Our Black Crazy Ants (the “Dark Knights”), one of the best ant colonies we’ve ever owned and OGs of this channel, need a new home. We also add a new team of aquatic creatures into the waters of Skull Island, home of our new ghost ant colony, and notice something odd about our Surinam horned frog, before attempting to feed it a baby mouse.

The Greatest Vivarium I Ever Made (Ecosystem with Multiple Creatures)

So now, with the Dark Knights in this enclosed space, our next step was to move them back into their old home. Their former home was a network of interconnected outworlds that spanned both floors of my home, a great home for them, minus the Uncle Milton Ant Farm, which will no longer be part of their network. Or we could make them a totally new home—one that is not only escape-free but is also aesthetically exquisite.

After thinking about it for a moment, I had the perfect plan and idea for the Dark Knights, and I couldn’t wait to share it with you.

Also, there was a bit of a problem I forgot to tell you about the new Skull Island setup. While moving in the ants, I made a very concerning discovery: turns out the baby tarantulas could actually float on the water.

AC Family, Skull Island needed a water beast to make sure any escaping tarantulas would be dealt with accordingly.

Welcome

Last week, we had a roller coaster journey in our AC Antiverse. We witnessed the coming and going of ant colonies, and in a surprising turn of events, we saw how the Dark Knights, our supercolony of Black Crazy Ants, who had escaped their setup due to a breach in their ant farm connections, were able to set up an encampment in a plant bag within my chameleon’s enclosure, before I moved them into this large glass tank.

Well, this week, AC Family, we are up for yet again another exciting ride! Now that we have the Dark Knights confined to this rather bare-bones living space, it’s time we design them a home that they truly deserve, and I can’t wait to share what epic plans I had drawn up for the Dark Knights!

Today, we will also be revisiting and updating you on a relatively new addition to our AC Antiverse—our yet unnamed Suriname Horned Frog. Stay tuned because, in this episode, you guys will get to give him an official name, as well as see if he’ll accept a special food gift I have been wanting to give him!

Skull Island

But let’s begin this video with our first order of business. Behold, AC Family! Welcome to Skull Island, the newly created home for our ghost ant colony, scientifically known as Tapinoma melanocephalum. I love this ant kingdom designed to contain these super tiny and elusive ants, which are known to be escape artists.

The island sits in the middle of a misty moat, a moat that ensures the ants are unable to escape. It is an open setup, which means that the ghost ants benefit from good ventilation as well. The various darkened nooks and crannies offered by this gnarly driftwood piece and collection of skulls allowed additional space for the ghost ants to explore, create nesting areas, and store their brood.

By the way, these ghost ants need a name now. So guys, I’ve chosen my top five favorites coming from your suggestions. AC Council, please take time to place your votes here in this poll for us to determine which name would be perfect for the newest members of our growing AC Antiverse—our ghost ants. Your input will be much appreciated.

The Problem

I think it’s safe to say that Skull Island, with its swirling misty waters, looks super cool. But despite this, there was a problem! As mentioned at the start of this video, there were also tarantula spiderlings, which came with the collection, oddly living amicably with the ants, who were capable of floating on the water.

And honestly, to be truthful, I’m not 100% sure ghost ants are unable to float and/or swim like the Fire Nation fire ants can. Given this posing threat, this moat needed to have a water beast that would make sure that no creatures, neither tarantula spiderlings nor ghost ants, could escape Skull Island.

It’s time then to add creatures into the waters that could help us solve this impending threat.

The Frog

But before we populate the waters of Skull Island, huddled in his mossy bed, our unnamed Suriname Horned Frog lay still, waiting for his next meal. The moss has begun to stick nicely to the vertical living wall of his home.

But as usual, not much is happening in his moss-filled wet kingdom we call Pacmania. Scientifically known as Ceratophrys cornuta, this pet devil of ours sits idly in his moss-covered throne as he waits for his food, sometimes giving out a chirpy croak every now and then.

