Multi-species communal Colonies.

[jebbewocky]

I'm sure this topic has been brought up before, but it's been awhile and I figured it'd be worth bringing up new.

I've tested a few different communal colonies.

Specifically:

1.) B.giganteus/H.tenebricosa: Successful in terms of production, however, eventually overcrowding with the giganteus leads to wing deformities. I didn't notice a particularly high death rate, and I suspect a larger tank with more vertical spaces and a deeper substate for H.tenebricosa would fix the issue.

2.) E.distanti/B.craniifer: I lost most of the B.craniifer. Never found them, I assume they were eaten by the E.distanti.

3.) G.portentosa/B.craniifer: Much better, most successful communal so far. I'm actually going to have to start culling.

4.) G.portentosa/B.giganteus/H.tenebricosa: Limited success. The G.portentosa wouldn't breed until I moved them out. I suspect their numbers were too small to keep up with the other two species.

 

[Keith]

I've had dubia and craniifer together, no issues. Craniifer tend to hide while dubia are very active.

 

[johningeorgia]

I remember this guy on YouTube keeping a lot of species together with Orange heads.. He couldn't seem to find any nymps of anything but orange heads. I bet the Orange heads were eating the others nymphs. I keep single species set ups but I can see the allure of a good multi species of tank. I have been thinking of adding a few darkling Beatles to my orange heads as cleaners but I don't know if one or the other will eat each other.

 

[rockpython]

I have thrown my hissers in with my dubias. I see new nymphs of both species in there. These things are like roaches and reproduce like crazy! It may be different for people who are strictly feeding, but for just a hobby, if some get eaten... well then its natural population control

:lol:

 

[vfox]

I've kept many species communally over the years but the best results have always been from single enclosures. I'm not sure if competition was the result of slower breeding or not but I've had moderate success recently. My Eublaberus have been the worst to pair with, their nymphs are voracious. I've also lost most of my hisser nymphs to my Americans when I introduced them as an experiment. They are ALWAYS hungry, lol.