Red Ember Bees
Ardentiella sp.Amber-red "ember"-banded Ardentiella with bold bee-striping — a striking mid-size Vietnamese morph.
Overview
Ardentiella sp. 'Red Ember Bees', a Vietnamese isopod with warm amber-red and dark banding reminiscent of glowing embers, plus the bold striping that names the "Bees". One of the larger, more vivid morphs (some sellers still list it under Merulanella). Vivid red-and-black, often lacking yellow pigment.
Diet
Vietnamese forest isopods that graze leaf litter, lichen and decaying wood continuously. Add a little fresh veg and a weekly pinch of protein.
A small weekly pinch — low-fat fish flakes, dried shrimp or Repashy. Remove leftovers within 24–48h.
Always available — cuttlebone, eggshell or oyster shell for clean moults.
Environment
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.
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
Active and eye-catching — a vivid mid-size display morph. Climbs; give lichen sticks and bark.
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 agree it's a striking, larger Vietnamese Ardentiella / Merulanella on the standard high-ventilation, moss-humidity Ardentiella care. Note the genus naming is in flux (Ardentiella vs Merulanella) but husbandry is unchanged.
Sources
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