Caring for an adult triop - week two

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For those of you who missed the first week of my raising triops, don't despair (we all have busy lives), I'll recap quickly. There was a small packet of sand and teeny-tiny eggs, which I dumped in a small tank filled with distilled water, several hatched, but in a day or so there was only one, and here he is, about an inch long in a week. It's Sunday morning.

Triop at the beginning of week two

When I first got the eggs, I really had no concern for the size of the tank, and now I'm kinda glad that this one ate everyone else, because they grow fast! He (or she) is fine today, and according to the instructions that came with the kit, they're full-grown after seven days, but I'm inclined to think that Scorpius is still growing. Yes, I named the triop Scorpius. Don't you name your pets?

I still have plenty of adult triop food, and they also absolutely love pieces of carrot, but I'm already thinking that maybe I should make a trip to Walmart and get some more food, and a slightly bigger tank. I would also need more distilled water.

I'm writing this in real time, so I don't know yet. I guess I'll decide tomorrow or the next day. In the meantime, here's what I've learned about triops: Firstly, a single triop is a triop, not a triops. I made that mistake when I was posting videos on TikTok the last time I raised triops (which weren't successful at all). They've been around since the Triassic, the first period of the Mesozoic Era, which began 252 million years ago, at the close of the Permian Period, so they watched the evolution of dinosaurs.

Triassic animals. Presumably triops are in the water there.

Update: Monday morning. There's no doubt that Scorpius will need to move to a larger tank. I've tried changing the water several times but it's just terribly murky this morning. I will need to get more distilled water, which I was unable to find at my local Walmart Neighborhood Market a few weeks ago, but I'll try again. I just checked to see what food they like, and I still have plenty of the food that came with the kit, and of course carrots, but I'm gonna look for some fish food when I get to the big Walmart and look for a new tank (preferably a gallon one).

Update later Monday morning. I didn't make it to the Walmart during my ride this morning, and it will rain tomorrow, and Scorpius just looked so unhappy in that tiny tank which was so murky that I created a makeshift one for him (or her). It's from a gallon container, so I'd say it's about 3/4 gallon. The visibility for me is poor, but it's more roomy, which is what's important to Scorpius. Note the little piece of carrot towards the top - triops love carrots!


Scorpius the triop enjoying a carrot. If you look closely, you can see the third eye, which is what "tri-op" means: three optical.

Update Wednesday morning. It looks like Scorpius is definitely full-grown, at about an inch in length. And yesterday I watched what I figure is egg laying, which is continuing today. It seems to be taking out of Scorpius, and my guess is that after this her life will wind down fairly soon. Because of the eggs, and because the "temporary" tank is still plenty big, I'm not going to get a larger tank (I figure that this one is holding about 3/4 gallon) and try to move her into it. I will leave her in peace, and serenity. I'll let you know how it goes. Time for more carrot!


Update Thursday morning. I really hadn't planned on it, but I went ahead and got an aquarium. It's just a little over a gallon, and it looks like it's the perfect size. I moved Scorpius into it just now, and then moved the container with the eggs over to allow the water to evaporate, and hopefully there will be more triops in the future. There was only one triop, so there's no chance of sexual reproduction, but these are interesting little creatures. I'll let you know.




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