Communal

[Mikael_29]

I was thinking of doing a live planted large communal tank. what are sonme good species that would work? other than idolos and violins because i dont have acess to a steady amount of flies

 

[Extrememantid]

Sibylla pretiosa, Popa spurca (maybe?), I know you already kept Phyllocrania paradoxa. Hestiasula sp, Otomantis sp, Ephestiasula sp. Not 100% on the boxer species but they may be, especially with a rather large enclosure. Some Psuedovates species are likely communal too.

 

[happy1892]

Deroplatys lobata?

 

[Savechanges]

popa spurca for sure although I have had them eat each other due to my error due to overcrowding

 

[Brunneria]

I've been keeping my 8 Heterochaeta orientalis since I got them. Same with Pseudovates arizonae. So far I've not experienced any cannibalism from any of the two species.

 

[mantiseater]

I keep thesprotia and gonatista together

 

[PlayingMantis]

I've had pretty bad luck keeping Sibylla pretiosa and Hestiasula major (the latter was worse). YMMV. The only other relatively communal species I can think of so far is Phyllocrania paradoxa, however I have witnessed a couple instances of cannibalism.

I'd say the most communal would be violins but I see that you've ruled out that species.

 

[Ghost_Keeper]

I've have some insane phyllocrania communal stories, and IMO they are one of the best communals, but they need a lot of space compared to others.

 

[Bloodtkr]

I had 5 boxers shipped together they arrived 5 alive...I was lazy that night and left them together threw in aome fruit flies...next morning 4 ! Found the tiny head with antenna still on it and the mits : x

 

[Extrememantid]

Deroplatys lobata?

I'd think they'd be a bit more aggressive than other species, no?

 

[happy1892]

I'd think they'd be a bit more aggressive than other species, no?

I heard they were communal. Wouldn't keep males and females together though.

 

[Extrememantid]

I heard they were communal. Wouldn't keep males and females together though.

Oh, well that may be the case then. I was always under the impression that they're more aggressive towards prey than some species. I've never personally kept them so I don't really know

 

[Deacon]

Savechanges,

Re: crowding Popa spurca. I have a solid net barrel 14" dia by 24" tall. It has branches big and small and some silk flowers, set in plaster of paris, that reach the top. Would this be enough space for four Popa spurca? One is a 6 day-old female, two are male subs or pre subs and one is a female sub (as of today.) I don't want them to eat one another, but it wouldn't break my heart. That sounds terrible but I have no plans to continue with this species.

I'm not thinking of putting them together for mating---I just think they might be more interesting.

Any opinion or guess whether this is large enough that they won't be crowded?

 

[PlayingMantis]

Deroplatys lobata?

I've had mixed results with D. lobata. They were OK if kept together at L2, or even L3, but once they were older, they would happily munch on each other.

 

[happy1892]

I've had mixed results with D. lobata. They were OK if kept together at L2, or even L3, but once they were older, they would happily munch on each other.

Thanks for the enlightening information.