7 replies to this topic

[FinWins]

Hello everyone today I wanted to brainstorm some ideas for an Odontomachus formicarium and see what you guys thought of them

Idea 1. Mold a top down doughnut shaped nest with a water tower on one side that can be fill externally via a tube drilled into the side. Then cover the bottom of the nest in a coco fiber sand mix and attach the nest to a small outworld also with a coco fiber substrate.

Idea 2. A Petri dish with a ultracal base and a hydration chamber filled with coco fiber/sand substrate attached to a small outworld.

Idea 3. A tubs and tubes setup use coco fiber/sand as the substrate.

Which one of these ideas do you think would work best?

NOTE: All of this ideas are for a founding queen or small colony.

Edited by FinWins, July 21 2022 - 10:37 AM.

[lazyant]

Though the doughnut shaped nest would be the mot pleasing to the eye, it would take the longest to make. Petri dish setups are fun and most commonly used for scientific experiments (Myrmecologist approved as well) But again, take a longer time to make. Tubs n' Tubes setups are the least aesthetically pleasing.

In the end it is whatever is going to be easiest to feed and view the ants. 

[FinWins]

I was think which would be best for the ants

[lazyant]

I was think which would be best for the ants

What is best for the ants? Easiest to feed and view, so probably tubs n' tubes. But the other two are easier to regulate the humidity.

Again whatever is most pleasing to you since all three are pretty good options. 

[FinWins]

I was think which would be best for the ants

What is best for the ants? Easiest to feed and view, so probably tubs n' tubes. But the other two are easier to regulate the humidity.
Again whatever is most pleasing to you since all three are pretty good options.

Thanks

[FloridaAnts]

I was think which would be best for the ants

What is best for the ants? Easiest to feed and view, so probably tubs n' tubes. But the other two are easier to regulate the humidity.
Again whatever is most pleasing to you since all three are pretty good options.

But any route you go they still need substrate for brood development, so the Petri dish with a little coco fiber would be neat, as that way you don’t have coco fiber spilling in the tub. Also, it would be only 2 tubes if they were 30mm tubes as Odontomachus rarely form large colonies here in the Florida. Largest I have seen was around 250 workers.

[Mettcollsuss]

I have mine in a homemade ultracal petri dish formicarium with a thin layer of substrate, and they've been doing great and it has really good visibility. Whichever setup you end up using for yours, they will need at least a little bit of substrate.

[alwayslearning]

I have mine in a homemade ultracal petri dish formicarium with a thin layer of substrate, and they've been doing great and it has really good visibility. Whichever setup you end up using for yours, they will need at least a little bit of substrate.

 

Thanks for sharing.

What substrate are you using?
I have mine in a hydrostone formicarium but I'd love to know what's working well for you.