The numbers
Enclosure
Paludarium with land + water sections, tight lid
Diet
Aquatic & amphibious invertebrates, feeder insects · Every 5–10 days
Temperature
22–26°C
Humidity
Very high; needs land + clean flowing/still water access
Identity
Order / Family
Scolopendromorpha
IUCN / CITES
Not evaluated; very rare, few specimens known
Difficulty
Advanced
Commonality
Essentially not in trade — scientific rarity
Adult size
~20 cm
Lifespan
Unknown (est. 4–7 yrs)
Growth rate
Unknown
Activity & niche
Amphibious — runs stream beds and swims with eel-like undulation
Temperament
Defensive, fast; enters water at night to hunt
Venom / defense
Venomous, painful bite – experts only, no handling
Enclosure and conditions
Temperature
22–26°C
Humidity
Very high; needs land + clean flowing/still water access
Min. enclosure
Paludarium with land + water sections, tight lid
Substrate
Riverbank soil/gravel, moss, submerged retreats
Hides / decor / water
Rock slabs, driftwood, open water section
Diet
Staple food
Aquatic & amphibious invertebrates, feeder insects
Feeding frequency
Every 5–10 days
Supplements
None; gut-load prey
Behaviour and handling
Handling
None – experts only; venomous
Communal
No – solitary
Defense / stress signs
Flees into water, coiling, striking
Reproduction
Reproduction
Presumed maternal egg-guarding (unstudied in captivity)
Common health problems
Common health issues
SignsPoorly documented; drowning/hygiene risks in bad setups
Red flags / quarantine
SignsWild-collected only; strong quarantine, likely CITES-free but check export rules
Good to know
- First described amphibious centipede — it swims like an eel and is waterproof.
Others in this group
Giant African MillipedeArchispirostreptus gigasThai/Vietnamese Giant Centipede (Yellow-leg / Cherry)Scolopendra dehaaniVietnamese / Asian Giant CentipedeScolopendra subspinipesVietnam Giant MillipedeVietnam Giant millipedeAmazonian Giant CentipedeScolopendra giganteaTanzanian Red-headed / Tiger CentipedeScolopendra morsitansBumblebee MillipedeAnadenobolus monilicornisVietnamese Rainbow MillipedeTonkinbolus dollfusi