What is your top 3 genus to keep and why?

[HOITrance]

I saw a few of these posts in the past but nothing updated since 2020 so if you guys would rather I necro one of them please let me know!

Just curious what everyone’s top 3 genus to keep are and why? Hoping to find some gems I haven’t thought about or heard of.

My top 3 currently are:
1. Pamphobeteus
2. Harpactira
3. Poecilotheria

For the pamphos I just love how big they get. I know other genus's do as well, but the combination of their personalities, size, horn markings, feeding response, and that fact that the mature males are such stunners that you don’t even get upset!

Harpactira is a new one in my top 3. Currently only have a female marksi and pulchripes, but I enjoy them immensely. Always visible, great feeding response, heavy webbers and some stunning colorations have rapidly made me love this genus. I hope to have all available species someday, and perhaps even do my first breeding project with them! Plus, even though they are baboons, and as such can have a temper, I find both of my girls to be extremely shy and laid back.

Pokies. There really isn’t much to say lol. Highly visible, great hunters, BEAUTIFUL coloration and patterning, impressive sizes. Mine are all shy save my regalis and ornata females. They are pretty skittish overall and my ornata is my only old world I have received a threat pose from. Either way, my favorite arboreal genus!

So what genus’s really get you passionate? Hope to hear some good ones!

and this isn’t me saying one is better than the other. With Ts there is something for everyone so keep it civil!

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

1. Lasiodora
2. Pamphobetus sp.
3. Tliltocatl
   1. great species easy to keep , generally visible. Not teleporters 🪄..
   2. Second biggest tarantula I’ve had beside a short lived sickly Theraphosa.
   3. Furry appearance it’s almost like a mini lp. although they can get big. Mines only 4”.

 

[Tbone192]

In no specific order

1-Ornithoctoninae
2-Pterinochilus
3-Poecilotheria

1- I had to go with the whole subfamily as the genera within are all just super cool and fairly similar. Many species have stunning markings and colours.

2 - Hardy, generally easy to keep, and again cool patterns and colours. I love OBTs, mine have so much personality and are always doing something funny.

3 - yup! Patterns and colours AGAIN. Very cool living habits, impressive size, IMO perfect display T when they get big. If they burrow, excavating is awesome to watch.

 

[Stu Macher]

Pamphobeteus-Straight savages
Phormictopus-Straight savages
Poeceletheria-Undeniably beautiful

 

[Brewser]

1. Dolichothele - Delightful Dwarfs
2. Psalmopoeus - Awesome Arboreals
3. Pterinochilus - Bodacious Baboons

 

[l4nsky]

I hope to have all available species someday, and perhaps even do my first breeding project with them!

Well, that idea didn't take long to manifest lol. From no plans to breed on Saturday to maybe I'll breed Harpactira first . Welcome to the dark side of the hobby lol. Anyways, my three genera at the current time would be:

First pick would be the mess that is the subfamily Ornithoctoninae in general, but Phormingochilus spp specifically if I absolutely must get down to one at the genus level. IMHO, the whole subfamily is to the hobby staples (ie Brachypelma spp, Tliltocatl spp) as saltwater reef fish are to goldfish in the aquarium hobby. They're both more challenging to keep with specific requirements, come in the most brilliant and reflective colors, and can have a very surprising amount of attitude relative to their size. Honestly, nothing beats seeing a larger adult Akcaya or Sabah Blue stretched out in decent lighting.

Dr Jekyll 2.jpg

• l4nsky
• Nov 24, 2022
• akcaya female mature female phormingochilus phormingochilus sp "akcaya"

MF Phormingochilus sp Akcaya feeling confident and relaxing in the open now that it's lights out.

0.1 Phormingochilus sp. Sabah Blue

• l4nsky
• Nov 19, 2023
• 2
• female mature phormingochilus phormingochilus sp sabah blue sabah blue

Undescribed species hailing from the lowland rainforests of Sabah state, Malaysia. Proven female.

Second pick would be Aphonopelma spp. Alright, so I have to level with all American keepers here. IMHO, we are extremely underappreciative of this native genus (I was guilty of it myself for most of my time in the hobby). There are collectors in other parts of the world that have a spider on their wish list which you might have just saw for sale as a WC female for $50 at a show. We have some amazing and rare native species AND one of the most thorough and up to date published pieces of literature on identifying American Aphonopelma via the paper 'Taxonomic revision of the tarantula genus Aphonopelma Pocock, 1901 (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Theraphosidae) within the United States' by Hamilton, Hendrixson, and Bond. When you look at what a taxonomical mess some of the other genera around the world are (ie Pamphobeteus, Orphnaecus, etc), you gotta admit we're pretty spoiled with our situation lol.

0.1 Aphonopelma peloncillo

• l4nsky
• May 8, 2023
• 1
• aphonopelma female peloncillo

Smaller Aphonopelma species from the foothills of the Peloncillo Mountains, subadult female.

0.1 Aphonopelma marxi

• l4nsky
• Jan 18, 2023
• 2
• aphonopelma aphonopelma marxi female marxi mature female

Mature female, North Pinos Altos locale

0.1 Aphonopelma sp Dragoons

• l4nsky
• Jan 18, 2023
• 7
• aphonopelma dragoons dwarf female mature female

Undescribed dwarf Aphonopelma sp from the Dragoon Mountains, mature female

0.1 Aphonopelma sp. nov

• l4nsky
• May 13, 2023
• 2
• aphonopelma dwarf female

Undescribed dwarf Aphonopelma sp from the Chiricahua Mountains, subadult female, freshly molted.