He seems like a bit of a lazy one, but the fact is, these frogs are big couch potatoes and aren’t very athletic. Whatever the case, he’s so beautiful, wouldn’t you say? AC Family, let’s take a moment to give our devil frog here a name, too. Please take a moment to vote here for a name based on my top five picks given by you guys from his last video. Thank you, AC Council, for your input.

Wow! Look at us! We’ve voted on two names now. We’re so productive. Let’s keep going.

So, Pacman frogs, another common name for these guys, get their name for being voracious eaters, and in the last video, our frog here turned his nose up at all the food we offered except for his frog pellets. But maybe this time, we could finally witness the power of his bite and feed him something a bit larger.

Today, AC Family, I would love to feed him a baby mouse! Brace yourselves, guys. This feeding is going to get crazy.

The Housing

When deciding what to do with the Dark Knights’ housing, I had a look at their old home, which offered them a wonderful haven for two long years. The units were AC Outworlds, stacked and decorated with synthetic plants so they would look gorgeous but, more importantly, be super low-maintenance.

These setups were basic and practical compared to my other colonies. But this time, I felt we could try to up the ante a bit and attempt something more challenging. As you’ve seen, other colonies in the ant room enjoy very complex and bioactive homes.

Bioactive, meaning the soils teem with microscopic soil creatures and organisms, like springtails, mites, worms, etc., that help break down the ants’ garbage and even convert their waste to fertilizer for plants. In a way, these bioactive setups are self-cleaning and self-maintaining. Pretty amazing stuff, wouldn’t you think?

With their old setup, I needed to spot-clean the leftover insect parts, which was okay, but it’s also pretty fun to just leave the garbage in their setup for other organisms to take care of and for the plants to benefit from.

So, AC Family, it was time to create for the Dark Knights their very first true bioactive ant kingdom, one that the OG Dark Knights deserved!

Tank Cycling

Before we get into what beast we’ll be adding to the waters of Skull Island—which you guys will help determine, by the way, so stay tuned for that—there was something we needed to do first.

Before any large water beast could move in here, we first needed to undergo a process called “tank cycling.”

If you’re new to fish tanks, a brand-new water environment might seem like a perfect and clean place for an aquatic animal to live. But the reality is, a perfectly fresh fish tank, regardless of how clean the water is, is not an ideal home for many aquatic animals. In fact, a fresh tank can kill!

The reason is because they’d be quickly filled with poison once the animal moves in.

So, AC Family, get this: Any water creature living here would naturally produce waste, which creates ammonia, a substance that is super toxic to animals. However, in a properly “cycled” fish tank, a team of beneficial bacteria exists to convert the toxic ammonia to nitrites—which are also toxic. But then another team of beneficial bacteria takes over and converts the nitrites into nitrates, which are less toxic than ammonia and nitrites.

These nitrates float around and can be removed from the water via regular partial water changes.

So, in essence, before any water beast can move in, we need to build up our teams of beneficial bacteria within the sand, the décor, and most importantly, our filter, which is designed to pump large volumes of water through filter medium designed to house beneficial bacteria.

But how do we do this? How do we build up our beneficial bacteria? Well, that’s where our preparatory team of creatures comes in.

Some selected smaller creatures will help us produce small amounts of waste, enough to slowly and gradually build up our bacterial populations. I can’t wait to show them to you!

Horned Frog

But first, returning to Pacmania, as I approached the mossy wetland to try feeding our frog his baby mouse gift, I was excited to notice our horned frog sitting in a new spot for a change. Wow! He moved! Well, that’s different.

But as I looked closer, something was a bit off. He would frequently open his mouth and blink his eyes more than usual.

AC Family, have a look! (brief pause) See? Something was up, and I decided to keep a close eye on him to figure out what.

Alright, I was ready to build our Dark Knights’ new bioactive terrarium. Let’s do this!

