Brad's Tropical Paradise

My triops are a week old now, and that makes them adults. They're from one half-inch to an inch long, and they're doing just fine. If you got yours to this point, congratulations, and yes, it's incredible how quickly they grow. The goal now is to keep them alive, at least for a little while. Week-old triop, approximately an inch long from nose (do they have noses?) to tip of tail. Don't be surprised if your trips die after only a couple of weeks, that's just what they've been doing since the Triassic, about 200 millions years ago. They're born, they grow up in a week or so, they lay eggs, and then they die. The eggs are the tough part of them, and once those are dry they can last through extreme temperatures for years and years. Then when the conditions are right, there's a bit of water in a puddle, and the temperature is right, they start their cycle all over again. It's a living, I guess! They watched the dinosaurs come and go, so they must be doin...

One of the most remarkable things about triops is how quickly they grow. The eggs are so tiny that they're barely visible in the packet, and in a week the triops are full grown, about an inch long. I have to admit that it took me by surprise, but now I'm more prepared. I have two tanks now, one for the nursery, and one for when the triops grow. The big one is a little over a gallon and the little one is about a liter. I also have the lamp to be sure to keep the temperature correct, but since it's April in the Phoenix, Arizona area, for the next few months I won't need to be adding any additional heat. Triops need to stay above 60 degrees F, and are comfortable up into the nineties, so they'll be fine here in my garage. The triop eggs are on order, and should be here on the 12th, which is eleven days from now. In the meantime I have the nursery tank prepared, and am finishing up the last bit of cleanup on the adult tank. You need distilled water for triops, but no fi...