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Re: Jimimardlin's Atta Cephalotes (aquarium setup)

Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 1:24 pm
by Deansie26
I'd put a little moist soil in the corner for humidity.

Re: Jimimardlin's Atta Cephalotes (aquarium setup)

Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 1:27 pm
by jimimardlin
will do, good news she is up on her legs again and not in a ball

will I have to just collect all the small workers and make a new colony with them and leave the bigger workers behind?

Re: Jimimardlin's Atta Cephalotes (aquarium setup)

Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 1:52 pm
by Deansie26
Add a few small workers in with the queen and hold on, I'm sure the queen will be able to be reintroduced. This behavior will be consequence of falling in the water I presume.

Re: Jimimardlin's Atta Cephalotes (aquarium setup)

Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 1:57 pm
by jimimardlin
ok I will do that now, but what should I do after?

Re: Jimimardlin's Atta Cephalotes (aquarium setup)

Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 2:19 pm
by jimimardlin
its done, what should I do now?

Re: Jimimardlin's Atta Cephalotes (aquarium setup)

Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 2:41 pm
by Deansie26
Leave them to settle, perhaps the water has gave her a foreign sent and this is why the ants are attacking her. Here is a technique that Andrew uses to re-queen a queenless colony which I imagine is what you should do.

You want her to be smelling of the fungus again so leave her for a few hours then add some more ants and keep going for a day or so adding more until you replace the queen and fungus to the colony.
Ensure she can't go swimming again, your very lucky she is still alive! :)

Re: Jimimardlin's Atta Cephalotes (aquarium setup)

Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 2:47 pm
by jimimardlin
ok so I will need to put her and all the contents of the little container into a larger container? (to fit all the fungus and workers) but obviously add them little at a time?

Re: Jimimardlin's Atta Cephalotes (aquarium setup)

Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 2:54 pm
by jimimardlin
so adding more until you replace the queen and fungus to the colony.
what do you mean by this?

Re: Jimimardlin's Atta Cephalotes (aquarium setup)

Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 3:03 pm
by Deansie26
Adding more ants in with the queen until there is a good amount, after which you return the queen and fungus to the original container.

Re: Jimimardlin's Atta Cephalotes (aquarium setup)

Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 3:06 pm
by jimimardlin
ok :D ill add many small workers first, but should I add the big workers to the queen or only add little workers?