Pastel

Ardentiella sp.

IsopodHigh confidence · 2 sources

Soft-pastel Vietnamese Ardentiella whose colours shift brood to brood — very active and fun.

Temp

70–77°F

Humidity

80–95%

Moisture

Tropical

Difficulty

—

Overview

Ardentiella sp. 'Pastel' (formerly Merulanella sp. 'Pastel'), a Vietnamese isopod with a soft pastel palette that shifts from brood to brood. A very active, climbing species that's genuinely fun to watch.

Diet

Vietnamese forest isopods that graze leaf litter, lichen and decaying wood continuously. Add a little fresh veg and a weekly pinch of protein.

Staples

Leaf litter (oak / magnolia)Lichen-covered sticks & barkDecaying hardwoodFlake soil

Protein

A small weekly pinch — low-fat fish flakes, dried shrimp or Repashy. Remove leftovers within 24–48h.

Calcium

Always available — cuttlebone, eggshell or oyster shell for clean moults.

Favorites

Zucchini / squashCarrotSweet potatoCucumber

Avoid

Cooked meat & raw eggFatty dog / cat foodCitrusPesticide-treated produce

Environment

Ventilation

HIGH — the big difference from Cubaris. Ardentiella (ex-Merulanella) want plenty of airflow; hold humidity with lots of live / sphagnum moss and misting rather than a sealed box. Stagnant, still air kills them.

Setup

A well-ventilated bin (extra mesh) packed with moss, cork bark and lichen sticks — they climb and stay active. Deep leaf litter and a moist side.

Substrate

Deep tropical bioactive mix (flake soil / coco + orchid bark + sphagnum + worm castings) topped with thick leaf litter, lichen and decaying wood. Keep one moist side and mist regularly to hold humidity against the heavy ventilation.

Temperament

Very active climbers, out in the open a lot — one of the livelier display isopods. Give plenty of vertical cover.

Breeding

Moderate; brood-pouch live young. Colour can vary brood-to-brood. Give vertical cover, steady conditions and constant calcium; a shipped colony needs a few weeks to settle.

Growth

Moderate — a settled colony builds steadily.

Common mistakes

✕Too little ventilation — Ardentiella need MORE airflow than Cubaris; stagnant humidity rots them.
✕Letting moss / substrate dry out under heavy ventilation — mist to compensate.
✕Skipping calcium.
✕Keeping them hot — they are cooler-tropical (~21–25°C).

Pro tips

✓Hold humidity with moss + misting, not a sealed lid — think "humid but breezy".
✓Give lichen-covered sticks and bark: they climb and graze the lichen.
✓All Ardentiella (ex-Merulanella) morphs share identical care — only appearance and price change.

How sources agree

Sources are explicit that all Ardentiella (ex-Merulanella) share identical husbandry — Vietnamese, high ventilation with humidity held by moss, cooler-tropical temps — and that only appearance and price change between morphs. Pastel's colour naturally varies brood to brood.

Sources

Keeping Pastel?

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.