fluxlizard
Avid Member
Hey guys.
So, I've had roaches for about a dozen years now, but never had heated shelves until about a month ago to keep them on. I always just relied on my building temperatures and got lots of roaches certain times of year and reduced the population other times.
After a month on heat tape set at 95 I have to say, I'm not so impressed in the results. I'm not seeing the incredible growth rates I was imagining compared to what I expereienced before without the heat tape. In fact, to be honest, I'm not sure I see much difference at all compared to the pre-heat tape years. Which has me thinking, maybe I've got my temps too high.
I'm also not sure I'm remembering growth rate correctly- it varied quite a bit depending on time of year and ambient temps in the building, and I had a bunch of colonies going, feeding out several thousand to ten thousand per day this time last year. So could be my idea of growth and reproductive rate was a little skewed because of the volume I was dealing with compared to now (now I've got only 4 tubs- 1 tub for each colony of lobsters, hissers, hybrids and dubia). The dubia are perhaps the biggest dissapointment- they seem hardly larger than a month ago.
What temp do you guys aim for/feel you get optimal growth and reproduction with?
So, I've had roaches for about a dozen years now, but never had heated shelves until about a month ago to keep them on. I always just relied on my building temperatures and got lots of roaches certain times of year and reduced the population other times.
After a month on heat tape set at 95 I have to say, I'm not so impressed in the results. I'm not seeing the incredible growth rates I was imagining compared to what I expereienced before without the heat tape. In fact, to be honest, I'm not sure I see much difference at all compared to the pre-heat tape years. Which has me thinking, maybe I've got my temps too high.
I'm also not sure I'm remembering growth rate correctly- it varied quite a bit depending on time of year and ambient temps in the building, and I had a bunch of colonies going, feeding out several thousand to ten thousand per day this time last year. So could be my idea of growth and reproductive rate was a little skewed because of the volume I was dealing with compared to now (now I've got only 4 tubs- 1 tub for each colony of lobsters, hissers, hybrids and dubia). The dubia are perhaps the biggest dissapointment- they seem hardly larger than a month ago.
What temp do you guys aim for/feel you get optimal growth and reproduction with?