# mixed invert display tank



## Mick101 (May 17, 2016)

Hi all. I had the idea to create a bioactive enclosure hosting a few different species of inverts as a display tank. I was wondering if anyone could suggest some species that would work well together? My initial thought was to have some sun beetles, millepedes and a couple of locusts. It would be nice to have a larger species of beetle as well. Any ideas appreciated!


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## veektooru (Jul 16, 2016)

Giant land snails, stick insects, pill bugs and ants. You would need to pick a heat and humidity range that you will keep the enclosure and pick species that require those conditions.

If you create a paludarium you could include some aquatic inverts.


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## Basin79 (Apr 1, 2014)

Have a nosey around and make a note of what you like and then where they're from. Keep the ones that occur naturally together in the wild. That'd make an interesting display.


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## FishForLife2001 (Sep 23, 2014)

Cockroaches seem to do well together, obviosuly not as much variety as keeping different Orders or other groups. 

I keep woodlice, 4 cockroach species and mealworms together, hardly an exciting mix but I enjoy them. 

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## sidewinder (May 22, 2011)

where did you buy the 4 cockroach species from


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## FishForLife2001 (Sep 23, 2014)

sidewinder said:


> where did you buy the 4 cockroach species from


You can get them from the classifieds, eBay and various other sellers.

I got the _ Blaberus craniifer _from a user on here, Panthraz. Great guy and I would recommend.

The _Blaptica dubia _were from eBay, as were the _Blatta lateralis_ and the _Princisia vanwaerebeki_

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## PeterUK (Jun 21, 2008)

veektooru said:


> Giant land snails, stick insects, pill bugs and ants.


Are you for real ? :censor:

You couldnt think of a worse mix if you tried :gasp:


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## veektooru (Jul 16, 2016)

My Glomeris pulchra live with my Carausius morosus and I cant see anything wrong with putting a colony of temnothorax in there. As for land snails I have no idea, it was just a suggestion.


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## PeterUK (Jun 21, 2008)

veektooru said:


> My Glomeris pulchra live with my Carausius morosus


Two species that wont even interact with each other, apart from the Glomeris eating the Carausius's frass so not a bad choice




veektooru said:


> I cant see anything wrong with putting a colony of temnothorax in there.


You said ANTS. :gasp:
Which could mean any of a dozen or more species that are available to the hobbyist. Apart from the aggravation of setting up a something so that they cant escape there is the possibility that they will eat the other occupants. 





veektooru said:


> As for land snails I have no idea, it was just a suggestion.


Not the best suggestion ive ever heard. If you have no idea . . .why say anything ?

Which of the 35,000 species of land snails were you thinking of ? 
Hopefully it wasnt one of the African land snail species that get to over 12" and weight a few lb !
A tank where there are multiple slime trails over everything including the glass wouldnt look exactly nice, also many of the larger snail bury themselves and are like mini bulldozers so the tank would look like it had been used by a family of badgers. and of course then we get onto how they will eat most vegetation. 
So not only will they smother any growing plants with slime, they will uproot them just before they use them as a snack bar . . . probably around the same time that the ants will start to use them as a moving takeaway restaurant.

A wonderful idea :no1:


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## veektooru (Jul 16, 2016)

Are you this rude with everyone?

I concede that the snail recommendation was uninformed but as for the other three there would be no problem. 

How can you say "you couldn't think of a worse mix" then agree with me... before you shoot down someones ideas you may want to let them finish the point they are trying to make.

As for Temnothorax, I'd like to see a colony small enough to fit inside an acorn take on a giant snail.

You also mention the "aggravation" of setting up an ant enclosure, some people like a challenge!

Oh and "why say anything", well I thought this was a forum, a place to share ideas.


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## FishForLife2001 (Sep 23, 2014)

veektooru said:


> Are you this rude with everyone?
> 
> I concede that the snail recommendation was uninformed but as for the other three there would be no problem.
> 
> ...


I personally disagree with the idea of keeping snails and stick insects together, I haven't tried it but fear the sticks would be harmed. However the attitude in the post you refer to is totally unfair, is it hard to have a civilised discussion?

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## veektooru (Jul 16, 2016)

Like I said, the snail suggestion was uninformed so I retract it. 

I'm glad I was corrected but it could have been done a bit more smoothly.

If anyone following this is interested, someone has a couple of temnothorax colonies for sale on https://www.ameisenauktion.de


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## veektooru (Jul 16, 2016)

https://www.britishants.com/collections/queen-ants/products/temnothorax-nylanderi


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