Anthouse Acrylic NaturColor 5x5x1.3 Nest Review
Hi guys! I hope you’re doing well!
Today I'm going to make a little review of a really cool ant nest made by the company Anthouse. You can find the nest here!
Let’s see if it’s any good!
The Company
For those who don't know the company, Anthouse is one of the main European online shops for ant keeping.
They offer a very large catalog of ant-keeping-related products, everything you need to start your own journey in this amazing and fascinating hobby. From ant nests to ant food, they always have the right product for your needs.
Now let’s talk about the nest!
General Info
This one is called Acrylic NaturColor 5x5x1.3, the one with the foam as the humidity system.
Like most Anthouse products, this nest is made of a particular type of transparent plastic. It comes in 10 different colors, including a transparent one. This version here is the black one, which, in my opinion, is the best-looking!
The build quality is really amazing! The pieces fit together perfectly, leaving no gaps between them. The plastic is super clear, making it really easy and enjoyable to watch the ants.
The nest has a round shape, measuring 7.5 cm in length, 7.5 cm in width, and 1.3 cm in height. This particular size is perfect for housing medium and small ant species, like Pheidole pallidula or Tetramorium caespitum.
On the other hand, some large species like Messor barbarus may find it challenging to live comfortably inside this nest, given the very limited space. However, this doesn’t mean that the nest can’t be used as a founding setup for large queen ants.
The nest can indeed be used as a valid alternative to the standard test tube setup, offering similar characteristics in terms of space, humidity, and easy feeding access. This formicarium has 5 chambers, connected to one another by small passages. If you don’t want to connect an external outworld, no problem!
The Outworld
This version of the nest also features a tiny outworld, which makes it an all-in-one solution!
The outworld has a round shape and measures 3 cm x 3 cm. The lid is very easy to remove, and it’s made of two acrylic plates held together by a bolt. Despite being very small, the outworld even has space for escape prevention oil!
If you're planning to add an external outworld to this nest, I would suggest you check out this other article!. In this one, I provide a detailed review of a very cool and spacious outworld made by the company Esthetic Ants. This outworld is perfect for a medium-sized ant colony, and it's a great addition to this nest!
Connections
The nest also offers the option to expand the inside space by using the built-in auxiliary port. With the provided adapters, you can easily connect other nests or outworlds, giving your colony more space to grow comfortably.
In the package, you will find 2 different types of connectors, along with the nest entrance blocker. The first connector is made for attaching a test tube to the nest, facilitating the initial move of your ants.
The second one is a standard 10 mm connection port, perfect for attaching plastic pipes to expand the nesting space or connect an external outworld.
The Humidity System
The humidity system consists of a single sponge, placed at the center of the nest. It is designed to deliver the right amount of moisture to the surrounding chambers, without flooding them with water.
Unfortunately, the sponge is too small in my opinion and can hold very little water. For this reason, to maintain an adequate level of moisture in the nest, you are required to refill it daily. Luckily, this is the only negative point I found about this nest.
If a high humidity level is needed and you don't have time to constantly refill the sponge, I would suggest opting for another type of nest, like this one!. This 3D-printed ant nest is based on the gold standard of starter nests, the test tube setup, and it's the perfect option if you want to start a colony with just a single newly mated queen ant!
The Top Lid
As an additional accessory, you can get the top lid, made of a special type of red transparent acrylic. This is very useful if you want to create a dark space for your colony, as most ant species do not see the red light spectrum.
To get the lid, simply follow the purchasing procedure in the Anthouse shop. When you add the nest to the shopping cart in the online shop, it gives you the option to purchase the lid specifically designed for the type of nest you are buying.
The Acrylic Layers
The nest is built using a clever technique: the main body is made of various acrylic layers positioned one above the other to create the structure of the chambers.
This particular layer composition makes the nest practically escape-proof! The acrylic layers fit perfectly against each other, making it impossible for the ants to find openings to escape.
If you want to replace the sponge or clean the nest a bit, you can easily disassemble the various layers by unscrewing the 4 bolts that hold them together.
If you find it difficult because the bolts are too tight or your hands are too big, feel free to use a little wrench to assist you in the process.
Once the layers are separated, you can manage them individually, a very good feature that simplifies the cleaning process. When the pieces are clean and everything seems alright, simply do the same steps in reverse order to rebuild the formicarium.
I hope you have found this guide helpful!
If you’re planning to buy other ant nests, I would suggest you check out this other review!. It’s a really cool ant nest made by the same company!
FAQs
The main feature is its transparent plastic construction and the humidity system using a foam sponge.
It is ideal for medium and small ant species, such as Pheidole pallidula and Tetramorium caespitum.
You need to refill the sponge daily to maintain adequate humidity levels.
Yes, it has built-in auxiliary ports allowing easy connections to other nests or outworlds.
The red top lid creates a dark environment for the colony, as most ants cannot see the red light spectrum.
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