Heterohele villosella communal questions!

[zimbu]

So I'm going to be receiving 5 H. villosella slings to start a communal setup.

I was just wondering if anyone who has experience with communal tanks would be able to tell me whether it's a better idea to start them off in a smallish tank (medium kritter keeper sized) and upgrade them o a 5 or 10 gallon aquarium as they grow, or if it would be better to just start them in a large tank?

Will they be able to find food in a large tank? Will they eat each other before they manage to find a good spot to hide when I transplant them to a larger tank?

Thanks!!

edit: *Heterothele

 

[Wadew]

Zimbu,
I think you will be fine putting them in a 10 gallon tank right away. I have 5 in a terrarium setup and they are doing great! I seem to feel they are more suitable for a communal then Holothele incei are.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e233/wadewa/04-26-09.jpg

 

[Sathane]

5 H. villosella slings in a 10 gallon tank? I think that's way too big for these guys. Maybe juvie and adults but certainly not slings.

I started my communal H. villosella project with 10 1/4" slings in a small deli container about 3 months ago. I can't seem to find the pics of the initial setup on my other laptop so I'll have to post that later if I do find them but here is a pic of it now. They are just now ready to go into something larger as the slings are about 3/4".

They are very tolerant but the key to a successful communal setup is to have enough room that they can be apart is they like but not so much room that they are allowed to set up a territory of there own. My communal set ups are always just small enough that each individual is forced to interact with another individual at least some of the time. Oh, and always provide plenty of food.

 

[Sathane]

Just rehoused my H. villosellas into something a bit bigger and to count specimens. All 10 are still alive. The new enclosure is a KIS Omni Shoebox and measures 6.25"x8"x4".

 

[Wadew]

I am not one to think that they will lose there way in a larger set like many on this board seem to project. It may not be necessary to put them in a set like this but I think you would find there will be nothing negative as a result.

Cheers Wade

 

[Sathane]

Agreed. It's worked for you so there is no reason it wouldn't work for anyone else.

I'm not so concerned with them losing their way so much as that amount of room allows them to set up defined territories that may cause them to become, well, territorial.

I am not one to think that they will lose there way in a larger set like many on this board seem to project. It may not be necessary to put them in a set like this but I think you would find there will be nothing negative as a result.

Cheers Wade

 

[zimbu]

Allright cool, thanks for the advice guys!

If they're fine with being moved as a group to a larger container as they grow, I think I'll start them off in a small enclosure, not because I'm worried about them getting lost/not being able to find food, but because I want to be able to keep track of how much each one is eating more easily.

Also, something I just thought of, are these guys likely to climb/make arboreal webs if I give them chunks of cork and such, or do they prefer to make burrows?

Thanks again for your replies
edit: Wade, I missed the link in your post the first time! Your terrarium is beautiful! Is that all live moss? Is it not to humid for them?

 

[Sathane]

They tend to do more of a blanket web on the ground level but will web anywhere, even in higher locations if given the opportunity.