Keeping Crickets in Tank...

Kenobi

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I read somewhere that it's not such a bad idea to leave a couple of crickets in your scorp tank, because apparantly they will eat any mites or little flies that might have hatched in the substrate.
Is this true? Or is it best to take them out after a while?
 

thedude

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it's best to take them out after awhile then put them back in and the flies are coming from the male cricks lol
 

BadBikaDamo

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You may be thinking of Isopods (Wood lice, slater beetles). Usually the scorps will leave them to their cleaning duties. Crickets are more likely to burrow and lay eggs!!!!!!!!!!
 

Brian S

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Also due to the relative short lifespan of a cricket , it will die and attract all sorts of mites especially if you have them in a moist tank (e.g. Pandinus cage)
 

Kenobi

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I see :eek:
So what should I do then? Those little flies can be rediculously annoying :mad:
 

Brian S

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Clean out all uneaten food remains. That is what is attracting the flies.
 

MissConnie

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We have little fly problems! they come from my fiances white tree frog tank! they have invaded my tank!
We cant seem to get ontop of the problem...hes just said over my shoulder that they are "fruit flies"

xxxxxx
 

Rosenkreuz

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hes just said over my shoulder that they are "fruit flies"

Probably are. They're generally harmless, but are annoying, and may stress out your scorpion. Best way to get rid of them is to place a mug of vinegar nearby and cover it with a piece of saran wrap or cling wrap, and poke a few small holes in it. They'll be attracted to the vinegar, but won't be able to get out, so they'll die in there.
 

Mr. Mordax

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Carnivorous plants:evil: Lol

Pity the scorps would trash em.
Why is that?
I think he's saying that you could use carnivorous plants in your tanks, but it would be a pity that the scorps would likely destroy them.

I keep lots of carnivorous plants around and they seem to help out. I'll see dead / decomposing fungus gnats in the traps whenever I check them, and Lori's sundews have even been known to catch dermestid beetles.

And that's probably what they are -- fungus gnats -- as they like to breed in damp soil / substrate. They're usually a bit smaller than fruit flies and just as annoying. If I have an overwatered houseplant I'll often see them emerging from the soil.
 

~Abyss~

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I read somewhere that it's not such a bad idea to leave a couple of crickets in your scorp tank, because apparantly they will eat any mites or little flies that might have hatched in the substrate.
Is this true? Or is it best to take them out after a while?
Little baby crix don't do much damage and die very easily in water bowls. If you want to keep the crickets alive A LOT longer in the tank try putting in some of the store bought moss. The crix use it as a hide during the day and eat some of it so they stay alive for weeks. I do this and keep isopods in my tank as well.
 

BadBikaDamo

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I keep lots of carnivorous plants around and they seem to help out. I'll see dead / decomposing fungus gnats in the traps whenever I check them.......
Do you keep them in the enclosure? That would look cool, but I'm sure they would get walked all over. Also, if the bugs nibbled them then scorps ate the bugs, would that be bad???

I like the idea of keeping one in there though.

Edit: er, pretty pointless really, I have no flies. hehehe
Maybe I'll find a plastic one.
 
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Mr. Mordax

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I don't keep my plants in tanks with the inverts, they're just in the same area. They'd get trampled and probably not get enough light.

And if bugs ate plants, scorps ate bugs, nothing bad would happen (except to the plants :(). All my carnivorous plants have traps to catch their prey and aren't poisonous to the best of my knowledge.
 

PhilK

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I have two flies in one tank that are full-blown stupid. Even with the lid off they just bump against the glass... But I can't see any uneaten remains they could be drawn to...?
 

Mr. Mordax

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They may be fungus gnats. They sometimes feed on fungi, so there could be something in the tank that you can't see. (Not necessarily anything to worry about, but that may explain their presence.)
 

Da1Dezzy

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i had same problem with flies a lil while ago i just removed the lid and replaced with some green netting now they fly straight out the house window lol my pet shop told me to keep crickets in tank with my pandinus but i caught them laying eggs and eating each other is this harmful to our sid only he keeps having temper fits and flipping things in his tank like waterhole and rocks
 

MissConnie

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Probably are. They're generally harmless, but are annoying, and may stress out your scorpion. Best way to get rid of them is to place a mug of vinegar nearby and cover it with a piece of saran wrap or cling wrap, and poke a few small holes in it. They'll be attracted to the vinegar, but won't be able to get out, so they'll die in there.
ooh thank you for the tip! our problem isnt as bad as it was! Normally every morning behind the netting are loads of them dead...there dont seem to be as many in my tank anymore...still some in his...but I will try the vinegar trick!
He did buy a "bog plant" and that did nothing...not suprised since he over watered the plant and it died! :?

I will get a cup of vinegar tomorrow! bye bye annoying lilttle flies!
 
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Cyris69

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You may be thinking of Isopods (Wood lice, slater beetles). Usually the scorps will leave them to their cleaning duties. Crickets are more likely to burrow and lay eggs!!!!!!!!!!
Can I just find some around my yard? I mean then Wood lice that is I call them roly-polies does it really matter what species they are? Do they all just eat dead remains, mold, ect...?
 

Mr. Mordax

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The ones in your yard should do just fine. They're detrivores, meaning they eat random organic debris.
 
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