Welcome to the start of my Triops page. Rather than reinventing the wheel on care instructions, I'll just document my own personal experience raising these fascinating creatures. For detailed information, visit mytriops.com. My Triops eggs were purchased from discoverthis.com, and I'm quite happy with that vendor. Specifically, I purchased the Starter/Refill Kit. The eggs are of the Triops longicaudatus species, and have proven to be Very fast-growing.

Materials

Before starting the eggs, I went out and purchased everything I would need for the entire generation: 10-gallon aquarium set with under-gravel filter ($30 USD), 2 litre plastic beta tank ($12 USD), distilled water ($2 USD), Spirulina flake food ($1.50 USD), aquatic plant ($1 USD), gravel for the 10-gallon tank, some plastic transfer pipettes, and a reliable underwater heater for the 10-gallon tank ($13 USD). The beta tank is heated by an overhead 75watt bulb, suspended approximately six inches above the water surface. I set everything up (using treated water in the 10-gallon tank), and let it cycle while the baby triops grew to be large enough for their eventual tank upgrade.

Raising, and Use of Tanks

While the raising of the first generation was quite straight-forward, I had to take a risk on the second one. Newly released eggs started to hatch, so I moved them into the beta tank with a transfer pipette. This ensured that they would not be cannibalized by their parents. In order to compensate for the fact that the infusoria nutrient pack had not been in the water long enough to populate the beta tank with edible microorganisms for the babies, I moved about .25 litre water from the top inch of the 10-gallon water column. I understand that most of the single-celled algae collects up there, close to the oxygen and the light from above.

PH, Amonia, Nitrite, Nitrate

I learned the hard way that a new tank _must_ be sufficiently cycled. My entire first and second generations died off due to spiked nitrate levels. I discovered this by finally buying test kit for nitrate, as well as kits for PH, amonia, and nitrite (all three of which can be killers of aquatic life forms). While PH, amonia, and nitrate were all okay, it was the nitrate which thinned out and ultimately eliminated my poor Triops. You'll see that the first and second generations are far lower than what they should be. Had I succeeded, these would be closer to 35 days. I strongly recommend you obtain these four test kits and err on the side of caution when introducing your baby Triops into the larger tank. If your nitrate does spike, it's probably best to move your Triops into a different body of water until the issue has been resolved. Even major water changes did not quickly lower it. I ultimately stimulated algal growth by increasing light and aeration in the tank. It turned very green for several days, during which I continued to do 50% water changes every two days or so. By the sixth day, the nitrate was dropping quite rapidly.

Feeding

Once they are in the 10-gallon tank, I found that Hikari brand food pellets worked very well for feeding. I snapped the sinking algae wafers into smaller pieces and spread them throughout the tank. On occasion, I would feed two or three carnivore pellets in place of the algae wafers. I found it necessary to allow them time to soak up enough water such that they would sink when squeezed a little between thumb and forefinger. It seemed that they were more likely to eat when the meal alternated between these two diets, but I may have been imagining this.

First longicaudatus generation - 21-day lifespan

• 1 day Within 24 hours, three of the eight eggs hatched. One survived only days.
• 7 days After seven days, the two surviving Triops were moved to a 10-gallon aquarium with under-gravel filter
• 11 days One or both of the Triops appear to be dropping eggs
• 13 days Gave birth to their first "litter" of babies (see 2nd generation)
• 12-14 days view gallery
• 21 days After 4 days of slowed metabolism, both Triops died

Second Generation - 14-day lifespan

• 48 larval Triops were discovered in the 10-gallon tank of the first generation, and transferred to the raising tank.
• 1 day After 24 hours, all have molted into their adult forms
• 2 days Moving around, and ready for some crushed food pellets
• 9 days All remaining 18 Triops were moved back into the 10-gallon tank
• 12 days Due to (what I hope to be) a nitrate problem, all but two died :-(
• 14 days For the same theorized reason, the remaining two Triops died.

Third Generation - 14-day lifespan

• Seven new eggs out of the package were placed in the 1-litre raising tank.
• 1 day Two Triops hatched, and one molted to the adult form.
• 2 days Three more Triops hatched, and only one has not yet molted
• 3 days One of five died =(
• 4 days One of four died, but the remaining three are Strong and Fast
• 5 days Due to witnessed cannibalism, there are now two Triops :-\
• 12 days The Triops which was moved to the tank died :(
• 12 days One cup full of treated tap water was moved to the small aquarium
• 14 days The Triops which was not moved also died. Agh.

Fourth Generation - 14-day lifespan (distilled water only!)

• Seven new eggs out of the package were placed in the 1-litre raising tank.
• 1 day Three Triops have hatched, and one has molted.
• 2 days A fourth Triops hatched, and two more molted. They received their first meal
• 3 days All four Triops are still doing well and growing quickly!
• 5 days Two of the four Triops were cannibalized.
• 7 days The remaining two Triops are well and healthy!
• 12 days For unknown reasons, one Triops died
• 12 days The surviving Triops was transferred to a clean body of distilled water
• 14 days The last Triops died. grrrr.

Fifth Generation (June 2006) - 5-day lifespan

• Five new eggs out of the package were placed in a 1-litre tank
• 1 day One hatched.
• 5 days Sudden death :(

Sixth Generation - 45-day lifespan

• Two hatchlings discovered on March 10, 2012
• 3 days Larger hatchling died today. One male survives
• 4 days Tossed in approximately 2 tbsp ground, mixed vegetables
• 6 days Replaced most vegetable bits with fresh, chopped ones
• 8 days Tendency to swim away from light sources observed starting second week
• 9 days Replacing chopped vegetables every three days or so (whenever they start to float)
• 20 days Occasionally supplementing chopped veggies with fish food and frozen brine shrimp
• 31 days Going strong!
• 43 days Unusual "attempted moulting" behavior observed. Nitrate/nitrite spike discovered & fixed.
• 44 days Health rapidly declining :(
• 45 days Triops died at 45 days of age.

First cancriformis Attempt - Inundated May 6 - 20, 2012

• No hatchlings after two weeks. Drained cup. Will reattempt in two weeks.

First Hawaiian Mystery Triops Generation - 3-day lifespan

• One dozen dessicated mud chunks inundated May 20th. Four hatchlings within 36 hours.
• 2 days Three of four presumably killed by biofilm. Abated biofilm with floating airstone.
• 3 days Last Triops dies. New theory: not enough nutrients in the silt. Dessication started 5/26.

Second Hawaiian Mystery Triops - 12-day lifespan

• 3 days Discovered two babies. Immediately started feeding chopped veggies. Sometimes running bubbler.
• 6 days Both thriving. Hypothesis: To ensure survival, there should be veggies by the third day.
• 10 days Transferred from hatcing basin to tank. Discovered the larger one has eggs.
• 11 days Smaller of the two Triops died overnight. :-(

Q4 2012 Hawaiian Triops attempt - 14-day lifespan

• 3 days Only one hatchling this time. Started adding calcium-enriched water.
• 13 days Changed water (again) and ran airstone to clear bioflim.
• 14 days She died overnight. :-(

Egg vial generation - 18-day lifespan