My third pick is a genus I'm just now starting to get into keeping and is honestly a bit of a mess, but has an exciting future IMO. That would be Chilobrachys spp. The reason I think we have the potential of seeing some absolutely stunning undescribed species in the future from this genus is that IMHO, it's getting more and more apparent that barring the genus getting split up in the future, there are some amazingly adapted species and the most beautiful species seem to be found in the least likely of places. Chilobrachys natanicharum (ex sp Electric Blue) was found living in a hollow mangrove trunk. Take a second to process that, this spider lives an arboreal life in a forest that floods with salt water a few times a day. That's just insane. Chilobrachys sp South Thailand Blue and C. sp Tropical Blue are obligate cliffdwellers in the wild, with the latter being found up to 10m up a rockface. Just imagine what insane species are potentially hiding in the unlikeliest of places.

1.0 Chilobrachys sp South Thailand Blue.


0.1 Chilobrachys sp Orange

 

[HOITrance]

Well, that idea didn't take long to manifest lol. From no plans to breed on Saturday to maybe I'll breed Harpactira first .

Right! I have a friend from work that I didn’t realize keeps tarantulas and he has been researching breeding for the last year or so. He just acquired a MF Balfouri and I am loaning him my MM that just molted mature. If this works out the two of us are talking about pooling resources. I just think Harpactira needs some more breeding love lol. The idea of a partner helped drive the idea along

Second pick would be Aphonopelma spp

My 12yr old son’s favorite genus is Aphonopelma. He has three right now but wants as many as he can get .

My third pick is a genus I'm just now starting to get into keeping and is honestly a bit of a mess, but has an exciting future IMO. That would be Chilobrachys spp

These guys are probably in my top 5. I only have natanicharum and fimbriatus atm, but I enjoy them immensely!

 

[fcat]

Only 3? There's at least 3 that I love that came from a list of Ts I never thought I keep

No one has said:
1. Ephebopus...they make such beautiful turrets, they make the most visually stunning physical changes as they grow, urticating hairs in the front!
2. Psalmopoeus. Seriously, what is wrong with y'all
3. Anything that can outlive some humans of average intelligence. I don't care what it is, what it looks like, or how it lives, I'm just fascinated by them

 

[viper69]

Necro makes more sense

 

[Spinnenfritzi]

1. Nhandu -- savage hunters and active
2. Avicularia&Caribena - beautiful, sweet and calm
3. Trixopelma - all beautiful and underrated....seriously where is the Trixopelma love??

 

[Matt Man]

Alphabetical Order, nothing more
Aphonopelma - because they are pretty, calm, cool, and local, and Dr. Hamilton is a super nice guy. Highly under rated.
Brachypelma - because they are the OG T and lovely.
Poecilotheria - no need to explain

 

[jrh3]

1.) Psalmopoeus
2.) Poecilotheria
3.) Avicularia

for now….

 

[Liquifin]

I always will have Theraphosa as number one. Everything else is number two as I love the rest equally.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Necro makes more sense

Your favorite Great looking Ts!!!

Post your pics, I gotta find a way to upload more pics. Do not consider money value, just what you think looks the best. Cheers:coffee::photogenic:

arachnoboards.com

 

[Cmac2111]

1 - Brachypelma - Some of the best looking spiders on the planet, hardy, just lovely to keep
2 - Nhandu - Fiesty, somewhat large, always hungry
3 - Grammostola - Showy at larger size, many are bulldozers, kinda slow & clunky at times... almost goofy in a way haha

T's from those genera are what I have most of nowadays though so that's the main reason.

 

[spideyspinneret78]

1) Pamphobeteus- big, beautiful spiders that are incredibly food motivated and great display animals.
2) Poecilotheria- Gorgeous fractal patterns, interesting to observe, hardy and food motivated.
3) A tie between Grammostola and Brachypelma. Long lived, colorful, hardy.

 

[Brewser]

No one has said:

2. Psalmopoeus. Seriously, what is wrong with y'all

My number 2. also.

 

[LucN]

1. Brachypelma
2. Grammostola
3. Tliltocatl

For one, it's all I have right now But they're the quintessential beginner genera, beautiful, docile (generally), good eaters (generally), hardy and long-lived. I can't even fault my G. rosea for fasting for almost a year... cuz I know they do and they can !

 

[Tarantula1996]

Brachypelma is my favorite above all else, if I could just have a whole wall of just Brachypelma and nothing else, I would be happy.

As for my 2nd and third, that would be Grammostola and Theraphosa. Im working on getting a G.rosea and G.pulchripes again. As for Theraphosa, I love their colors, behavior and how big they can get.

Honorable mention to Ephebopus genus. Feisty little shits but I absolutely adore their colors.

 

[zsiciarz]

1. Psalmopoeus - for the diversity of looks and behaviors. Also fast growth.
2. Cyriocosmus - small spiders, big attitude. And super pretty as well.
3. ...?

To be honest, I don't have a third favorite after these two genera. Maybe Amazonius? But that's really not far away from Psalmopoeus. I have plenty of other spiders, but usually that's just one or two species from a given genus. While with Psalmopeus and Cyriocosmus "gotta catch'em all".