Ivo Katrafilov
Member
I need suggestions for invertebrates in planted vivarium. The enclosure must be multispecies so without mantis.
Invertebrates in planted viv
- Thread starter Ivo Katrafilov
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splendens
Well-Known Member
Vampire crabs have been successfully mixed with many other tropical invertebrates, including phasmids such as giant leaf bugs and walking sticks, and sometimes with mantids such as the dead leaf mantis. Many beetle species do well in mixed exhibits, especially some of the African species such as the sun beetle, taxicab beetle, goliath beetle, different fruit and flower beetles, and more. Isopods are often used as a clean up crew for terrariums, but certain species risk eating molted insects or larvae, especially if they are burrowed at the time. Large snails such as the African land snails seem to have been mixed successfully. Millipedes such as the giant African have also been mixed, but ive heard that they may be disturbed while molting by other burrowing invertebrates such as beetle larvae, and they damage beetle eggs so they do not increase in population as much. Roaches such as some of the large South American species and Malagasy hissing roaches as well.
While not suitable for tropical planted vivariums, many North American desert beetle species can be kept together, such as blue death feigning beetles, many species of darkling beetles, and ironclad beetles. Some have kept scorpions such as giant hairy and dune scorpions alongside the beetles, though there is always a risk of predation.