Mixing different kinds of Assassin Bugs?

[arachnoxious]

I recently just placed an order for four Platymeris biguttatus nymphs. I am currently looking at a Psytalla horrida nymph and was wondering if it is possible for these two kinds of assassin bugs to co-exist together. It would look great in the tank to have the color combination but i'd rather be safe than risk it. Anyone with experience or with any good suggestions please let me know Btw, I am separating the nymphs until they reach adulthood because i have heard a few stories of cannibalism. Has anyone had luck keeping nymphs together without cannibalism?

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

I would guess that the adults would do ok (adult Platymeris appear to be physically incapable of harming one another, often accidentally attacking others at feeding time but never successfully killing), but you'd be risking hybridization. Just because they're classified into different genera doesn't mean it can't happen. (Though P. biguttatus and P. horrida look rather different, so you'd probably know if they produced hybrids...it would be pretty interesting to see if it's possible.)

On the subject of cannibalism... if the nymphs are well fed, you should see very little cannibalization, but it's bound to happen at least occasionally and often occurs during molting. Since you only have four I definitely recommend separating them until adulthood.

 

[arachnoxious]

I am going to get a few of them and put them together once they reach adulthood then. I am actually very interested to see if hybridization is possible and if so, what may possibly come out of it. I will keep all of them separated until adulthood and then test it out and keep my fingers crossed. Thank you for your opinion and i'll be sure to post any photos of possible hybrid nymphs once [if] they begin breeding.

 

[schmiggle]

Well, usually I advise against this sort of thing, because it's worth having pure species stock in captivity. However, I think self sustaining captive populations of both species are well established, so if @Salmonsaladsandwich thinks they won't all kill each other (which would have been my other major concern), it shouldn't be an issue.

Just make sure you keep track of which are hybrids and which aren't, if you get any fertile offspring.

As a rule, intergeneric hybrids are only possible when the genera are organized badly (para or polyphyletic--this, at least, is what I have found with orchids). I don't know anything about the cladistics of these genera, so I can't say how likely you are to actually get hybrids.

 

[basin79]

I'd keep them separate.

Have 2 different enclosures.

Twice the pleasure.