Communal androctonus setup: Muaritanicus or Crassicauda?

Danimal

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 22, 2009
Messages
155
Hey guys,

I have decided to try and put together a communal androctonus setup in the next month. For you veterans on here, think Fauxshow's judaicus and mauritanicus setup (search for it on here if you have never seen it).

He had 23 mauritanicus and 18 judaicus kept together successfully with only 1 death.

I have kept just about every common androctonus that has been made available over the years, but never kept more than two together. I have been wanting to do it for a while, however when I started I only wanted to do mauritanicus as well. Recently, an importer friend of mine has crassicauda available and now I am going back and forth. I have ruled out australis and bicolor.

My setup would be on a smaller scale, between 6-10 at the most w/ a nice display setup.

I am merely looking for opinions on what you guys would rather have yourself / potentially see in the hobby (as I will be breeding them as well).

*I realize there is a huge risk for cannibalism, no need to point that out.*

Thoughts?
 

KDiiX

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jul 18, 2012
Messages
453
Mauritanicus and bicolor are the only androctonus where a communal would work pretty good. With crassicauda you would probably just waste your money. They are very aggressive against eachother especially females against other females.
 

Danimal

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 22, 2009
Messages
155
That is actually good to know. I assumed that crassicauda would be no different than mauritanicus and bicolor in terms of how communal they are. Have you experienced cannibalism before with crassicuada?
 

KDiiX

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jul 18, 2012
Messages
453
Not me personal. I've only five i3 crassicauda, but the guy from where I've got them is pretty experienced in breeding almost every in Germany available androctonus species. And he noticed that mauritanicus are really aggressive against eachother. He also said that if you really want to have them communally or in pairs never try it with several females because they fight eachother. I communal set up of several males could work, but with no guarantee on that.
Mauritanicus or bicolor I never kept either. But they should be pretty social. Enough hides and food supply is the only thing you have to watch out. I know some guys that noticed cannibalism at bicolor groups, but those scorpions seems to be weak or almost dead before. That leads to the guess that they "recycle" their mate's if they have no long life anymore or they only are brave enough to fight a other scorpion if they notice that the other is weak.
 

Danimal

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 22, 2009
Messages
155
I appreciate the info. Most likely will go with mauritanicus. I was looking into crassicauda do to they being pretty uncommon in the states and had DM opportunity to pick up a good number or them.
 

KDiiX

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jul 18, 2012
Messages
453
Sorry what does dm means? I only know dm as old currency of Germany, but I guess you didn't meant that ;-)
 

Danimal

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 22, 2009
Messages
155
Sorry, I meant "I have an opportunity to pick up a good number of them" I sent the last message from my phone and it auto-corrected for me.
 

KDiiX

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jul 18, 2012
Messages
453
Ah ok because I wasn't able to find the sense of that :-D do you know from where they come? Because they have very different coloration depending to the origin.
 

Danimal

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
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Jan 22, 2009
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155
They came in from an Egypt import. Would that give them a more black or brown coloration?
 

KDiiX

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jul 18, 2012
Messages
453
Hard to say in Germany we have, so far as I know, only crassicauda from jordania and isreal. The Jordania population is black/brownredish (I don't know if it's the right word for a mixture of dark red almost brown) and the isreal population has a more greenish mixture with black.
Egypt is geographical neighbor to both countries so I just can guess but that's not me "style" in this case because I couldn't give any reason for a guess.
 

Danimal

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 22, 2009
Messages
155
He is supposed to be sending me some pictures this week. I will update on the coloration when I receive them.
 
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