Hey Dave, Q's for keeping C. exilicauda communally?

[Kugellager]

Hey Dave,

Do you think putting 10 C.exilicauda in a 5 gallon tank is viable if there are enough hides/bark etc?

john
];')

 

[skinheaddave]

John,

I'm looking at one of our 5 gallon tanks now and I'd say it is definitely possible. Truth be told, I think you can probably get away with insane densities of C.exilicauda, but 10 in a 5 seems comfortable. Just silicone lots of barks to the walls and put in a few climbable structures and I'm sure they'll love it.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Kugellager]

I was kind of hoping you'd say that...Gary and I are both planning C.exilicauda colonies...I have an extra 5 gallon that is asking to be used.

Speaking of silicone...do you have any probs with them climbing up the silicone in the corners of your tank? I wouldn't want any running around my house...that would not be fun.

John
];')

 

[skinheaddave]

John,

I have not had such problems, but nor would I exclude it as a possibility. I built a lid for my setup. It has a wooden frame that is affixed to the frame of the aquarium. Inside that is a TIGHT-fitting wooden door with an aluminum screen section covered by hardware cloth (to stop anything from falling through the screen, opening up the enclosure.) I also check the bottom of the lid before opening it, lest a scorpion get up there and then encounter my hand. So far I have not found any scorpions on the lid.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Kugellager]

Hmmm. I like that door idea...if you get a chance you should post a pic of it in the enclosure section.

John
];')

 

[skinheaddave]

John,

I'll take a pic of it now, so you'll get it when I next develop film (please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery).

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Kugellager]

There's a limited warranty I suppose!

LOL

John
];')

 

[skinheaddave]

John,

Warranty? I'm not one of those high-class joints!

Cheers,
Dave

 

[zoobugs]

Hey Dave,
I just wanted to chime in about your communal exilicauda tank, and like Kugellager says, they do fine with almost anything! I'd say the top 3 tips for them are: 1. Plenty of hides for everyone.
2. Keep it dry(just a small water dish)
3. Plenty of food.
My 20 gal long exilicauda tank has 8 adults; 7 sub-adults; and TMTC juvies. Decorations kinda look like a trash pile, but consist of cork bark, bamboo stocks(hollowed and cut longitudinally in two, and dead yucca leaves on a sand/peatmoss substrate. I never remove any of the offspring, and while some get eaten, most make it to adulthood. I do have to always cull out a few every so often. At my house they reproduce as fast as roaches do!
Good Luck with Yours,
Jim

 

[Kugellager]

Sounds like it would be fairly easy to keep a colony self-sustaining...which is what I'd like to attempt...I can't wait to get started...

John
];')