Glass Test Tube 16×160 mm — Round Bottom Founding Tube
4,99 zł
In stock
Fits Any Setup
Keeper-Tested
Clean, Simple Feeding
Small Parts, Big Difference
Made to Last
Top-Quality Gear
Description
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Free shipping across Europe over 1299 zł.
Buy a 16×160 mm borosilicate glass test tube from ANTonTOP — the standard founding tube for ant queens. Round-bottom, heat-resistant, crystal clear. Houses a freshly mated queen through her first weeks while she lays the first brood. Reusable, easy to sterilise, fits standard cotton plugs.
Sold as a single tube. Pair with our heating mat for tropical species, or with soft tweezers for brood transfer when the colony outgrows the tube.
Additional information
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Glass Test Tube 16×160 mm — The Standard Founding Tube for Ant Queens
Every successful ant colony starts in a test tube. This 16 mm × 160 mm borosilicate glass tube is the format used by ant keepers across Europe and Asia for housing founding queens through their initial weeks. Fill one third with water, plug with cotton, place the queen inside — and you have the moist, dark, contained micro-environment a founding queen needs to lay her first brood. Crystal-clear glass gives you full visibility without disturbing her.
Specifications
- Diameter: 16 mm
- Length: 160 mm
- Base: round bottom (water-tight, no flat seam)
- Material: borosilicate glass (heat-resistant, chemical-resistant)
- Transparency: crystal clear — full colony visibility
- Reusable: yes, indefinitely (sterilise between colonies)
- Sold as: single tube (not a pack)
When to Use It
The 16×160 mm format fits the vast majority of European, Mediterranean, and South-East Asian queens — from small Lasius niger through medium Camponotus through to most Messor. For very large queens (Carebara, Dinomyrmex, mature Camponotus gigas), a 20 mm tube is the better fit.
How to Set Up a Founding Tube
Fill the tube one third with clean tap water. Push a cotton ball into the tube with a thin object (chopstick, pencil end) until the cotton meets the water and absorbs it. The wet cotton becomes the back wall of the chamber. Cotton must be tight enough that the queen cannot squeeze around it, but loose enough that humidity passes through. Insert the queen, plug the open end with a second piece of cotton, and place the tube in a dark drawer or covered container for the first weeks.
Check the cotton weekly. When the water reservoir runs low — usually 3 to 6 weeks depending on humidity — prepare a new tube and move the queen and brood across with soft or ultra-soft tweezers.
Compatibility
- Fits standard cotton wool from any pharmacy or supermarket
- Compatible with most modular formicarium connector tubes (16 mm outer)
- Pairs with our heating mat if you keep tropical species that need 26–28 °C
- For brood transfer, see our soft and ultra-soft tweezers
Care & Maintenance
Sterilise between colonies. Boil for 10 minutes or wipe down with isopropyl alcohol, rinse with clean water, and dry. Borosilicate tolerates rapid temperature change and is dishwasher-safe, but hand-cleaning is gentler on the long term. Inspect for hairline cracks before reuse — cracks become escape routes.
What’s in the Box
- 1 × borosilicate glass test tube, 16 × 160 mm, round bottom
- Cotton plug not included — use any cotton-wool ball from a pharmacy or supermarket
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this one tube or a pack of five?
This is a single tube. The reference image showing five tubes is for context only — the price is for one.
What size queens does it fit?
Small to medium queens, up to about 14 mm body length. For very large queens (Camponotus gigas, Carebara), use a wider 20 mm tube instead.
How long does the water last?
Typically 3 to 6 weeks depending on ambient humidity and how tightly the cotton is packed. Check weekly. When the water side is dry, move the colony to a fresh tube before the cotton dries fully.
Can I reuse a tube after the colony moves out?
Yes. Clean and sterilise as described above. Borosilicate glass is reusable indefinitely until physically damaged.
Klaus (verified owner) –
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