Many people have no idea about the estimated price of the ant farm; that is essential to know when you are going to have an ant colony.
How Much Does an Ant Farm Cost? An ant farm costs between $6 to $40, but its price can increase up to $350 according to variations in the construction material, size, weight, internal setup, design of the tank, filling material, assembly requirements, operation system, and presence of an ant colony.
It is better to understand the requirements for an ant farm to know its price because you cannot get a complex setup at a rate equal to that of the simpler tanks.
What is the average cost of an ant farm?
You can get an ant farm at different costs depending on your requirements, as the colony’s size matters a lot in determining the price of a formicarium.
On average, an ant farm costs around $6 to $40 when you look for simpler models and designs of the tank. It is suitable for small colonies, but you have to shift them to bigger setups later.
You can get a mini outworld formicarium for around $6 to $8 made of plastic plexiglass. It is a small size setup having length and width of 3 inches and 2 inches.
However, you can also get bigger setups if you want to grow a bigger colony, which can easily fit inside a Uongfi transparent ant nest made of acrylic material and filled with gel.
It can cost you around $65 to $67 due to its larger dimensions, as its length and width are 7.72 inches and 5.73 inches, while the height is around 3.02 inches.
So, the average price of an ant farm lies close to $40, but it can increase or decrease according to the type of setup, as smaller ones are usually available at low rates.
Examples of types of ant farms with size, cost, and filling material
| Type of ant farm | Made | Size (LxWxH) in inches | Cost | Filling material |
| Anthouse acrylic ant farm | Acrylic | 11×5.9×4 inches |
$90 to $95 | Sand |
| StarAnts ant farm | Acrylic | 5.89×5.89×0.58 inches |
$85 to $90 | Sponge |
| BATRC ant farm | Acrylic | 4x2x2 inches |
$60 to 68 | Gypsum |
| Uongfi transparent ant nests | Acrylic | 7.72×5.73×3.02 inches |
$65 to $67 | Gel |
| Ecosystem ant farm | Plexiglass | 6.5×5.5×1.5 inches |
$25 to $30 | Nutrient-rich gel |
| Tar Heel ants casita | Glass | 3.99×3.99×7.92 inches |
$125 to $130 | Brown sand |
| Vinyl ant nest kit | Vinyl | 8x8x2 inches |
$75 to $80 | Vinyl base |
| Antcube standing ant farm | Glass, plastic | 13.1×7.9×11 inches |
$65 to $70 | No fillers |
| Mini Outworld ant formicarium | Plastic, Plexiglass | 3x2x0.8 inches |
$6 to $8 | No |
| Standing ant soil nest | Acrylic | 9x9x2 inches |
$40 to $44 | No soil |
What factors make an ant farm expensive?
Some factors directly impact the cost of a formicarium, like the material used for building a setup, design, and use of technology.
Construction material
The construction material is essential in determining the price of an ant farm because some manufacturers use cheap or low-quality materials to give low-cost products.
You can find a formicarium made of thin plastic material, which can serve as a temporary nesting spot for these ants because they can chew low-quality plastic over time.
In addition, some sellers use hard plastic, which ultimately increases product prices because high-quality products are costly as they last long.
Most ant farms are made of acrylic material and are available at an affordable price, but glass tanks are also available that can retain for a long and are not chewable for these ants.
Size and weight
It is better to know the size of the ant colony and the desired space before getting a particular type of ant farm because you need a bigger space for a bigger colony.
A larger setup can cost you more than a smaller tank due to varying dimensions. In addition, the product’s total weight also increases, which affects the shipping dues.
So, you have to pay more for a bigger formicarium, but it can be a cost-effective option in the long term as there is no need to shift a colony to a new tank when its number increases.
Complexity of internal setup
The price of an ant farm increases when it is equipped with advanced technologies like a LED lighting system or plantation. In addition, it makes the habitat look impressive and comfortable for the pets.
Some formicarium mimics their natural habitat, providing a base of soil, the dark medium having no lights, and a tunnel system to hide, while a few are empty tanks without any tunnels.
Accordingly, these minor elaborations make a noticeable difference in the tanks’ appearance, functionality, and overall cost.
You can keep it simpler by using a simple glass jar, soil, a sponge, and food crumbs because it can help these ants grow well over time at a low price.
This setup can be easily prepared at home without spending a lot of money, but a complex formicarium needs a system of water intake, lights, food bowls, plants, rocks, etc.
Type of filling material
Ant farms usually contain a filling material at the bottom of the tank, providing a base for ants to move. This filling material can be soil, sand, gypsum, or even a gel.
Soil and sand are considered suitable and cheap options for tanks because they can cost less than other materials like gypsum and gel and make them feel like they are living in a natural habitat.
Modern tanks contain nutrient-rich gel as filling material with a proper lighting system to enlighten the medium in the dark and increase the price of the formicarium.
Design
The exterior design of the farm also matters, in addition to the internal setup, as you can find traditional square or rectangular shape setups to keep the ants.
Moreover, modern designs include oval or circular dishes containing internal tunnels or chambers to provide them a chance to keep their eggs and food in separate chambers.
So, the price increases for a beautifully designed tank than one having a simpler rectangular structure with no aesthetic curves and grooves.
Ant colony
Ant farms commonly include tanks, test tubes, or a few other tubing materials used to assemble the final formicarium setup, but they do not contain any ant colony.
These empty tanks can cost you lesser than others having living colonies inside because the cost of these ants will be added to the overall price of the product.
Assembly and Operation system
Some ant farms are easy to assemble, requiring no special tools and effort, but they are more expensive than others that need long hours of fitting the parts into their proper place.
The difference in operation systems impacts the product price because some setups do not have a battery-operated system and require a connection from the electrical outlet.
So, the manufacturers charge an extra price for a battery-operated formicarium as they are more feasible to use than others.
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