.You could put a layer of a solid water holding medium at the bottom of the tank, such as plaster or clay granules, and the ants should build the fungus garden on top.
If you do this, it may be a good idea to put a smaller container in the fungus tank that they can use so that they feel more secure until the fungus garden is big enough to start filling the rest of the fungus tank (they like small spaces).
Alternatively, you could put lots of soil in to allow the ants to dig a chamber or build round the fungus. This way they can regulate air flow better to suit the fungus’ needs, and you don’t need to worry about putting a second, smaller, container in the fungus tank.
Also very importantly, as I discovered the other day, while the colony is very small they will dump waste inside the nest box near the garden and you must be able to romeve this waste.
I don’t have this problem with my large Acromyrmex colony but this happened with my queen less Atta colony:
Mites (well some sort of tiny spring tail) will breed very quickly in this waste with so much humidity and will gradually encroach on the fungus until you look at them one day and the fungus is four times smaller, the ants have abandoned it and it is just swarming with these mites
.At the size it was, and unable to grow (no queen); the ants had no chance against the onslaught.
I had to rescue what was left of the colony and fungus and clean the tank. Now the workers have taken back the fungus from the “mites” and are adding to it once more
.
thanks for all your help!!! You have a true friend in Sweden!
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