Starter colonies can be housed in a gallon container, as they breed they should be moved to a 5-10 gallon enclosure for optimal breeding and colony growth. All cultured species seem to prefer humid conditions, they can take dry conditions but wing nipping can become a problem when sufficient moisture is not available. So either keeping the entire enclosure humid or keeping at least half of it humid is recommended. Moderate to high ventilation is recommended.
A substrate of coconut fiber, sphagnum peat, potting soil, etc. an inch or two deep is appreciated, both nymphs and adults of most species like to burrow. A couple of the common feeder species have been bred without substrates, so you can go that route, though smaller nymphs especially do appreciate having something to burrow into.
Aboveground hides such as cardboard rolls, eggcrate, vertically slanted bark hides or plywood "roach-huts" are recommended for adults to rest on.
Diet:
A staple diet of dog/cat/fish/chick feed, along with fruits and veggies works well for all species. Some Eublaberus like posticus are quite protein hungry, and colonies can swarm and devour injured/freshly molted invertebrates (including each other) and even dead vertebrates.
Temperature:
Some species will breed at room temps, but temperatures in the 75-85F° range are recommended for optimal growth and breeding.
Breeding/Life Cycle:
Adults live 1-2 years, and nymphs take 6-8 months to mature depending on the species and temperatures. Females gestate their broods for 2-4 months and give birth to litters of 20-30 nymphs.
Most species are quite tolerant of lapses in care and crowding, and aren't particularly sensitive to filth buildups or most pests. By far the most destructive pests to this genus are phorid flies, which feed on dead roach bodies and will sometimes attack stressed live roaches. Thus, dead roach bodies should be regularly removed from enclosures so as to prevent phorid fly numbers from getting out of control.
Cleaner crews such as dermestid beetles and lesser mealworms can work well for eating dead roach bodies, though both can cause problems of their own if their numbers aren't kept in check, so keep that in mind.
Species notes:
Eublaberus distanti/bioellyi:
The common "Six Spot Roach", currently listed as distanti, though there is mounting evidence they may be a separate species all together, originally described as "bioellyi" but erroneously synonymized with distanti... In any case, this is a classic feeder species that's been in culture for many years, hardy and easy to breed, less prone to wing nipping than the other common feeder species posticus.
Eublaberus distanti "Ivory":
This strain, often simply listed as E.sp. "Ivory" much more closely matches the description of the original E.distanti, and so likely is that species. Ironically they're sometimes labeled as cf. bioellyi... 😂
A hardy species that prefers high humidity, and is considered one of the best candidates for "Blatticomposting", as they will consume large quantities of various organic matter and turn it into frass, which is great for gardening.
Eublaberus marajoara:
This species is beautiful and quite polymorphic in pronotum and tegmina patterning. The most recent addition to culture out of the currently kept Eublaberus spp., they are similar in care to the rest but adults seem less inclined to burrow than the others and spend a lot of their time up in the aboveground hides. Nymphs are unusually matte in texture for this genus. Oddly this species isn't fond of eating their own sheds, which could lead to pest issues if sheds are not regularly removed. Seems to prefer much more space and higher, consistent heat than the other spp. for breeding.
Eublaberus posticus:
The classic "Orange Head Roach", these have been used as feeders for quite a while now. This species is hardy and breeds fairly well in a wide variety of conditions, they can be very prone to wing biting and even cannibalism if kept too dry or not offered enough protein. These and the "Six Spots" can be reared with or without substrate, but do seem to prefer having substrate as nymphs, and it's easier to keep humidity up with a substrate as well.
Eublaberus serranus "Pantanal":
These beauties are one of the less commonly kept Eublaberus species, growth and breeding can be a bit slower than some of the others but they make for a lovely pet and occasional feeder, and are a good "Blatticomposting" candidate as well. Prefers high humidity.
