Thinking about converting a 20 gallon tank...

[Zeph]

I've been becoming bored with my tropical fish tank, I tend to only keep mollies and other small schooling fish for the ease of care. However, I've been a tarantula keeper most of my life and have decided it may be time to move onto other small creatures. I just don't have the passion for fish that I do for insects and arachnids.

I've seen millipedes for sale on certain invert websites. I was thinking about converting my 20 gallon fish tank into a terrarium, possibly for millipedes. I'm not sure where to find the best resources for them, and I have some basic starter questions.

The A. gigas is expensive, but impressive. Could two of these happily co-habitate in a 20 gallon terrarium?

Are there many species of millipedes that can co-habitate, if some are given the opportunity to burrow and others to climb?

Are there any insects that can be kept with certain species of millipedes, such as beetles or velvet ants?

Please excuse my n00bness, resources would be appreciated!

 

[skullking]

From my limited understanding i will try to help you best i can.

"The A. gigas is expensive, but impressive. Could two of these happily co-habitate in a 20 gallon terrarium?"
I dont know if you live in the US but i've read while doing my own research that these are no longer available for sale in the US due to legal reasons. I may be wrong I didnt look in to it to far.

"Are there many species of millipedes that can co-habitate, if some are given the opportunity to burrow and others to climb?"
From what i know know finding millipedes to co-habitate shouldn't be a hard challenge. I know bugs in cyber space sells a 4 species pack that all can live together for a introductions to millipedes.

"Are there any insects that can be kept with certain species of millipedes, such as beetles or velvet ants?"
Darkling beetles shouldn't be any issue but I also know roaches can be kept with them. In fact i plan on getting some millipedes for my Madagascar hissing cockroach tank.

I hope that helped

 

[SDCPs]

Check out my website linked in my signature...a good bit of info for you

20 gallons is fine for a few AGBs. No velvet ants and beetles are generally a bad idea. Roaches are probably OK though.

 

[VictorHernandez]

As far as I know, all millipedes can be communal between species. And the a. Gigas is very expensive...but 2 can live in a 10 gallon.

 

[satchellwk]

I keep 4 millipede species together (N. americanus, C. spiningerus, scarlets, and bumblebees), and they've been doing fine for me, and that's in a 5 gallon aquarium. With a 20, you could have a lot of individuals of smaller species, or a few of the larger. As for climbing species, I've heard AGBs will climb a bit, and that Anadenobolus sp. are entirely arboreal.

Good luck with whatever you decide to go with.

 

[Zeph]

I appreciate all of this amazing information! I think I'm going to try a multi-level habitat, fit for arboreals on the top and others down below. I still haven't decided which species yet. I'm amazed with the A. gigas, but since it's no longer legal to import it's made the captive-bred ones so expensive. It's good to know I can include some domino roaches and orange isopods. Thanks! I'll do a couple months of research before I make the plunge, but it's nice to have a jumping-off point!

 

[satchellwk]

Domino roaches might not be the best direction, for they like much drier habitats, while, as a rule, millipedes like things on the moist side. However, if you really want to do the dominoes, maybe N. gordanus and C. spiningerus would be tolerable enough of a drier habitat. But, there are tons of roach species that thrive in more humid setups. Also, concerning isopods, there have been debates lately on weather they have adverse effects on millipedes, and most evidence points to them being somewhat detrimental to eggs and very small plings, as well as being annoyance to adults. So, if you want to seriously breed whatever millipedes you get, I would just keep that in mind if you want to add isopods. I had isopods with my N. americanus, and they bred fine, but I removed them and immediately saw improved pling numbers.

 

[zonbonzovi]

This is speculative since I haven't kept them with millipedes but the darkling larvae I keep are quite nippy and I've witnessed them grabbing at adults as well as more adult corpses appearing after large hatches. I can't see velvet ants doing any harm but they may be hard to locate this time of year.