aquanut

I have a bunch of small moths(some sort of grain moth?) breeding in my roach enclosure. I use bran for a substrate. I'm not sure if its as easy as putting in fresh substrate to get rid of them. Ideas?

i'm interested, and i would guess many would be as well.

I've allways had a lot of room for my discoids, they seem to prefer to group together and leave much of the egg crates empty. I origally had them at mid 70's and they bred terribly slow, i moved it to 85-87 and they grow and breed like crazy.

What i've read on latteris is that they will go nuts at room temp.

glen

Just a question I have been wondering.... How many roaches do y'all normally strat your colonies with. I know "the more the better"...but sometimes these rare roaches are too expensive/ to hard to get to start out with 50 or so.

Every species I keep are "pets".... I usually begin these "collector colonies" with a minimum of 12.... I perfer 18-24 if possible.....

I really neeed to make up a half dozen bucket cages so I can get some new species.....

Do y'all agree that roaches tend to do better starting out if there are more in the colony...or is it just that the more you have the more females are in the colony so they grow quicker...it seems that species like hissers like it alittle overcrowded...

Thanks,

Graham

i allways thought to start with about a dozen and once the colony gets going to add a few from a different line for some different genetic material.

although-

1- i've heard that most roaches really dont inbreed

2- seems like most of the rare species come from one culture that some one was able to bring in.

Can anyone tell me where peppered roaches naturally occur. Kind of concerned abut how high of temp they can tolerate. My enclosure will sometimes swing as high as 90-91 F but usually 84 to 87 F. What kind of temps do others keep? My Roach's are kept in an enclosure so there is no temp gradient.

Thanks

Specifically bran or any absorptive substrate? I never used any substrate for a long time but like something for the little ones to hide in. They generate there own substrate soon enough. Never have had mite problems, i live in a very low humidity area. I did have problems with the substrate getting damp and molding until i put in supports under the egg crates to raise them just above the bran so there was air movement underneath.

oops

Bran in more humid areas = mite infestation.

Specifically bran or any absorptive substrate? I never used any substrate for a long time but like something for the little ones to hide in. They generate there own substrate soon enough. Never have had mite problems, i live in a very low humidity area. I did have problems with the substrate getting damp and molding until i put in supports under the egg crates to raise them just above the bran so there was air movement underneath.

I put some cantelope in my roach tanks last week. I thought they would love it since it's soft and sweet but they barely touched it. I gave it to b. fusca, peppereds, hissers, banana roaches, etc. The only roaches that ate it were my dubias.

I have yet to find a food that dubias won't eat though.

My Discoids will inhale cantalope! Strange little buggers.

Thanks all. I have feeders up the who-ha, got these strictly to play with and show off. Not worried about breeding, although i am impatient to have the first one molt to adult!

Bran substrate sounds a little scary but if you've had luck with discoids and dubia you should do fine. Archimandrita are much slower breeding and reproduce in lower numbers than those species.

Just curious what makes you nervous about using bran as substrate. I use it for the others because its smaller grained than the small nymphs and i can sift through it easily, they also seem to enjoy grazing on it a little.

I'm getting some peppered roaches tomorrow and would like input on care parameters. I've had discoids and dubias for years with much success and was planning on caring for them the same way. Any input would be appreciated. I keep them at 84 - 88 degrees F. Feed dog, cat fish and chicken food along with a variety of produce 2-3 times a week and water crystals for moisture. I use egg crates for habitat, bran for substrate and keep them fairly dark. I live in the desert so the humidity is fairly low.

Thanks

cheap dog, cat, fish and chicken food. I try to use more than one at a time. I try to include cat or fish with the other since they are higher in protein. Somewhere i read that the lower protein foods such as dog food and chicken mash are a bit shy on protein. I also throw in whatever produce i have left over at least a couple of times per week. Also throw in most any other leftovers theyll eat, old popcorn, meatloaf, cereal, you name it.

I like the Discoid, a pretty roach thats a great feeder. I had some dubias but like the looks of the Discoids better. I"m waiting to get a dozen Peppereds that i have a feeling will be my new favorite (pet Roach)

Hi there, my name is Glen and i live in Idaho, I'm an Agronomist by trade, have 3 kids and to many aquariums (Reef and Fresh water). My son has a Beardy and my daughter has a Leopard Gecko, and i hate crickets, enter the roaches. I bought 15 Discoids 4 years ago and really got hooked. I got some Dubia a while back but started to get overrun, kept the discoids which i am partial (more emotional than anything) and sold off the dubia. I just ordered a dozen Peppereds just for fun pets, my 12 year old daughter really likes the roaches but the discoids move a little faster than she likes. I'm hoping the size and slowness of the peppereds make a cool pet and conversation piece. I hoping i get them next week, very exited, both of us.