If you were going to start a 55gl show cockroach tank
- Thread starter Wolverine
- Start date
Although I'd imagine a 55 gallon full of Panchloras would be amazing, it would be difficult if not impossible to pull off. You'd have so many escapees...
The first roach that comes to my mind is B. craniifer. Colorful, majestic, mysterious... Although they're very shy if you have enough that wouldn't be a problem.
A. tesselata are really neat, sometimes come out during the day, but they're "only brown." Personally I think they're beautiful, but not stunning.
Maybe B. fusca? Although those are very similar to B. giganteus... Maybe B. colloseus, though those have a color scheme more like the tesselata.
How about a big tank full of hissers?
The first roach that comes to my mind is B. craniifer. Colorful, majestic, mysterious... Although they're very shy if you have enough that wouldn't be a problem.
A. tesselata are really neat, sometimes come out during the day, but they're "only brown." Personally I think they're beautiful, but not stunning.
Maybe B. fusca? Although those are very similar to B. giganteus... Maybe B. colloseus, though those have a color scheme more like the tesselata.
How about a big tank full of hissers?
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Wolverine
Fifth Instar
Already got one of those. Thinking about Lucihormetica (Hormetica) subcincta , Deropeltis paulinoi,or Schultesia lampyridiformis but like your ideas.
I think it would take you a couple years to get enough L. subcincta to fill a 55 gallon. D. paulinoi could work. S. lampyridiformis would probably have a high rate of escape like the Panchloras.
Wolverine
Fifth Instar
This tank is an old saltwater tank with just the two feeding wholes and piping which will be easily plugged. Read on some European site about magnets and microscreen this would be the perfect tank to try it out on. With my plan it will be extremely hard for any escapees but you would know best. Almost willing to risk it lol.
Ozymandias
Seventh Instar
mm might be possible then, any pictures of the tank to give use a better idea of what your talking about. you could also probably do more than one type of roach as long as thay cant interbreed.
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Wolverine
Fifth Instar
vfox
Blatta
In my "show" tank (really just my largest ATM) I have five species of large showy roaches. Discoids, death heads, peppered, rothi, and dubia. They comingle very well and are breeding just fine. They like to sit under the red bulb lamps so they are almost always out in the open...well the adults anyway, nymphs and whatnot stay hidden in the substrate well.
Because of the size of your tank I think most Blaberus or Eublaberus fit the bill, but like suggested already, death heads (true death heads) are a great choice. Either that or a tank full of Hissers.
Because of the size of your tank I think most Blaberus or Eublaberus fit the bill, but like suggested already, death heads (true death heads) are a great choice. Either that or a tank full of Hissers.
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The orangeheads will eat all the others.
If you wanted to recreate a Florida-esque environment, you could try P. nivea, P. australasiae, B. craniifer, B. discoidalis, E. floridana, and H. tenebricosa. I have a feeling that the last two would be outcompeted, though.
Wolverine
Fifth Instar
Decided to try all of them. Do discoids and deaths heads interbreed? Think I will keep separate cultures incase of decimation it will be a good experiment. My orangeheads get fed a lot of protein already even though it increases the smell lots of oranges and apples help. My major fear is crossbreeding species something I'm not interested in. Have overlooked peppered roaches until I posted this thread, now want a naturalistic tank of them with some hardwood leaves that aren't all crushed up would really show their camouflage.
vfox
Blatta
Discoids and death heads can mate but they cannot have offspring. That's the only reason mine are in the enclosure together. If there were fusca or giganteus I would say "do not" because they are more similar in reproductive parts. Zephyr posted a great link on a Blaberus species cross breeding experiment a while back, search for it... I'm on my phone otherwise I would for you, lol.
Wolverine
Fifth Instar
Very interesting. Well considering these ideas, the amount of tanks I really need is greatly reduced. Plus they will all be show tanks this is great. Thanks everybody!