Have maybe a slightly unhinged idea and wondered if it's possible. I have 2 tanks, one set up for an axolotl (arriving on Thursday) and one set up for vampire crabs that's only just set up and still waiting for a few more plants and any inhabitants. Looking at food sources for both creatures there appears to be some crossover and I was wondering if the paludarium set up I have could provide food for both? I will have springtails isopods shrimp and snails in the paludarium and just discovered that vampire crabs also like to eat earthworms which are the primary diet of the axolotl. Could I cultivate enough in the little ecosystem to remove some earthworms and shrimp for the axolotl or is this just crazy?? Pic of paludarium attached but remember I'm still in the process of tweaking it for the crabs so I'm probably already aware of any problems you see with the tank as it is and I'm working on it đ
by Potential-rainbow
3 Comments
Not an expert but I’m not sure the worms would breed fast enough, it also may be a bit too damp for them. I had a similar idea to cultivate my own food sources, worms, for future pets, but I ended going the route of just starting up a vermiculture bin! IMO it was super easy to get started plus they can be fed table scraps and shredded papers/cardboard!
Well the paludarium is lacking the earth for earthworms. But there are companies selling(or you can just make your own) Worm boxes. That are designed to do indoor composting. This should yield way more space and nutrients for earthworms without them drowning in your drainage layer
I don’t really think it would work out, at least not well enough to provide for both animals. However, I do think it would be a great idea to breed earthworms in a separate container made specifically to suit their needs.
I now breed all my own feeders for my pets, it’s cheaper, more fun, and I never have to make trips to the pet store for bugs