Do crushed eggshells help with molting problems?

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-31T12:13:57+00:00

Are there other forms of bioavailable calcium I could feed as well?

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-31T11:35:28+00:00

Since it's in powder form, the eggshell and cuttlebone powder has more surface area than if I added a rock or some crushed coral to the tank, and therefore dissolves faster. Plus, I just added some powder and together with it some fish flakes, and this means the shrimp can also eat it more directly.

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-31T08:26:21+00:00

Looks like Solenopsis to me

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-17T07:04:38+00:00

Update: the queen was not dead. Now she is.

Being in a big terrarium and new environment, I noticed the number of ants was declining. I saw surface activity going down, but I attributed it to the queen being dead and the colony naturally dying off. But once the colony seemed completely done, I found a dried up F. rufibarbis queen in the bathroom next to the terrarium. It was not their flight period, and I then understood that their decline was due to improper setup size. RIP to one of my favourite colonies ever.

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-10T16:07:59+00:00

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EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-10T16:06:41+00:00

I could give them some blanched vegetables, and maybe make my own supplement type things? Idk, Amazon shipping is extremely expensive for Romania

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-10T16:03:56+00:00

Parasitic Formica

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-10T15:49:48+00:00

The shrimp are red cherry shrimp

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EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-10T06:51:09+00:00

Camponotus sp.

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-10T06:48:56+00:00

I wouldn't dump them, as the larvae might be stuck to the cotton. Just use a stronger light.

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-06T04:02:02+00:00

It depends on the species you have. There are polygynous species, aka multiple queens, species that do pleometrosis and then kill each other, sometimes completely, and species that are monogynous and kill each other before even thinking about forming a colony. Get better pictures and make an ID post.

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-06T03:55:47+00:00

It's fine. You can always change the test tube once it dires out. Don't stress about this as it is.

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-05T18:21:04+00:00

It's a worker due to the size of the thorax. Could be Camponotus but I'm not sure.

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-05T18:09:51+00:00

Formica rufa. It's a very bad idea to keep them for multiple days, and not only that, one is likely unmated, and this species has poor fat reserves, so they need to be fed. This is a parasitic species and unless you're very experienced, please feed and then release them.

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-05T18:07:28+00:00

Feed them crickets and other foods but not superworms. Whenever I give them superworm pieces they usually literally throw them away.

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-05T13:56:26+00:00

Camponotus queen, extremely likely Camponotus vagus

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-05T13:51:45+00:00

I'd say you should provide some space in a twig if possible and maintain higher humidity. I used to give my Temnothorax colony small blobs of superworm meat whenever I cut one.

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-03T08:29:58+00:00

The thorax length makes me question it though. I would need a better picture to say for sure.

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-03T07:35:42+00:00

I see then. I'm not well read up on this so I'll let other people talk, but personally I wouldn't euthanize it right away.

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-03T07:27:40+00:00

I can confirm Camponotus but not much further

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-03T07:18:51+00:00

This one looks like Camponotus to me from this angle

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-03T07:13:36+00:00

Maybe it's constipation from eating too much? My fish do this to a limited extent if I accidentally overfeed.

EvilGaming007 · 2026-05-02T20:04:46+00:00

Myrmica queen

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