Building the Bioactive Terrarium

My plan was to create their new bioactive home within this glass enclosure in which they were already living. Yes, you heard it right: I was going to create their new terrarium with them inside it, which is something I believe I haven’t done on this channel yet.

So first, I removed the tape that sealed the ants inside. I took the lid off to begin the process of transformation.

Next, I had to cover all the sides with baby powder so the ants would slip off and not be able to escape while I worked around. I knew, however, that this layer would only be effective for a limited time. I had to move fast because the ants would soon be able to climb up the corners. Working quickly was of the essence here.

Next, I had to add coco fiber to create bedding that would form air pockets. This is necessary so that the Dark Knights, currently nested in the mound of soil, wouldn’t be totally buried alive. This cushioning layer would also create good aeration for plant roots.

I added activated carbon to help eliminate any toxins in the soils. Then, it was time to add our very first layer of bioactive soils. This bioactive medium was taken from the terrarium of our late Blood Legion, whom we discovered in our last episode had naturally all died out.

I often keep the soils of old terrariums because they already contain a lot of great bioactive soil, including creatures like springtails, isopods, mites, worms, and microbes. These great populations of soil creatures can take a very long time to develop and culture, so keeping aged terrarium soil for later use is always a great idea—unless, of course, you know it contains harmful parasites or other lethal agents.

Next, I added this huge driftwood piece. I loved its shape. My idea for the terrarium was to create the forest floor area around a rotten tree stump, so this driftwood piece was perfect!

I then added my large plants, medium-sized plants, and finally, a bag of freshly collected leaf litter and wild plants gathered from areas of my neighborhood.

I knew this leaf litter layer was also quite bioactive, and I couldn’t wait to see what creatures I might have unknowingly scooped up while collecting it.

And so, after two hours of work, the Dark Knights’ new bioactive home was complete.

Preparing the Preparatory Team

Back to Skull Island, AC Family, I’m pleased to present to you our new preparatory team: Cherry shrimp! Scientifically known as Neocaridina davidi, these little warriors are scavengers.

I’ll be feeding them little bits of fish food for now, and their waste will help us build up our needed bacteria.

Also, I’ll be adding into the moat this elephant snail, taken from the river waters of the Selva de Fuego, home of our fire ants, the Fire Nation. The river already has a ton of these snails, so I felt this snail might enjoy its new home. Along with our shrimp, this elephant snail would surely be a great producer of nitrogenous waste to build up the beneficial bacteria in our filter.

As a safety measure, I added this plant to help deal with ammonia spikes that may harm our preparatory team. You see, plants feed off nitrogenous waste and eat ammonia. I also added some java moss to assist the plant. I am certain that these plants, alongside frequent partial water changes, would effectively keep the waters habitable for our preparatory team while our bacteria populations build up.

So, I proceeded to cut open this bag of shrimp into the waters. It was awesome to see aquatic life in the waters of Skull Island. Roam around, little ones, make yourselves at home. You and the snail are playing important roles in these waters, and this magnificent kingdom for the ghost ants.

In a few weeks’ time, these waters would be ready to accommodate our main water beast who could deal with any ants or baby tarantulas wanting to swim across. But in the meantime, I’ll just have to keep an eye on the waters and make sure nothing crosses.

The Future Water Beast

So, guys, as I mentioned, the time has come to choose the future water beast to serve as a guard to the home of the ghost ants. Presenting to you my top two picks to fill this essential post:

Candidate A: An African Clawed Frog. This amphibian, scientifically known as Xenopus laevis, is popular for its three short claws on each of its hind feet. It’s tongueless and toothless. To eat, it has to use its smooth hands to shove food into its mouth and then suck it in. African Clawed Frogs are scavengers. They would eat anything they can fit into their mouths, living or dead, even eating organic waste. Surely, any ant or spiderling choosing to venture into the waters could become a tasty snack!

