Formisquarium
Arthropod Antics' "Formisquarium" is a flat box-style nest with an ultracal base, designated hydration chamber, and adequate viewing of ant colonies. Each nest comes with a short length of 1/2" vinyl tubing to fit the included nest port.
Nest Info
Arthropod Antics' "Formisquarium" is a flat box-style nest with an ultracal base, designated hydration chamber, and adequate viewing of ant colonies. Each nest comes with a short length of 1/2" vinyl tubing to fit the included nest port. Customizations can be found at Arthropod Antics.
Species Suitability
The Formisquarium is intended to be suitable for nearly any ant species. The chamber is sealed tight to support tiny ants such as Monomorium, as well as having the option for a large chamber depth to support large ants like Camponotus and even small Atta colonies. The ultracal base and its hydration are ideal for use with fungus growers, and the low ceiling is especially ideal for Acromyrmex versicolor fungus!
Honeypot ant species such as Myrmecocystus may not be suitable for these nests, as it would be difficult for repletes to hang from the ceiling of the nest.Hydration Specs
The Formisqarium hydration system is designed to slowly hydrate the ultracal base and create optimal humidity inside the nest chamber. When hydrating for the first time, do so slowly in order to allow water to soak into the material. Once the material has been properly hydrated, the humidity will hold for at least several days before needing to be re-hydrated. You can tell there is yet hydration when the color of the ultracal is darker, or you can put a drop of water on part of the lid to see if condensation appears. If there is little condensation and the ants are crowding near the latest water source, you need to hydrate more often!
If filled too quickly, the hydration chamber may eject excess water and sand out of the hydration ports. This does not affect the lifespan of the product, and even if all sand is ejected from the hydration chamber, it will still function as intended. Allow for water to fully soak into the material before adding more to prevent overfilling.