10g for hissers?how many?

[fangsalot]

so how big of a colony can fit in a 10 gallon tank?ive seen alot of zoo displays where there eclosures have carpets of hissers covring almost every square inch of corkbark..i want something like that!is that overcrowding?what is too many for a 10g tank??

[Matt K]

so how big of a colony can fit in a 10 gallon tank?ive seen alot of zoo displays where there eclosures have carpets of hissers covring almost every square inch of corkbark..i want something like that!is that overcrowding?what is too many for a 10g tank??

Most roach species we keep in the hobby seem to prefer being somewhat crowded. The number would vary by size and proportion of nymphs to adults. They can stand shoulder to shoulder as long as ther eis some room to move out of that somehow.

[fangsalot]

lets say 200,,is that a ridiculous ammount or can i go higher.i dont want to compromise there comfortability or health.im trying to make an impressive zoo display kind of deal.and the more roaches in the enclosure the more chance a substantuale amount would be visible.

[Matt K]

lets say 200,,is that a ridiculous ammount or can i go higher.i dont want to compromise there comfortability or health.im trying to make an impressive zoo display kind of deal.and the more roaches in the enclosure the more chance a substantuale amount would be visible.

Well, in something twice the size of a 10 gallon tank (plastic bin) I may have 200 large nymphs and adults, and maybe 700 small and almost medium nymphs. I would tell someone that there are 150-300 in there based on the ones readily visible, but there may be several hundred or more in there.

I would say if you are counting all of them and there are 200 or so total, then no problem. But know that "200" will turn into a thousand in short order and overcrowd the tank fairly soon.