Candidate B: A Betta Fighting Fish. This is undoubtedly, in my books, one of the most gorgeous-looking fish ever. Scientifically known as Betta splendens, it is a favorite in the aquarium trade. They may be aggressive when provoked, but based on past experience with the species, I feel they too might relish an ant or spiderling floating on the water. Plus, the vibrant colors of a Betta Fighting Fish might be a beautiful contrast to the eerie vibe of Skull Island.

So, what do you think, AC Council? Which creature should be the future water beast to this moat? Please take a moment to vote here. Once again, thank you for voting. As always, you help determine the fates of the inhabitants and worlds of our Antiverse. Stay tuned for when we finally get to add our ultimate water beast to the waters of Skull Island!

The Horned Frog

I returned to Pacmania later that day to discover the frog had returned to his usual spot on his mossy bed. Strangely, he looked a bit brighter in color now and, well, rather back to his normal self. He wasn’t mouth gaping nor blinking excessively anymore.

And then what I spotted in the water gave me the answers I needed—skin!

Ohhhh! AC Family, it turns out all that blinking and mouth opening was because our frog was shedding his skin. Like many frog species, Pacman Frogs shed their skin from time to time. They also eat their shed skin so as not to lose important nutrients, but it seems he left a bit of it in the water. How adorable!

Shedding must have been quite the ordeal for our horned frog, but let’s hope it worked up an appetite! As a reward, it’s time to feed him a dead pinky mouse now! Hungry? Yes! Success! Enjoy, my beloved frog.

The New Bioactive Home

AC Family, voila! The new bioactive home of the Dark Knights. Isn’t it just magical? I couldn’t look away. The Dark Knights loved their new home and immediately began transferring their brood into a cavity within the driftwood. Dark Knights were exploring all over their terrarium.

Some wandered atop the leaf litter, while others chose to check out spots within the multi-tiered tree stump.

Take note of these gorgeous plants. Given the rich bioactivity of this habitat, I bet these plants will truly flourish more and more in the coming weeks. I just loved the mix of plant species here, including vein plants, creeping fig, and Calathea.

And it turns out, our effort to upscale the soils from the Blood Legion’s terrarium, as well as the leaf litter from my neighborhood, really paid off. Looking closely into the bottom of this terrarium, I spotted multiple living creatures that would help the Dark Knights bioprocess waste materials within their domain.

Look! Here is a bagworm. This moth larva gathers twigs and other dead plant debris to form its protective case home. This biodegradable mobile home serves as natural camouflage and protection from predators. Brilliant, right?

And wow! Look there! A millipede! And the ants weren’t bothering it. Here’s another one. It looks like other tenants are enjoying the tree stump habitat we made for the Dark Knights.

I even spotted a jumping spider! No idea how that got in here, but hey, we have predators! The ants made sure to chase the jumping spider away from their nest entrance as it got too close for their comfort.

I expect to find more and more species of animals co-inhabiting this space with the Dark Knights, and it will be cool to see how they interact.

It’s actually nice to see the Dark Knights living here—a nice change. I also installed this AC Outworld with the bottom plate removed to the top of the terrarium to create a sort of penthouse where we could provide water in the form of a test tube, as well as sweets for the Dark Knights to eat.

This AC Outworld would also provide ventilation since the glass enclosure is fully sealed. A barrier around the top rounded lip would help me work around the Dark Knights when inserting food by keeping them from escaping.

Prey insects could be directly placed through the top and into the terrarium. The coolest part was, I wouldn’t have to worry about cleaning it up due to the terrarium’s bioactive effect. I also plugged this hole up in case I decided I wanted to connect this setup to their old home again in the future.

But for now, I was totally okay with watching the Dark Knights frolicking in their new natural forest floor.

The Future Water Beast

So, guys, as I mentioned earlier, the time is approaching to introduce our future water beast into Skull Island’s moat. With our preparatory team of cherry shrimp and the elephant snail building up the essential bacteria, we’re almost ready for the next big step!

