Leaf Cutting Ant Forum

Okay so I have decided to change my set up to a clinical one so I can see the fungus! I'm going to try and build a set up and then move the fungus into it, hopefully without killing the colony! I'll post some pictures and show you what I'm planning tomorrow!

Looking forward to seeing your ideas Eloise

I think part of the fun is seeing whats going on!

Watching with intrest! Good luck with the new build!

Irish

Best of luck to you! Interested to see this

It is best seen them in and on the fungus moving pupa and larave around

I am going to try and use acrylic domes to house the fungus! I was inspired by the set up that the museum of life and science in Durham have! I'm not sure what size I would need but I'm planning to get four domes with the diameter=20cm and height=15cm!

To ventilate the domes I'm going to make several small holes in the top and put a thin ant-proof mesh over it! In order to heat the set up I'm planning to use the tank that I already have! I'm planning to put a tray which will cover the top area of the tank and the domes will sit in the tray connected to each other with tubes. If this works I can move the ants into the new set up and fraise the water level in the tank below and hopefully I can use that water to heat the setup which will be fixed on top!

Sorry for the worlds worst diagram!
What size of tubing should I use?

My younger brother Benjamin has a catfish called Nathaniel, it is bullying the other fish and needs more space so I was thinking of moving Nathaniel into the tank once I have raised the water level and figured out what temperature to heat the water! Sorry awful photo!

Nice to see your thinking out the box, domes would be a first on here, I've never seen them used apart from at that museum. So the try will float above the fish tank and get heat warm air coming of the water is that right? Will the tank be open top?

Hi Eloise.
Bold plans!
Looking like a big project. I love the different elements here. Domes, fish, should be interesting to watch. Tube diameter should be from 20mm to 35mm internal. Any smaller and the will struggle to pass when they are busy, any wider and they might fill it with fungus.