5 replies to this topic

[futurebird]

I've seen various people try multispecies ant set ups and most have not gone well. The most successful have a massive outworld. But, too often it just degenerates into an excuse to set up an "ant war" which ends up being cruel or wasteful.

 

So, here is the question. Let's say you have a 40 gallon aquarium outworld and you are going to connect various ant colonies to this outworld. What combination of colonies would lead to the most stable environment?

 

I think ants with differences in being nocturnal and daytimes species ... would help. Also ants with very different diets and sizes?

 

 

[mmcguffi]

Some people have kept multiple species in the same nest (beyond brood-raiding ants, parasitic ants, etc), though as far as I know the few people that have done this keep the logistics a closely  guarded secret for whatever (dumb) reason

[Manitobant]

Try to do nonaggressive genera or species such as aphaenogaster, myrmica (excluding rubra) temnothorax or neogagates group formica. However, the best way to do a multi species setup like this is a full blown vivarium tank, with different areas for the ants to nest and establish their territories.

[Kaelwizard]

Some people have kept multiple species in the same nest (beyond brood-raiding ants, parasitic ants, etc), though as far as I know the few people that have done this keep the logistics a closely  guarded secret for whatever (dumb) reason

No one has been "keeping it a secret" from what I've seen. Sure, some people might, but that doesn't mean that everyone isn't willing to share.

 

I agree with Manitobant, a large vivarium is probably the best way and more likely to succeed. You also can mimic their natural habitats with that method. There are also species that will share nests with other species " It shares nests with Myrmica fracticornis, Myrmica emeryana (=Myrmica latifrons) and Tapinoma sessile. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)" https://www.antwiki....orax_canadensis

 

Personally I wouldn't try to do this just because of what could go wrong. If you end up trying something like this, just keep in mind what could go wrong and watch out for any hostile behavior.

Edited by Kaelwizard, September 1 2021 - 1:12 PM.

[Ecthelion]

I think you could do well with meranoplus species, I've heard they are very nonagressive. They are also pretty hard to kill.

[mmcguffi]

 

No one has been "keeping it a secret" from what I've seen. Sure, some people might, but that doesn't mean that everyone isn't willing to share.

 

 

Credit where credit is due, Cheeto -- as always a great boon to the hobby -- has been open with his experiments: https://www.formicul...es-ant-colonies

 

However, the people who have the intimate knowledge about how to do it remain mum. From that thread linked above:

 

 

We began research in September 2020 upon the discovery of the works of Chilean antkeeper Robert Fuentalba Ojeda. A small group of experienced antkeepers decided to attempt a similar experiment with colonies of their own. Unfortunately Robert is very secretive about his methods, so we were essentially left to theorize on how the process worked.