As the bacterial populations grow within the filter, sand, and decor, I am confident this moat will soon be ready for its ultimate guardian. Whether it’s the African Clawed Frog or the Betta Fighting Fish, we’ll have a powerful protector to handle any ants or spiderlings attempting to escape.

Be sure to stay tuned to see which of our water beast candidates will be chosen by you, AC Council, and witness their exciting introduction to the Antiverse!

The Horned Frog’s Recovery

Later that evening, I returned once more to check on our horned frog, who had settled back into his cozy moss bed. He looked calm, vibrant, and in good health—a clear sign that shedding his skin had been a successful and refreshing process.

With a contented chirp, our frog had clearly worked up an appetite. And sure enough, when I offered him the dead pinky mouse as a reward, he eagerly accepted it. Success!

Watching him devour the mouse was a satisfying conclusion to this part of our adventure. Pacmania’s king had regained his energy, and I couldn’t be more relieved.

The Dark Knights’ New Bioactive Home

AC Family, the Dark Knights’ new bioactive home was truly flourishing. The ants had fully embraced their new surroundings, utilizing the driftwood’s crevices as nesting spaces and the enriched bioactive soils as fertile ground for growth and exploration.

The plants, including the vein plants, creeping fig, and Calathea, were thriving alongside the ant colony, forming a natural, self-sustaining ecosystem. The leaf litter layer was alive with tiny organisms, such as springtails and mites, that diligently worked to process waste and contribute to the system’s overall balance.

The various inhabitants of the terrarium—bagworms, millipedes, and even the unexpected jumping spider—were all coexisting, each playing a unique role within the ecosystem. The Dark Knights were clearly thriving, with workers busily transferring brood and food supplies throughout the different levels of their new home.

I couldn’t help but marvel at the intricate and dynamic microcosm that we had created together. It was a testament to the power of nature and the potential for harmony among diverse species when given the right conditions.

The addition of the AC Outworld penthouse further enhanced the setup, allowing for convenient feeding, ventilation, and maintenance without disturbing the colony’s natural behaviors. The modular design also left room for future expansions, should the need arise.

Overall, I was incredibly pleased with how this new bioactive setup had turned out, and I couldn’t wait to monitor the ongoing progress of the Dark Knights in their revitalized home.

The Final Touches

As a final step, I added a small decorative rock structure to the terrarium to provide additional hiding spots and foraging areas. This would encourage further exploration and activity among the Dark Knights.

With the setup complete, I took a moment to observe the colony in action. Workers were busy foraging, while others were tending to the brood in the safety of the driftwood’s cavities. The entire ecosystem was teeming with life, and I knew that this was only the beginning of a long and fascinating journey with the Dark Knights in their new home.

What’s Next?

So, AC Family, what did you think of the Dark Knights’ new bioactive terrarium? Let me know in the comments! And don’t forget to vote on which water beast you’d like to see guarding Skull Island in the future.

Our ant room continues to evolve, and I’m so excited to bring you along on this journey as we explore new setups, introduce new colonies, and watch the Antiverse flourish.

Stay tuned for next week’s episode, where we’ll reveal the winning water beast and see how they settle into their new role as Skull Island’s protector. And who knows what other surprises await us in the ever-expanding Antiverse?

Outro

AC Family, thank you for joining me on this week’s adventure. If you enjoyed this video, please remember to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE to help us continue creating more amazing content.

And don’t forget, our annual AC Holidays Promo is happening right now at AntsCanada.com, with 20% off Hybrid Nests and Hybrid Gear Packs, plus a free copy of our Ultimate Ant Keeping Handbook eBook using the coupon code “antloveforever”!

If you’re new to the channel and want to catch up on all your AntsCanada lore, be sure to check out this complete storyline playlist to follow the epic tales of our ant colonies and see how they’ve grown over time.

It’s ant love forever!