# Questions on Domino Roaches



## Lucky Jester (Aug 14, 2017)

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~


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## MTA (Aug 14, 2017)

Lucky Jester said:


> 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.
> 
> ...


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.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Tenevanica (Aug 15, 2017)

Lucky Jester said:


> 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.



Lucky Jester said:


> 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.)



Lucky Jester said:


> 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.



Lucky Jester said:


> 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!

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Hisserdude (Aug 15, 2017)

Tenevanica said:


> 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.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Hisserdude (Aug 15, 2017)

This is the only thread I can find about Therea hybridization, (which I started, and BTW, I was able to remove all the olegrandjeani from the regularis enclosure), and Orin said he would be surprised if they couldn't hybridize.

http://www.roachforum.com/index.php?/topic/6104-can-therea-hybridize/#comment-33837

So yes, OP, _please_ don't keep them together, more hybrids are the last thing this hobby needs!

Reactions: Like 2


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## Lucky Jester (Aug 15, 2017)

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?


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## Tenevanica (Aug 15, 2017)

Lucky Jester said:


> 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 (Aug 15, 2017)

@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!


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## Tenevanica (Aug 15, 2017)

Hisserdude said:


> So yes, OP, _please_ don't keep them together, more hybrids are the last thing this hobby needs!


*Cough* _Blaberus fusca _*Cough* "Brown wing" _B. craniifer _*Cough*

Reactions: Like 1


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## Hisserdude (Aug 15, 2017)

Lucky Jester said:


> 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. 



Tenevanica said:


> @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.



Tenevanica said:


> *Cough* _Blaberus fusca _*Cough* "Brown wing" _B. craniifer _*Cough*


I prefer the pure breds.  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!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tenevanica (Aug 15, 2017)

Hisserdude said:


> They appreciate lower moist layers of substrate, and the top layers kept dry.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


August is hybrid awareness month! Think it'll catch on? "End the 'portentosa!'"


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