Giant african water scorpions

[crittergu]

Anyone on here breed/have info on these guys?

Thanks!

[Allpet Roaches]

I don't know that there's much info on keeping waterscorpions as it seems to be something few are successful at. I've seen what seemed a very successful breeding setup for Ranatra at the Cinci Zoo and they are somewhat easy to breed (rearing nymphs is difficult). The giant Nepa has been reared. Most people have no trouble keeping the captive bred adults alive for a year or two but egg laying seems to be another story. Here are a few photos:

giant waterscorpions

[crittergu]

I did a little stint with Abedus herberti a while back, then sold the breeders and the juveniles I kept back cannibalized each other(they were in a very big container so I thought their would be no problem). I know someone did rear them individual netting containers in a flo thru setup with success. I've devised a little idea I would like to try, and have always wanted to rear these.

Do you know of a source for these?

[Allpet Roaches]

They're like A.herberti in the sense that adults get along fine but nymphs get killed by other nymphs and adults. Also, like herberti the young become much easier to rear after a few generations (initial F1 generation has extremely high die-off, F2 not so bad, F3 better, etc.). It's possible a flow through design could possibly work better but the only method I know that's been employed successfully is cups. I know a vendor who should have some C.B. immatues of one of the large Nepas again but not for a few months.

[crittergu]

Hello Orin,

Also, are these also questionable legality ATM the way assasins are?

Thanks!

~Joseph

[Allpet Roaches]

The case against the assassins is they might eat a bee (which is silly since Platymeris live under logs but there are other types of assassins that do specialize in bees). However you'd imagine whoever makes the case against assassins would feel foolish claiming an aquatic predator could eat honey bees.