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Pauliox1: Moat or not? (8. Sep 2010 23:53)

Hey everyone. My Polyrhachis dives colony will be arriving tomorrow or the day after and I've nearly finished setting up the colonies large basin. It is fairly tall at 23 inches and I was planning on having a similar setup to the picture on the antstore site. However I have seen posts saying not to use moats, however I like the layout of the setup I commented on (Two islands connected with branches).

Thanks in advance.

SNiDE: Re: Moat or not? (2. Feb 2011 14:45)

I used a moat for Polyrhachis dives against peoples advice and regretted it; that's just my experience though. Good luck with your new colony.

Pauliox1: Re: Moat or not? (25. Aug 2011 21:36)

I know this is quite a few months on but I thought I'd add my experiences here just incase someone wondered the same thing.

Polyrhachis dives can and probably will cross a moat! I have had alot of trouble keeping these in the basin, even with a pump circulating the water around the moat. I have had mass breakouts and much to my amazment they have even managed to cross my room (with building supplies!) and create a nest inside an electronic alarm clock. All without my realising! I have lost alot of the colony due to them crossing the water and scaling the sides of my basin which has got a large strip of ptfe around the rim!
I think I have got them sorted out now, but I have no idea if the queen is still alive or not, but the inhabitants of the clock (a couple of hundred workers and larvae!) are now back in their home.

In conclusion, they can swim!

Andie: Re: Moat or not? (20. Okt 2011 08:18)

I was going to try a moat but decided not to, i have found the only way to keep these in their tank is to have a tightly fitting top.