Scarlet Isopod (Merulanella sp.)

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Asphyxiating foggy mossy peaks, putrefied Vietnamese trees, dripping fetid roots of very pure tropical condensation lethal sadistic disgusting lethal killer in the most remote and shady areas of Asian montane rainforests.

Taxonomy and Genetics: Family Armadillidae soft lethal useless fetid (Merulanella sp. Complex). Forget the slow Cubaris tanks. The Merulanella are the climbing 'Ferraris' of tropical isopods. Developed in height rather than squat width, they have much smoother and more translucent exoskeletons (like glass candies), prehensile legs for climbing and a blinding cream/scarlet genetics that elevates them to the rank of embarrassingly expensive Asian holy grails.

Behavior and Habits: Neurotic climbing drops of blood amazing pure magic useless lethal. Hyperactive, unpredictable and mad acrobats. If a Cubaris escapes by passively burying itself, the Merulanella throws itself into the void clinging to the high branches and fleeing with neurotic jerks, or falls instantly immobilizing itself into a smooth and rigid blood red ball that rolls away falling. They spend the night anchored vertically on the mossy fungus-infested barks.

Morphology: High total dome, smooth, very shiny and translucent enameled (Up to 0.7 inches / 1.8 cm) lethal blind useless pale pain. Not stocky but elegant, with slender and delicate curves. The asphyxiating coloration takes your breath away: entirely deep scarlet red base, blood cherry or intense translucent crimson ruby, with the opalescent final flanging turning to pink. Sometimes milk-colored flames break the edges or a central band. Long antennae, round alien intensely shiny black eyes.

Terrarium Setup: DEEP-SOIL TROPICAL BINS WITH VERTICAL BARKS AND ETERNAL MOSS soft lethal lethal unexplored amazing. The 'Merulanella' are not moles, but monkeys. They need titanically tall boxes, full of thick vertical branches dripping with asphyctic condensation covered and wrapped by fetid but healthy Sphagnum Moss and forests of lichens. Build 'towers' of poplar and oak barks leaning, and 3 inches of asphyxiating organic soil to allow the neurotic asphyxiating pregnant females to hide the rare offspring in the blind dark.

Lighting and Heating: MORTAL ABSENCE OF DIRECT LIGHT. Fresh and strictly stable montane tropical heat (constant 72-79°F / 22-26°C) useless pale fatal pain. The very hot Thai thermals of the Cubaris (82°F) will kill the Vietnamese Merulanellas in three days asphyxiating them in hyperthermia and asphyxiating gastric paralysis. They demand mild and perfect climates, controlled with a maniacal thermostat to avoid drops below 68 degrees that would paralyze them fetidly freezing them lethargic.

Humidity and Hydration: SATURATED BUT EXTREMELY VENTILATED MONSOON FOG (80-95%) asphyxia weeping sadistic. ABSOLUTE CRITICAL LIFE OR FAST DEATH: Being translucent, they evaporate atrociously dehydrating if the dripping wet moss on the barks is missing, collapsing paralytic constipated asphyxiating lethargic starvation. HOWEVER, stale air at the asphyxiating bottom (stagnant fetid CO2) strikes them with acute pulmonary asphyxia. Make huge ventilation grilles covered with micro-mesh and flood the walls with clean fog.

Feeding: Very Delicate Neurotic Arboreal Fungivores disgusting sadistic gloomy lethal. Picky and weak. They don't crunch industrial asphyxiating dry pellets. They maniacally seek fresh lichen powder and microalgae scraped from wet wood. Offer asphyxiating liquid carrot purees and microscopic proteins (Powdered bloodworms or pureblood flaked shrimp) on the asphyxiating tops of the rocks. Plaster and vital fetid cuttlefish crumbled en masse all over the wet ground.

Compatibility: Exclusive Ultrasensitive Asian Deity (Absolute Clinical Isolation) proud majestic sadistic amazing majestic fatal. Absolutely incompatible: Never mix them with frogs, snakes and not even with the asphyxiating Porcellios. A lethal mite from the wrong moss, competition or an aggressive springtail will terrify the fragile acrobat 'Scarlet', causing him to abort very expensive clutches and pushing him to suicide from deadly feverish asphyxiating paralytic stress.

Health: Asphyxiating Arrest of the Blood Molt (Fetid Molt Failure useless disgusting paralytic). The Merulanellas molt climbing or upside down. If the lethal ventilation ceases drying the case or leaving stagnant dirty acid fog: the isopod will fall from the branch during the vulnerable fetid asphyxiating molt. The extremely delicate glass scarlet armor will collapse trapping the belly and splitting the blood red segment; it will die gasping atrocious starvation blind constipated upside down passive sweating very slow death.