18 replies to this topic

[TheMicroPlanet]

So I recently caught two Tetramorium queens (i'm sure this time; these aren't that weird semi-claustral thing I found a while back), and I was wondering if I could maybe put the workers to good use as feeders for my other colonies. Any thoughts?

[Antkid12]

Hmm, might not be a good idea as Tetramorium workers are aggressive. There is a chance may attack your other ants.

Edited by Antkid12, June 19 2020 - 7:38 AM.

[TheMicroPlanet]

Hmm, might not be a good idea as Tetramorium workers are aggressive. There is a chance may attack your other ants.

Sorry, I should've specified that I would be pre-killing the workers like other feeders. There's no way i'd feed live anything to my colonies.

[AntsMaryland]

Also ants aren't the best protein source for colonies. You are FAR better off feeding your colonies mealworms, hikeri bloodworms, roaches, etc for protein.

[ANTdrew]

I highly recommend keeping one and selling the rest. It’s a really fun species to keep and will be a big contrast from the other slow-growing species you have.

[Antkid12]

 

Hmm, might not be a good idea as Tetramorium workers are aggressive. There is a chance may attack your other ants.

Sorry, I should've specified that I would be pre-killing the workers like other feeders. There's no way i'd feed live anything to my colonies.

 

I guess that would be ok, your other ants would probably eat them, but they aren't that that nutritious. 

Edited by Antkid12, June 19 2020 - 7:48 AM.

[Antkid12]

I highly recommend keeping one and selling the rest. It’s a really fun species to keep and will be a big contrast from the other slow-growing species you have.

This is probably the best choice.

[Kaelwizard]

If any ant would make a good feeder, it would be a large species.

[ANTdrew]

It wouldn’t be efficient because to grow fast, you’d need to provide them lots of feeder insects. Just feeding them human food is how people end up with 20 worker count colonies after a year.

[ponerinecat]

Brood food would be better if you're set on ants. Most any generalist will happily take tetra brood. Although it certainly won't be very effective, and a colony of tetras would certainly be more fun.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

If you can get termites, raise those, as they are the best feeder insect. In fact, termites are less resistant to pesticide than ants, so even wild caught termites are basically guaranteed to be safe. You can collect brood from wild Tetramorium colonies as food for your ants, but the workers would be nowhere near nutritious enough to feed an ant colony. Just not enough meat.

[Temperateants]

Why? Is this another "tetramorium are technically invasive so I am just going to kill them for no reason"? The best livestock convert stuff the consumer doesn't eat into stuff that is consumable, such as Mealworms, superworms, fruit flies, flour beetles. Sorry for being aggressive, this idea is just really, really daft. Your going to have to feed the tetras food too, might as well just get more mealworms for everyone, instead of just giving the tetras mealworms and then feeding the workers to other ants. Anyone with basic biology understanding will know that energy decreases the higher you get up the food chain.

Edited by Temperateants, June 20 2020 - 6:12 AM.

[RushmoreAnts]

I highly recommend keeping one and selling the rest. It’s a really fun species to keep and will be a big contrast from the other slow-growing species you have.

I agree. That’s why I’m looking forward to finding some queens this season.

[MinigunL5]

You can be your ants feeder XD
look here:
https://www.youtube....h?v=uHNN9a0sm0Y

[Temperateants]

He is running out of ideas.

[DDD101DDD]

He is running out of ideas.

Honestly he could just update on the other colonies. He's been making videos purely on one colony for almost half a year now, I really don't see why he does this.

[Temperateants]

 

He is running out of ideas.

Honestly he could just update on the other colonies. He's been making videos purely on one colony for almost half a year now, I really don't see why he does this.

 

I guess to recreate his glory days where his old RIFA colony propelled his channel into fame? That happened because antkeeping was fairly niche back then, but now people have gotten used to AntsCanada.

[Temperateants]

It wouldn’t be efficient because to grow fast, you’d need to provide them lots of feeder insects. Just feeding them human food is how people end up with 20 worker count colonies after a year.

Kinda ashamed to say this, but my old tetramorium colony shared this fate because I only fed them beef, but my new tetramorium colony eats mealworms, and the population is skyrocketing and it's not even been a year.

[RushmoreAnts]

I think this guy is right.

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