Atta - Aquarium setup

[Deansie26]

That pipe work looks much better Richard, nice job

[RichardP]

A couple of update pictures.

You can see that I have added another nest box. They have shown no interest in it to be honest but then they do have another 25% room left in the initial box.

I think it's looking really smart. You can see the external feeding box up on the shelf. I will upgrade that to a 15*15*20cm box soon.

[RichardP]

A strange thing I noticed in the feeding box, since I've given them sprout, they seem to have made piles of unused sprout in the corner of the box. Also that thicker stem you can see, I placed it in the entrance so they would have an easier access into the box but every time I put it in the exit hole they pull it out? I thought I was making their life easier!! No appreciation!

[Formica123]

A strange thing I noticed in the feeding box, since I've given them sprout, they seem to have made piles of unused sprout in the corner of the box. Also that thicker stem you can see, I placed it in the entrance so they would have an easier access into the box but every time I put it in the exit hole they pull it out? I thought I was making their life easier!! No appreciation!

I believe they are trying to build a waste pile, which makes sense as its right next to a vent so won't have as many mould problems etc

[RichardP]

Yeah, I guess so, but this isn't "waste" as in the brown stick residue from the fungus. This is just fragments of sprout that they presumably didn't want to take back to the nest for whatever reason.

[Formica123]

Mine used to do the same, presumably the tougher parts that can't be used for fungus?

[Deansie26]

I love reading your journal Richard, one if the most interesting journals to follow. You have won a watch that there dumping in there

[RichardP]

Ok.. thinking ahead. I attach a rather rubbish sketch (maybe I should have subcontracted Formica?) of my current idea for expanding the colony.

Inside the yellow line is the "proposed" new part of the set up.

I don't really know how I would manage heat and humidity in the new external nest area, but I would rather not have any more water i.e. heated moats.

And also, I don't know if the ants would start nesting in an area that is 7-10 feet away from their main nest. I wonder if they would just expand their nesting in the aquarium (on top of existing nest boxes, or on the stone, or in the pipes?) before they started using the new external nests??

Anyway, any suggestions/thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[Deansie26]

Initially I think you would be better maximizing the area you currently have the fungus tanks in, make a huge island and put as many fungus tanks in there as possible and do the foraging tank external. If you make the island low you could stack them. Maximise that aquarium.
Just my 2 cents

[Acromyrmexbob]

Personally I think you are at a crux here. A nexus!! A tipping point, crossroads, precipice, critical point........
I think you need to consider the following. You are about to start a process of joining bits and pieces to a system that is clearly not fit for purpose. (If by fit for purpose I mean being able to house a colony of Atta indefinately). It is possible that you will start with your very suitable setup and evolve it into a heath robinson amalgamation of this and that and eventually you will sit back and think 'what have I done'. Would it not be better now to stop, remove the fish tank and replace it with something that has the same footprint as your existing setup but which is purpose built for them. I could design a housing unit which would cater for your ants and the fish element, would allow you to expand to whatever size you may want to take your colony to and would look really good whatever the size your colony got to. I am just worried that one day you will get tired of adding and adding to your setup when now it will be hassle, yes, but much easier to adjust your setup than when the colony has three or four hundred soldiers and a few tens of thousand angry majors to make things more interesting when you eventually decide to rehome them. I think many people lose interest when the hassle exceeds the pleasure and fighting constant escapes and problems will inevitably ruin your enjoyment. Speaking from personal experience there is nothing in the field of keeping animals as pets that comes close to the satisfaction of a well housed mature colony of Atta in full flow. And I've kept sex kittens and beautiful birds in my time so I know what I am talking about.