# Tank Mates with Hissing cockroaches



## skullking (Sep 22, 2012)

So With my tank I originally set up for my MIA centipede obviously not the best set up for a centipede I spent some time last night doing some rearranging.  So now my two male hissers are living in the Large kritter keeper and my 5 gal tank is sitting empty. Over all i think good move.  My little guys seem much much more active and happy then they have in the past two weeks. But it seems kinda empty in there.  I don't want to get a colony of roaches so I want to avoid more hissers and possibly other species of roach.  So what would you guys suggest I put in with them?


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## satchellwk (Sep 22, 2012)

I would suggest something non-climbing so you don't have to make it escape-proof, as well as fairly large to not be bullied too hard by the hissers. Maybe a Blaberus or Eublaberus species of some sort? Or, maybe something more adept to burrowing, so it doesn't really compete with the hissers for vertical space like a Byrsotria sp. 

I must ask, why no colony? Breeding them and having continued generations is one of the best parts about roach keeping. I can understand not wanting hissers breeding, since they nymphs are hard to contain, but non-climbers can make great colonies that are tons of fun to watch. Furthermore, when an individual roach only lasts a year or two tops, a colony can possibly last decades.


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## skullking (Sep 22, 2012)

Well I dont want my two hissers to breed just cause they are the two inverts I got which started me in on this whole hobby.  So i want to keep them kinda sseprate and not have them get lost in a colony cause there special.  But I do want to start a colony of Gromphadorhina grandidieri (Tiger Hisser) eventually.  Any Non-Roach ideas?


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## billopelma (Sep 22, 2012)

I have one living in with four adult crested geckos, was put in as a feeder originally but evidently hid and avoided being consumed and is now large enough to roam around with impunity. When I put in the powder/mix gecko food, he comes out and eats from the dish right along side of the cresties.

Bill


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## satchellwk (Sep 22, 2012)

Well, if you don't want other roaches, millipedes might be a good choice. I've seen quite a few people keep various species with hissers, and I keep my hemiblaberus with my millipedes. Narceus americanus, Narceus gordanus, or Chicobolus spiningerus would probably make for good, hardy, and inexpensive tankmates. They'll eat the same food, but, because they burrow a lot, they won't compete with the hissers for vertical space.


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## donniedark0 (Sep 23, 2012)

billopelma said:


> I have one living in with four adult crested geckos, was put in as a feeder originally but evidently hid and avoided being consumed and is now large enough to roam around with impunity. When I put in the powder/mix gecko food, he comes out and eats from the dish right along side of the cresties.
> 
> Bill


I like that idea.


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## jreidsma (Sep 24, 2012)

What about clean up crews  Isopods, springtails, and the like.


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## skullking (Sep 24, 2012)

ive got isopds already and i dont really count those lol.


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