Somethin big...

[Creobroter]

I have in my possession a large vivarium approximately 80-100 litres. It has installed heating and a UV lamp, ideal for reptiles, however I plan to make it invert orientated. A kind of huge communal enclosure, with plants, scavengers, herbivores and maybe some predators. I have done similar projects on much smaller scale, with millipedes and isopods, but I plan to make this much more varied. Possibly even a mini ecosystem. I'm open to any suggestions. No idea is a bad idea.

 

[Dennis Nedry]

I say yes just to spruce it up a bit. An active hunter like a wolf spider or jumping spider would be cool.

 

[schmiggle]

In general, yes, but you need to be careful. The predator could easily wipe out its prey population if you don't set things up exactly.

 

[pannaking22]

If you include a predator you'll also want to make sure that the prey items don't stress them out too much. That's why tarantulas and most scorpions tend not to do well in a set up like that. Assassin bugs will kill everything, so they tend not to work too well either in communal tanks. Tenebrionid larvae will eat cricket eggs and potentially millipede eggs, so those shouldn't be mixed.

The idea of a predator in a mixed enclosure is really cool, but it takes a good amount of research and prep before potentially doing it. You have a good sized enclosure, so that should increase the chances of it working.

 

[Dennis Nedry]

I did do a big enclosure a while ago with jumping spiders, small wolf spiders, tiny centipedes and a number of herbivores. Of course it wasn't self sustaining but it was interesting to watch

 

[Veles]

Add a wolf spider or two in.
You could also add ocypus olens,but I am afraid that it would just it everything.

 

[Creobroter]

Add a wolf spider or two in.
You could also add ocypus olens,but I am afraid that it would just it everything.

A smaller species of rove beetle might work, often when I find o.olens in the field there isn't much sign of other life. They are veracious.

 

[Veles]

A smaller species of rove beetle might work, often when I find o.olens in the field there isn't much sign of other life. They are veracious.

And cannibals too.