Questions on Domino Roaches

Lucky Jester

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 26, 2015
Messages
2
Hi, I'd like to get into caring for Domino Roaches and have some questions to ask. (This is my first time posting on the forums, so I have no idea how to start a sentence)

1) What sort of substrate would they need, after doing some research, it seems like they need a composite substrate with leaf litter. I'd like to know if this is true and if this is beneficial.

2) Can Therea regularis be kept in the same enclosure with the Therea petiveriana? (Are there any benefits or repercussions of keeping the two together?)

3) Are they escape artists? If so, how should I combat this?

4) Can they be fed dog food or fish pellet? (I know some roaches can eat this, but can Domino Roaches do so too?)

~Thank you, ahead of time~
 

MTA

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 1, 2016
Messages
89
Hi, I'd like to get into caring for Domino Roaches and have some questions to ask. (This is my first time posting on the forums, so I have no idea how to start a sentence)

1) What sort of substrate would they need, after doing some research, it seems like they need a composite substrate with leaf litter. I'd like to know if this is true and if this is beneficial.

2) Can Therea regularis be kept in the same enclosure with the Therea petiveriana? (Are there any benefits or repercussions of keeping the two together?)

3) Are they escape artists? If so, how should I combat this?

4) Can they be fed dog food or fish pellet? (I know some roaches can eat this, but can Domino Roaches do so too?)

~Thank you, ahead of time~
1) I used rotten wood as a substrate for mine but coco fiber or organic potting soil will work. They do need a layer of leaf litter since it's a big part of their diet.

2) I would keep them seperate since they could hybridize or one could outcompete the other.

3) Adult males can climb, but they don't do it that much, if you're really worried you can put a thin layer of petroleum jelly on the top of their container.

4) They can eat both, but fish food is more expensive.
 

Tenevanica

Arachnodemon
Joined
Feb 18, 2015
Messages
726
1) What sort of substrate would they need, after doing some research, it seems like they need a composite substrate with leaf litter. I'd like to know if this is true and if this is beneficial.
These roaches belong to the family Corydiidae, and as such they have to have leaf litter in their substrate. It is a primary food source for them. I keep my T. petiveriana colony on cocofiber with leaves on top, and I've raised almost three generations successfully that way.

2) Can Therea regularis be kept in the same enclosure with the Therea petiveriana? (Are there any benefits or repercussions of keeping the two together?)
Not that I'm aware of. I don't remember exactly, but I think there was a discussion over on Roachforum where it was determined that different Therea species can't interbreed. (Perhaps @Hisserdude remembers better than I?) They have pretty similar reproductive rates as well, so I wouldn't worry about one out-competing the other as the user above was worried about. However, I advise you keep them separately to avoid any risk, and to make identifying nymphs of the two species easier. (They look nearly identical as nymphs.)

3) Are they escape artists? If so, how should I combat this?
As stated above, only adult males will climb. They can be thwarted with petroleum jelly or a tight fitting lid. I don't find this species to be a crazy escape artists, unlike Gyna for example which seem to be able to teleport out of sealed enclosures.

4) Can they be fed dog food or fish pellet? (I know some roaches can eat this, but can Domino Roaches do so too?)
Yes, but only as a supplemental diet. They require dead hardwood leaves as a staple food source.

EDIT: Forgot that Polyphagidae is now called Corydiidae. Fixed that!
 
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Hisserdude

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 18, 2015
Messages
2,453
Not that I'm aware of. I don't remember exactly, but I think there was a discussion over on Roachforum where it was determined that different Therea species can't interbreed. (Perhaps @Hisserdude remembers better than I?) They have pretty similar reproductive rates as well, so I wouldn't worry about one out-competing the other as the user above was worried about. However, I advise you keep them separately to avoid any risk, and to make identifying nymphs of the two species easier. (They look nearly identical as nymphs.)
I don't remember that actually, I'll look for the thread in a bit, but to the OP, definitely don't keep them together, better to be safe than sorry when it comes to creating hybrids... Will look for that post right now.

Also, all the orange domino nymphs I've seen are a tan orangish color, whereas regular domino nymphs are black. :)
 

Lucky Jester

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 26, 2015
Messages
2
Thanks guys! I decided I'll get the Therea petiveriana once I finish preparing everything. One last question though, how important is the humidity for Domino Roaches?
 

Tenevanica

Arachnodemon
Joined
Feb 18, 2015
Messages
726
Thanks guys! I decided I'll get the Therea petiveriana once I finish preparing everything. One last question though, how important is the humidity for Domino Roaches?
They like it on the dry side, but a bit of misting now and again never hurt anyone. The egg cases will appreciate some moister lower substrate layers, but they don't need high humidity.
 
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Tenevanica

Arachnodemon
Joined
Feb 18, 2015
Messages
726
@Hisserdude, thanks, perhaps I had an incorrect memory about the Roachforum thread. Also, I thought I remembered that T. regularis nymphs had a different color to them but I couldn't remember. (Hence, near identical.) I haven't gotten any new roach species in over a year and I'm only keeping T. petiveriana right now. I may need a slight review for some of this stuff!
 

Hisserdude

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 18, 2015
Messages
2,453
Thanks guys! I decided I'll get the Therea petiveriana once I finish preparing everything. One last question though, how important is the humidity for Domino Roaches?
They appreciate lower moist layers of substrate, and the top layers kept dry. :)

@Hisserdude, thanks, perhaps I had an incorrect memory about the Roachforum thread. Also, I thought I remembered that T. regularis nymphs had a different color to them but I couldn't remember. (Hence, near identical.) I haven't gotten any new roach species in over a year and I'm only keeping T. petiveriana right now. I may need a slight review for some of this stuff!
No problem, happy to help! :) Pretty sure that's the only thread discussing Therea hybridization on the forum, could be wrong though.

They are rather similar looking, and I think darker individuals of the T.regularis do pop up now and then, but for the most part they are easy to tell apart from the other two in the hobby, whereas T.petiveriana/bernhardti and T.olegrandjeani are impossible to tell apart as nymphs.

*Cough* Blaberus fusca *Cough* "Brown wing" B. craniifer *Cough*
I prefer the pure breds. :p I'm OK with hybrids so long as people label them as such, most don't though. :/ I am happy to see that a lot of FB groups and people on the forums are starting to call their "portentosa" hissers mutts now, hybrid awareness is rising! :D
 

Tenevanica

Arachnodemon
Joined
Feb 18, 2015
Messages
726
They appreciate lower moist layers of substrate, and the top layers kept dry. :)



No problem, happy to help! :) Pretty sure that's the only thread discussing Therea hybridization on the forum, could be wrong though.

They are rather similar looking, and I think darker individuals of the T.regularis do pop up now and then, but for the most part they are easy to tell apart from the other two in the hobby, whereas T.petiveriana/bernhardti and T.olegrandjeani are impossible to tell apart as nymphs.



I prefer the pure breds. :p I'm OK with hybrids so long as people label them as such, most don't though. :/ I am happy to see that a lot of FB groups and people on the forums are starting to call their "portentosa" hissers mutts now, hybrid awareness is rising! :D
August is hybrid awareness month! Think it'll catch on? "End the 'portentosa!'"
 
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