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How to Grow Triops

Triops are a small group of crustaceans that have been around for nearly 220 million years and can be found worldwide in small bodies of water. Triops hatch during the wet season, lay eggs and die when the wet season ends. Their their lifespan is only 8 to 14 weeks. Triop eggs remain in a dormant state until re-hydrated and are usually sold in a mix of sand and sediment. They make for entertaining aquatic pets and are fairly easy to grow and raise using a few items.

Things You'll Need

1-quart glass container
Triops eggs
Sand
Lamp
Thermometer
3- to 5-gallon aquarium with pump and filter
Triops or betta fish food
Turkey baster

Instructions

- 1
  Fill a 1-quart container with distilled water 2/3 to 3/4 full.
- 2
  Place the triops eggs and sand into the container.
- 3
  Place the container under a lamp. Maintain the water temperature required by the triops. There are many species of triops, each requiring a different temperature to hatch, but most will hatch at room temperature. Ask a local pet shop or triops provider to determine the specific water temperature for your species. Most species of triops will hatch within 24 hours; others may require a week.
- 4
  Do not feed the newly hatched triops for 3 days. The baby triops will feed off food particles in the water unseen by the human eye.
- 5
  Crush a very small amount triops food into a fine powder and sprinkle it into the container. Crushed betta fish-food pellets are sufficient if triops food is unavailable, but only 1 pellet should be used at first.
- 6
  Increase food depending on the size of the triops, sprinkling only enough for the triops to eat entirely. Overfeeding will kill the triops. Crushing the food isn't necessary once the triops are about 1/4 inch long.
- 7
  Use a turkey baster to remove uneaten food and waste from the bottom of the container after a few days.
- 8
  Fill the aquarium with distilled water and run the filter for about a week. This will condition the tank and the water.
- 9
  Transfer the triops one by one, with a 24-hour interval between transfers, into the aquarium tank once they are about 1/2 inch long. Clean the filter weekly to prevent bacteria and diseases.

Animals & Science