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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2012 10:57:52 GMT 1
Hey guys,
As recently discussed in the "license to keep non-native ants" threat we got into an off-topic discussion about how gel-based farms aren't acceptable for keeping ants long term.
I just have some quick questions because I am now worried, as I am still learning about ant keeping and I've put a newly-pregnant queen in a gel farm, and am now worried about her dying.
It's been said that gel farms don't provide enough nutrition, do you think it will be sustainable in the future if I give them additional food and water, and just use the gel as a digging tool?
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Post by Myrm on Sept 20, 2012 11:08:24 GMT 1
If its not possible for you to move the queen (don't move her if she has laid eggs already) or you don't want to move her then there is no need to worry just yet. Allow her first workers to hatch. After about a week or two try to remove them. You can keep them in the gel farm once the ants are born but I'd suggest trying to feed them freshly killed insects.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2012 12:12:33 GMT 1
She's laid the eggs and it tending to them, they are growing every day. For the sake of avoiding mold (which has been a big problem for my ants in the past- no idea why I have such bad luck) I'm tempted to keep her in the gel farm and give them proper sustenance. Hopefully this will be adequate? There are no issues with gel eventually becoming toxic at all?
EDIT: for clarification, these are regular, small black house ants.
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Post by Myrm on Sept 20, 2012 14:20:25 GMT 1
If she has laid eggs then keep her in there. You can always conduct a colony move later. As long as you take out any dead ants and leftover food then mould should not be a proplem.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2012 14:32:16 GMT 1
Honestly, I must disagree with Myrm. I've spent a lot of time at the American forum, and keeping ants in them never has worked for people. The brood cannot develop on the gel. Has she tunneled into it?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2012 20:15:00 GMT 1
I'm also interested in the use of gel farms, as I got one as a present some time back and never tried to use it. Now that I've started keeping queens, and currently don't have enough formicaria to house them all, I'd like to know if using it to effect is at all possible.
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Post by Myrm on Sept 20, 2012 20:37:36 GMT 1
The proplem with gel ant farms is thay were designed as short term homes for non-queen colonies of ants for studies of the effects of zero gravity on ants. The gel is suitable to sustain the workers for that was all that was needed. They are not designed or growing colonies with queens or brood. If the queen has tunnelled in and laid eggs then moving them could cause the queen to abandon or eat the eggs. This is why I have never supported their use. Like I said if you don't want to move them with he associated risks then you're rather stuck. We can debate the advice all day but you're the one that has to make the choice on what to do. Personally I'd try to remove them. But it's up to you. If larvae fail to develop in the gel then what have you to lose?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2012 3:06:20 GMT 1
Hmmm. she hasn't dug, but still has a bunch of undeveloped eggs. I might wait for them to hatch (it's taking a while too ) and see what the best course of action might be. All her eggs are on a part of the farm that's plastic, not gel, so I don't think theres a risk of her digging. Honestly? I'm interested in trying to feed them proper food and let the gel just be a digging substance to avoid mold.... I'm hoping that all works out okay :S
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2012 16:50:16 GMT 1
why dont you remove some / all the gel and replace it with soil
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2012 4:47:19 GMT 1
I think i'll do that in the future. At the moment it'll be a bit difficult cause of the queen and her eggs. Could freak her out too.
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Post by Myrm on Sept 22, 2012 8:21:09 GMT 1
I think i'll do that in the future. At the moment it'll be a bit difficult cause of the queen and her eggs. Could freak her out too. We often learn things by trial and error. It would be interesting to see how the larvae develop in the gel. Be sure to keep us updated.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2012 19:42:19 GMT 1
I think i'll do that in the future. At the moment it'll be a bit difficult cause of the queen and her eggs. Could freak her out too. We often learn things by trial and error. It would be interesting to see how the larvae develop in the gel. Be sure to keep us updated. yes i agree
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