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Any risks with introducing Camponotus into a bioactive vivarium?


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#1 Offline Nawor3565 - Posted July 16 2020 - 8:31 AM

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I have a bioactive vivarium with a bunch of different creatures in there. Namely, woodlice (isopods), millipedes, springtails, snails, and earthworms, all of which seem to be reproducing on their own. There's also a Pothos which is taking over, and I had a problem with centipedes awhile back, but I'm pretty sure I've taken care of them (a high powered laser made quick work of them). I have a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus colony with around 30-40 workers, and I am considering hooking a tube up to the vivarium to use it as an outworld, but I'm worried that the ants are going to try and kill the baby woodlice and snails. Camponotus aren't predators AFAIK, but I have seen them "attack" food when they first encounter it. Has anyone done something similar, or are there other risks with my idea? Thanks!



#2 Offline Zeiss - Posted July 16 2020 - 8:37 AM

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The only risks are unseen mites that could harm the colony.  If the substrate is deep enough, the ants may also just move into their outworld, so keep that in mind.

 

Also, when talking in binomial nomenclature, genus name is capitalized and species name is lowercased.


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#3 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 16 2020 - 9:17 AM

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The downside with putting a small Camponotus colony in a terrarium is that they forage so little you’ll hardly see them anymore. Big voracious colonies are better for the natural route, in my opinion.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#4 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted July 16 2020 - 10:19 AM

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I think it would be beneficial for the colony. I mean, they live with all those creatures in the wild.......


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"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis


#5 Offline Nawor3565 - Posted July 16 2020 - 10:28 AM

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The only risks are unseen mites that could harm the colony.  If the substrate is deep enough, the ants may also just move into their outworld, so keep that in mind.

 

Also, when talking in binomial nomenclature, genus name is capitalized and species name is lowercased.

Alright, you don't think they'll cause any harm to the other animals living in there? I guess the isopods and snails would probably be okay, they do have hard protective shells for a reason. I'm not sure if they'll move in, I've given them soil formicariums with heat before and while they dug some tunnels, never actually moved in. I'm guessing they'll stay in their warm take-out container setup, at least for the time being. And thanks for the tip on formatting.

 

 

The downside with putting a small Camponotus colony in a terrarium is that they forage so little you’ll hardly see them anymore. Big voracious colonies are better for the natural route, in my opinion.

I agree, although my intention is to use the vivarium (is there a difference between a vivarium and terrarium other than terrariums being self-enclosed?) as more of an outworld than a nest. Of course, the colony could decide that they prefer the vivarium over their current setup, but from what I understand Camponotus really like heat and would prefer to live somewhere warm instead of room temp.

 

 

I think it would be beneficial for the colony. I mean, they live with all those creatures in the wild.......

I think so too, I was just paranoid that they could wind up hurting the other fauna in there. But, when I think about it, I don't think I've ever seen a carpenter ant attacking anything in the wild, so I'm guessing as long as they have a supply of dead things to eat there shouldn't be a problem.

 


Edited by Nawor3565, July 16 2020 - 10:31 AM.


#6 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 16 2020 - 10:33 AM

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They will move into the terrarium, I guarantee it.


"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#7 Offline ponerinecat - Posted July 16 2020 - 11:11 AM

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They will move in, likely in the soil(but they may just establish the place to store brood and will still live in the artificial nest), and they will certainly feed on the other animals, although it may have a minimal effect on the inhabitants. Isopods are rather vulnerable prey, unless you have Armadillidium vulgare, in which case you should get rid of them anyways (vulgare will destroy plant life) Snails will be fine.



#8 Offline Nawor3565 - Posted July 16 2020 - 11:38 AM

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They will move in, likely in the soil(but they may just establish the place to store brood and will still live in the artificial nest), and they will certainly feed on the other animals, although it may have a minimal effect on the inhabitants. Isopods are rather vulnerable prey, unless you have Armadillidium vulgare, in which case you should get rid of them anyways (vulgare will destroy plant life) Snails will be fine.

Damn, that's annoying. I don't have a problem with them setting up a satellite nest, but most of my isopods aren't Armadillidium and I don't like the idea of them getting eaten. Then again, it's possible that as long as I provide the colony with a steady source of frozen fruit flies, they won't eat a significant amount of the other stuff. Although, I'm guessing they'd love to eat the snail eggs, meaning I would have to introduce more over time. I'll definitely have to think about this.



#9 Offline ponerinecat - Posted July 16 2020 - 11:45 AM

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They will move in, likely in the soil(but they may just establish the place to store brood and will still live in the artificial nest), and they will certainly feed on the other animals, although it may have a minimal effect on the inhabitants. Isopods are rather vulnerable prey, unless you have Armadillidium vulgare, in which case you should get rid of them anyways (vulgare will destroy plant life) Snails will be fine.

Damn, that's annoying. I don't have a problem with them setting up a satellite nest, but most of my isopods aren't Armadillidium and I don't like the idea of them getting eaten. Then again, it's possible that as long as I provide the colony with a steady source of frozen fruit flies, they won't eat a significant amount of the other stuff. Although, I'm guessing they'd love to eat the snail eggs, meaning I would have to introduce more over time. I'll definitely have to think about this.

 

Yeah, providing them with easy to access protein should dull the urge for them to hunt.



#10 Offline AntaholicAnonymous - Posted July 20 2020 - 11:03 AM

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I have a terrarium with a similar composition of creatures with large fire ants so here's my experience.

In my tank the isopods and ants live together and respect each otherer manica are fairly aggressive usually but the isopods live in their tunnels with the ants and the ants notice them but don't mind them at all.

I have life fruit flies so everyone can bully and kill them instead of each other and that's exactly how they handle it.
The isopods give the ants space and are submissive and the ants probably appreciate them as house cleaners along with the springtails etc from what I can observe.

I'm currently killing all the spiders in the tank and I do have a bit of a centipede issue since they live in the drainage gravel layer. The ants dominate that space I just don't know if and how many ants and centipedes are getting killed. I saw centipede babies too so I'm a little worried about that
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