13 replies to this topic

[Kevin]

I recommend checking out http://117colonies.com/for nests. Good and inexpensive products that outperform the Omninest in my opinion, and will contain Tapinoma sessile.

Edited by Kevin, July 23 2017 - 3:54 PM.

[FeedTheAnts]

Yes, they will.

[T.C.]

I wouldn't personally recommend any antscanada products as the prices are quite unfair. But 117 colonies and ant topia are nice.

[Hikari]

Just sucks that Ant-Topia's website has been "under maintainance" for around a month now. No idea what's going on with them. Pity too, cause they had some nice formicaria.

[Antking117]

Definitely recommend 117colonies!

[Serafine]

The main issue I see with Ghost ants and the Omni Nest is the hydration system. The Omni Nest is fine for species that can live relatively dry, like Camponotus, Lasius or even Solenopsis invicta. I wouldn't keep Myrmica or other small humidity-dependent ants in them though. The other thing is that you'd need to put a mesh between the water chamber and the nest chambers because Ghost ants are definitely small enough to get into the sponge chambers and potentially to the hydration holes on the upper side of these (so you'd either have to block the holes to make sure they can't get out of the Omni or make sure they don't get into the sponge chambers in the first place).

Edited by Serafine, July 23 2017 - 11:58 PM.

[FeedTheAnts]

The main issue I see with Ghost ants and the Omni Nest is the hydration system. The Omni Nest is fine for species that can live relatively dry, like Camponotus, Lasius or even Solenopsis invicta. I wouldn't keep Myrmica or other small humidity-dependent ants in them though. The other thing is that you'd need to put a mesh between the water chamber and the nest chambers because Ghost ants are definitely small enough to get into the sponge chambers and potentially to the hydration holes on the upper side of these (so you'd either have to block the holes to make sure they can't get out of the Omni or make sure they don't get into the sponge chambers in the first place).

Tepinoma sessile are not ghost ants, they are Odorous House Ants.

[Serafine]

Well, that happens when you post like 5 minutes after waking up. Even Tampinoma are small though and the smaller of them (nanitics, brood tenders) might still be small enough to get into the sponge chambers.

[Connectimyrmex]

117colonies and Tarheel ants are my personal favorites.

[Loops117]

Wow, thanks guys.

For T.sessile, i'd recommend using a test tube setup inside an outworld. The problem with T.sessile is they're escape artists. They can fit through gaps -1mm wide/tall, and inhabit an array of habitats. I've had my run in with T.sessile escaping my nest, and it wasnt easy at all to evict the many places my 20+ queen colonies had migrated to. My dog broke a connector off of one of my large outworlds and i hadn't realized it until about 4 hrs later.  I found them in my snail tank, my community tank, and dead bodies in multiple outworlds (My other ants killed them). I also find them through my house on occasion, and i've never had them in my house before hand. Another thing to think about with T.sessile is that queens are also escape artists and will leave the nest with the colony much faster then other species i've cared for. Most queens won't leave their tube unless they must, meanwhile T.sessile queens will go with the flow. And if the flow is going out a gap, queens will go to.

 

As for companies and who makes a nest that's most suitable for small species, specifically T.sessile, i would go with Ant-topia or byFormica (if his new nest is ready to be released). Buying a nest that is built specifically for small species means that it was made for small species, and not just works with multiple. Formicaria that is meant for smaller species are generally shorter with a much lower ceiling, they also have smaller gaps for hydration (if at all). A lower ceiling means humidity will be easier to maintain for a small colony without the build-up of water droplets on open surface area. You should also consider how fast your species will grow as some (such as RIFA) will require a tiny species nest, but will have to expand to more nests at a fast rate. I personally would rather have the piece of mind that my ants are in something that's made specifically for them then something that was made for the general purpose of keeping ants.

 

Loops

[BMM]

I agree with Loops. They're small, fast, and good climbers. Using test tubes in the outworld has worked quite well for me so far and it limits the chances that they'll find some small crack or hole to escape through.

[Antking117]

117colonies and Tarheel ants are my personal favorites.

Recently, I have only had bad things from tarheel.

[Goldsystem]

117 colonies nest work as long as you glue all the cracks, I'm keeping 1mm ants in a minor nest and it's been working great so far