# communal insect ideas



## slong15 (Aug 3, 2009)

Hello,

I have an old aquarium that I would love to house some type of insects in that can live together. I recently got some mantids and are in love with them, and would love to expand my insect collection. Anyone have any ideas of really neat insects that can be housed together without eating eachother? Whats your favorite type?


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## PhilinYuma (Aug 3, 2009)

slong15 said:


> Hello,I have an old aquarium that I would love to house some type of insects in that can live together. I recently got some mantids and are in love with them, and would love to expand my insect collection. Anyone have any ideas of really neat insects that can be housed together without eating eachother? Whats your favorite type?


Phasmids and cockroaches come to mind. There are experts on both these orders on this forum, so maybe they will be able to help you out better than I. How big is the aquarium, by the way?


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## Katnapper (Aug 4, 2009)

Hey Sarah... I'd suggest _Phyllocrania paradoxa _(Ghost mantids). There is a slight risk of cannibalism, especially at the adult stage; but if fed well with consistent access to food, they really do pretty well in groups. If you like the Budwings, you'll love the Ghosts too!!  Also, they are a fairly easy to keep species, great for beginners as well as experienced keepers alike.


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## Morpheus uk (Aug 4, 2009)

You could try beetles also, assasin bugs aswell  

Or aquatic pond bugs, and katydids and such


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## superfreak (Aug 4, 2009)

i kept some katydids together once when i was younger. i made the mistake of thinking they were all completely harmless. came back one day to find my one gone and another being eaten by a third (there was LOADS of food provided which they ate readily). :S


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## Katnapper (Aug 4, 2009)

There's also _Phyllovates chlorophaea _(Texas Unicorn mantis). They are a very cool mantis (probably my favorite of all the mantids I've kept thus far), and suitable for beginners and experienced alike also.  Same caveats apply... no mantis species is absolutely 100% guaranteed communal, especially the closer to adult they get. But with lots of consistently available food, cannibalism may not be eliminated, but is lessened to the point you shouldn't find massive carnage from them eating each other all of the time like some other species.

There are other mantis species that fall under the same type catagory... "communal" to some degree, but not to say you won't have some that will occasionally fall prey to others, especially at adult stages and if other food sources are not readily available. But many of these others have more exacting requirements, and are not really suitable for the beginner.


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## Zephyr (Aug 4, 2009)

As far as invert combos that could work...

B. dubia and B. fumigata are cockroaches that don't seem to mind other species. Mix in some pillbugs, mealworms, flour beetles, and larder beetles, and you'll have a pretty neat setup going.  

All of these can be kept on a bedding of bran/flour (although if you're going to use roaches, I'd suggest making the bedding out of 1/5 bran/flour and 4/5 potting soil) with oak leaves and bark/logs on top. Food can be placed out in a dish. All of these species will love rotting fruit.


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## beckyl92 (Aug 4, 2009)

Phyllocrania Paradoxa (Ghost)

Phyllovates Chlorophaea (Texas Unicorn)

Deroplatys Dessicata (Dead Leaf)

Gongylus Gongyloides (Violin)

ive found these to be quite communal. no mantis is 100% though.


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## colddigger (Aug 8, 2009)

if you want to house a variety of critters in one tank without them killing one another, then first thing to scratch off the list are any predators. Then you need to consider how similar the different critters habitats will be, temperature, humidity, food, etc.


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## Hypoponera (Aug 9, 2009)

I have had great results keeping hissing cockroaches together with African Giant Black millipedes, _Archispirostreptus gigas. _ Food and housing conditions were well matched. The only problem was that the roaches did so well that over population became an issue!

A better combo might be some AGBs with phasmids. Just need to match housing issues such as temps and humidity. The millipede substrate should have no effect on the phasmids while the phasmids twigs/leaves shouldn't bother the millipedes.


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