9 replies to this topic

[ANTdrew]

My Tetramorium are entering the “Gremlins after midnight” phase of their development. To deal with this, I’d like to move them into a natural set up that I could keep them in indefinitely. I have this three gallon acrylic betta tank, and I was wondering if it would be big enough if I gave the ants a thick layer of soil to dig in?
https://www.amazon.c...mall fis&sr=8-5

It would be easy to put some mesh lined drainage holes in the bottom of this tank. I would aim to make this bio-active as best I could as well.

Edited by ANTdrew, April 15 2019 - 5:47 AM.

[Martialis]

I have two 10 gallon aquariums set up in a similar manner to that you described. In one of them, Tapinoma sessile showed up and are thriving. (It's actually a problem—I can't seal them in!)  So, yes. It probably is possible with quite a bit of management to keep the Tetramroium from overwhelming the tank. Additionally, you want to think about how you're going to seal them in. With my terrariums, I cannot keep ants in because of the silicone around the edges, which fluon doesn't work on. 

 

 As for the environment itself, a plant of some sort would be needed to structure the soil and a decent amount of dirt to support that. (~2 gallons is good for both the ants and plant)  Springtails could be added, but require a lot of moisture to keep self-sustaining in a terrarium like described, so I'm not entirely sure what kind of detritivore would be ideal. 

 

Maybe you could use some lighter colored dirt to make the ants more visible, too.

[ANTdrew]

Thanks! A plus of this plastic tank is that the corners are rounded and smooth for fluon. I also have an overhanging lip I designed by cutting a square out of an acrylic sheet. I’d silicone this to the rim. Finally, I have a slightly larger tray that fits underneath for a moat. I think that should be max security!

[Skwiggledork]

 

With my terrariums, I cannot keep ants in because of the silicone around the edges, which fluon doesn't work on.

 

 

I read somewhere that you can put tape over the silicone and then apply the fluon over the tape to make it work. I haven't tried personally though.

[ANTdrew]

With my terrariums, I cannot keep ants in because of the silicone around the edges, which fluon doesn't work on.

I read somewhere that you can put tape over the silicone and then apply the fluon over the tape to make it work. I haven't tried personally though.

Remember we were asking how to plan ahead for second year Tetramorium colonies like seven months ago? Now I have two colonies pushing 1,000 ants and gaining 50 new workers a day. I’m really hoping to figure out some lasting housing for one of the colonies and a new home or other solution for the second.

[TennesseeAnts]

With my terrariums, I cannot keep ants in because of the silicone around the edges, which fluon doesn't work on.

I read somewhere that you can put tape over the silicone and then apply the fluon over the tape to make it work. I haven't tried personally though.

Remember we were asking how to plan ahead for second year Tetramorium colonies like seven months ago? Now I have two colonies pushing 1,000 ants and gaining 50 new workers a day. I’m really hoping to figure out some lasting housing for one of the colonies and a new home or other solution for the second.

The person I left my huge Formica pacifica colony with says they are gaining about 25 to 30 new workers a day. They currently have little below 3000 workers with 8 alate brood, one of which is a naked queen alate pupa!

[ANTdrew]

That’s truly amazing! What do they live in? How does your friend manage such a massive colony?

[TennesseeAnts]

They are in the same Fortress and Discus I left him with. Well, massive Formica colonies are actually not that hard to keep. If I move back to Washington, he is letting me get them back.

[Carpenter]

That’s truly amazing! What do they live in? How does your friend manage such a massive colony?

 

You could always try casting a grout nest into the side of the aquarium tank, then the inner area becomes their out-world (could use something like casting and sand for that), then apply rubbing alcohol and talcum to the top 2cm of the glass 

[TennesseeAnts]

And now they have broke 3000 and he says most of their larvae right now is alates! He says there are about 50 alate larvae and pupae now. He has told me that the queen is laying about 100 eggs each day, with 1000 eggs total.

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, April 22 2019 - 8:48 AM.