8 replies to this topic

[cooIboyJ]

I was wondering what the best size for test tubes is. Right now I have two sizes 15 by 150mill and 10 by 100 mill I’ve been mostly using the bigger ones but I want to know if the smaller ones would be fine for keeping ants too.

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

I use 16x150mm and 18x150 mm test tubes and they work great. 15 and 10mm test tubes may not work for larger species tho.

[cooIboyJ]

Would the 10x100 be fine for brachymyrmex?

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

Should be as they are tiny but not for larger species like Camponotus.

[Artisan_Ants]

10 mm is too small for Camponotus. Both 10 and 15 mm should be used for small species (10 for really small species like Brachymyrmex size and or smaller whereas 15 mm should be used for Tetramorium size ant or smaller which should not be close to Brachymyrmex sized ant or smaller). If you have multiple sizes available, your success rate could be higher as well as organizing colonies would also be much easier. For Camponotus, I recommend standard test tube size as GOCAMPONTOUS explained; being 16x150, although I personally use 16x125 which almost perfectly fit Camponotus. Many use 28x100 on average for Camponotus which is better but do not exceed the 28 range as the diameter of the test tube increases if so (making the living space too large. Hope this helps!

[cooIboyJ]

I might have mis-measured the 15x150 because I just got a school ruler and measured it best I could, but I think it actually is the 16x150

Edited by cooIboyJ, July 25 2024 - 8:10 AM.

[NotAxo]

A rule of thumb I use for my founding colonies is that I never pre-insert the cotton. It makes the cotton mold faster, as mold spores are everywhere. The main thing I always check is that when I choose the test tube, the diameter should be about 3x the queen head length (from antennae to end of mandible). For me, when I look at the queen inside test tube from the open end, her head should be a little under the centre of the tube. I use 12x100 for all my queens except C. diversa (yes all my camponotus are in 12mm test tubes) I keep my C. Diversa in 15x150 and C. Parius in 15x200mm test tubes.

Edited by NotAxo, July 25 2024 - 8:35 AM.

[cooIboyJ]

I also remeasured what I said to be 10x100 is actually 12x100

[Artisan_Ants]

I also remeasured what I said to be 10x100 is actually 12x100

Then you have a fine set of tubes which can be fit for multiple applications types of species (since I am not have one size, I just use the same thing for all of my queens and colonies).