My Female Ophistothalmus walberghi Is Up to No good!

[SouthernStyle]

And She's DONE it again! My female Ophistothalmus walberghi (the only one I have left now) has Eaten the OTHER female in the tank...Now I know they have room to get away from her (it's a 10 gallon tank) and the other two (one was a male as well) usualy kept their distance...But now she's gone and eaten the other female!! This is something that I've not seen before...and I was told on more than one occasion that it would be fine to keep them all in the same enclosure...She eats crickets regularly and really just is a loner...Any ideas on WHY she's deceided that her own kind taste better than crickets?!?

 

[Crono]

Sorry for the loss, but I just can't find any mention of this species being kept communally, other than this warning not to keep them together.
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=10036&highlight=Ophistothalmus

It sucks to find out the hard way, and better luck next time

 

[darrelldlc]

I have never heard of that species being communal, nor have I kept any Opistopthalmus communally. A ten gallon tank seems a bit small for even two in the same enclosure.
Darrell

 

[Andre2]

Even though they should not be kept communally, I think this is an unusually extreme case of cannibalism, which I would not expect, only if the female is fresh molted and there is much difference in size.

My own "attempts" at keeping opistophthalmus communally, rarely lasted longer than a day.. They would have fought to the death, if I had not seperated them again. Didn't you notice any fighting before? Why do you think the other 2 "kept their distance"?

Unfortunately you have been given the wrong advice about this species and you have to learn from it the hard way.

 

[Prymal]

Southern Style,

Don't know where you received the erroneous information regarding any type of communality in Opistophthalmus species but you were mislead. To date, I am unaware of any reports suggesting any form of sociality in this group - none that even hint at a close-tolerance for conspecifics.
Even in terms of general "tolerance", members of this genus have practically "NO" tolerance for con- or heterospecifics and will usually attack and attempt to kill anything that comes close to a retreat (territory).
Even males and females should be observed carefully during mating attempts as a non-receptive female may view the male as prey (economic cannibalism; pre- or post-copulatory cannibalism).
Separate the remaining members of the group and consider the unfortunate loss a lesson learned.

Take care...Luc

 

[SouthernStyle]

No worries, I hate to be crude about it, but those little guys are almost a dime a dozen out here...Probably just end up getting a couple other ones. I can't say that I've observed any fighting amongst the three of them, but The female does have a bit of a battle scar from all of it....http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=82014 That's what it looks like, but it's not the BEST pic...But She seems to be doing fine...Perhaps she mated with my male and then deceided to eat both the male and the other female...Who knows, At least I've got one that's still kickin!

 

[SouthernStyle]

Alrighty, Here's The BEST pic I could find of my O.Whalbergi (minus the spelling, This is my Tri-Color) And The "impaction" Have a look @ this!

 

[SouthernStyle]

She's Doing fine, Ate down about half a dozen crickets (piggin out with One in each claw and chompin' on the other)...I'm not too worried about it