up, and start with 10–15 for a self-sustaining colony.
Growth
Slow-moderate; heavily armored, so moults are calcium-dependent — patience needed.
Common mistakes
- ✕Letting humidity drop — the #1 killer; they decline fast in drought.
- ✕Too much ventilation — dries the bin out and makes humidity impossible to hold.
- ✕Over-feeding protein — causes mould and attracts grain mites.
- ✕Not enough leaf litter — it's their primary food, not decoration.
Pro tips
- ✓Balance humidity with just a little airflow — a small mesh strip or a few vents, not an open lid.
- ✓Keep calcium constant for the thick spiky shell.
- ✓Lichen sticks give them somewhere to climb and graze.
How sources agree
Well-documented by the US breeders who established it (Creature Cache): sources agree the humidity-vs-ventilation balance is the make-or-break factor, calcium needs are high for the armored shell, and breeding is moderate but slow to start. As with all Laureola, precise environmental control matters.
Sources
Keeping Durian?
Soon you'll be able to track this species in VivKeeper — care reminders, your own notes, and colony history. Free for your first 3 months.