Insect cleaning service?

[mb7484]

I have always used small insects in my vivariums to help break down fecal matter and cricket carcasses. However, I am just finishing up construction on my new 80 gal, and am looking for a larger alternative insect to help clean the tank. I need something that will scavange, but won't harm the reps, amphibs, or plants. Has anyone ever used dung beetles, scarabs, hissing cockroaches, etc. for this purpose? Thank you for your time.

[Wild Ginger]

I have always used small insects in my vivariums to help break down fecal matter and cricket carcasses. However, I am just finishing up construction on my new 80 gal, and am looking for a larger alternative insect to help clean the tank. I need something that will scavange, but won't harm the reps, amphibs, or plants. Has anyone ever used dung beetles, scarabs, hissing cockroaches, etc. for this purpose? Thank you for your time.

Hi there, from my own personal experience, earthworms are by far the best there is in aiding the organic decomposition of waste matter as well as uneaten food etc. As much as their function as a waste decompositor, these earthworms provide an alternative solution should the soil be too compact also, as it burrows through and through in the soil thus allowing fresh gases to exchange and the entry of oxygen via these loosened soil.

Other than earthworms, as for hissing cockroaches, scarabs, they're not reccommended as they have a tendency to turn carnivorous once in a while and your amphibians will fall prey to them should there be insufficient fecal matter or waste product to feed on.

As for dung beetle, you'll have a problem with the soil being overturned thus making your scape topsy turvy.. It does a good job with cleaning aid and removal of carcasses and such but the only problem has to be the churning up of the soil matter.

Best would be you'd go with a small colony of earthworms to bring down your waste matter and uneaten food etc.

Regards,
Phillip.

[ranmasatome]

actually most dung beetles are scarabs... but the family scarabidae is big and confusing..lol..

anyway.. i agree with philip... but i think you can use the smaller dung beetles if you are worried about too much soil matter churning up... i have 3-4 species here that are only about 5-7mm large..and they do a good job...

what are you keeping in this tank?

[Wild Ginger]

actually most dung beetles are scarabs... but the family scarabidae is big and confusing..lol..

anyway.. i agree with philip... but i think you can use the smaller dung beetles if you are worried about too much soil matter churning up... i have 3-4 species here that are only about 5-7mm large..and they do a good job...

what are you keeping in this tank?

Hahah !~~!!! Yeah i totally agree with you on that. There's one called the jewel beetle in general. It's strictly vegetarian and have that nice irridescent bluish green shine on it's body hence the name "jewel beetle". Those will do good too. They're around 5cm max.

Regards,
Phillip.

[mb7484]

I like the little guys. I bought an 80 gallon with the specific purpose of being able to provide a huge environment with varying temps. My community is as follows: 2 crested geckos, 2 golddust day geckos, 1 stripe day gecko, 2 cape zebra false day gecko, 1 flying gecko, 5 leaf tailed geckos (3 satanis, 1 lineatis, 1 mossy)(I keep male geckos to a minimum), a troop of anole, 1 bahaman, alots of frogs: a few green trees, grey trees, arrow, and blue-toed, etc. and a growing assortment of dendrobates. I know what your thinking... but I have been very successful. I build large shaded areas, which allows me to vary the temp 5-10 degrees, depending on how high the humidity is. I have found that super high humity makes it difficult to vary temperature. My solution is a high quality misting system with an exhaust fan. Using that combo I can keep humidity around 80% and have dew on all the plants too. With my new 80 gal the temp is about 85-90 degrees in the sunny higher altitudes for the dendrobates, and a cool 73 degrees in shaded floor where the leaf tails like to play dead leaf. I like having a huge variety in my vivarium. But unfortunately when you do it right there are too many places to hide and you only see the animals when they want to be seen.
Thanks for all the advice, if your interested, I'll try to get some pictures when its completed.

Regards,

Mark

[mb7484]

Thanks Phillip, I am going to follow your advice on the earth worms. Are plain old night crawlers from a bait shop what your talking about, or do you catch your own, or do you order something special? And these small dung beetles, where can I find a breeder? I usually see that kind of stuff a Hatari insects.

Regards,

Mark