Jimimardlin's Atta Cephalotes (aquarium setup)

[Deansie26]

I'd put a little moist soil in the corner for humidity.

[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?

[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.

[jimimardlin]

ok I will do that now, but what should I do after?

[jimimardlin]

its done, what should I do now?

[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!

[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?

[jimimardlin]

so adding more until you replace the queen and fungus to the colony.

what do you mean by this?

[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.

[jimimardlin]

ok ill add many small workers first, but should I add the big workers to the queen or only add little workers?