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best nest for tetras?

Started By Swirlysnowflake , Nov 6 2020 4:09 PM

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15 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted November 6 2020 - 4:09 PM

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so yeah i have a colony of tetramorium with maybe 50-100 workers I'm not good at estimating count

what would be the best formicarium to get them that would last the longest and is not too expensive? i know they do grow explosively fast but :P

ty in advance :)


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#2 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted November 6 2020 - 4:44 PM

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basically anything will work for them. try to get the most cheap thing, like acrylic. 


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Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

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#3 Offline ANTdrew - Posted November 6 2020 - 4:57 PM

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Get one of these: https://www.amazon.c...yp_hz_thnk_l_42
Line the bottom with a thin layer of dry sand. Put several test tubes in there for them to expand into. Line the rim with byFormica fluon.
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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 Ants_Dakota - Posted November 6 2020 - 5:15 PM

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Get one of these: https://www.amazon.c...yp_hz_thnk_l_42
Line the bottom with a thin layer of dry sand. Put several test tubes in there for them to expand into. Line the rim with byFormica fluon.

that is probably the best start. after that look for acrylic. 


Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My South Dakotan Shop Here

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)

#5 Online JenC - Posted November 6 2020 - 5:19 PM

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Would be cheaper if you got a random big container at the dollar store and just kept adding test tubes. 


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Current Colonies:
1x Camponotus Vicinus (3 Workers)

Single Queens:
3x Camponotus Clarithorax
4x Camponotus Maritimus
5x Camponotus Ca02
7x Camponotus Sansabeanus
1x Myrmecocustus Testaceus
3x Prenolepis Imparis

#6 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted November 6 2020 - 5:23 PM

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Would be cheaper if you got a random big container at the dollar store and just kept adding test tubes. 

cheaper, yes, but it might become hard to manage and clean.


Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My South Dakotan Shop Here

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)

#7 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted November 6 2020 - 5:29 PM

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Get one of these: https://www.amazon.c...yp_hz_thnk_l_42
Line the bottom with a thin layer of dry sand. Put several test tubes in there for them to expand into. Line the rim with byFormica fluon.

they are in a container just like that from the container store. in a setup just like you describe. they absolutely refuse to move into the 2 new test tubes i have placed for them, which is why i want to see if they want a nest. they tunneled into their cotton (which had molded like a cm in lol) so much that i had to drill a hole in the test tube and schluck the water out so they wouldn’t drown. 

this colony has been such a hassle in that setup. they moved into the sand 3 times, moved into a dry piece of bark 2 times, moved under a stone 1 time, and stuck the queen and some brood under a bit of wax paper once. all trying to get out of the test tube, and completely ignoring the new one. i dumped them into the new one and took out the old one. they literally moved out into the sand. i put the old test tube back. they moved back into it. they are crazy. lol


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#8 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted November 6 2020 - 5:30 PM

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wow. that is crazy!


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Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My South Dakotan Shop Here

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)

#9 Offline ANTdrew - Posted November 7 2020 - 6:06 AM

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Too much sand. Are you covering their tubes? Make a tighter entrance with cotton and a thin straw, or I prefer using the plastic test tube caps and poking a hole just big enough for the queen to squeeze through.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#10 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted November 7 2020 - 2:51 PM

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Too much sand. Are you covering their tubes? Make a tighter entrance with cotton and a thin straw, or I prefer using the plastic test tube caps and poking a hole just big enough for the queen to squeeze through.

the sand is less than 1/4 inch thick. and i can't cover the tubes cause they have these sand piles leading into their tube and the queen is right by them so i don't want them to collapse and kill the queen.  :lol:

any links to some good acrylic nests?


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#11 Offline M_Ants - Posted November 7 2020 - 2:54 PM

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https://buckeyemyrme...ck-nest-medium/

I haven't used one before but these look good.


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Veromessor pergandei

Veromessor andrei

Crematogaster sp. 

Pogonomyrmex cf cali and rugosus

Various Pheidole

C. yogi 

https://www.youtube....FG7utFVBA/about

#12 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted November 7 2020 - 3:46 PM

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https://buckeyemyrme...ck-nest-medium/
I haven't used one before but these look good.

That’s literally the nest that spazmops made ;/
We don’t talk about that

#13 Offline M_Ants - Posted November 7 2020 - 3:52 PM

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I thought this was the one MadBiologist made. 


Veromessor pergandei

Veromessor andrei

Crematogaster sp. 

Pogonomyrmex cf cali and rugosus

Various Pheidole

C. yogi 

https://www.youtube....FG7utFVBA/about

#14 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted November 7 2020 - 3:53 PM

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Oh yes I mean mad biologist sorry I got confused. But it will probably hold a ton of ants in that. But probably not favored like test tubes are.
We don’t talk about that

#15 Offline ANTdrew - Posted November 7 2020 - 3:57 PM

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Cut a toilet paper tube in half to cover the tubes.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#16 Offline Swirlysnowflake - Posted November 7 2020 - 7:55 PM

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Would a hybrid nest from AC work (the mini one)

 

edit: nevermind, what about this one? it looks very nice https://formicariums...-fully-featured


Edited by Swirlysnowflake, November 7 2020 - 8:26 PM.

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