Having looked around the World Wide Web, there doesn't
seem to be any Triops Diaries, to give you some idea of what to expect from these little
critters, we started one:
- 23 July
Added spring water to tank, stuck the little thermometer on the outside, put on the
window-sill to get the water to room temperature.
- 24 July
Thermometer went off the scale, due to the sun. Moved the tank away from the window
(the correct temperature is very important for Triops). Later we disregarded the
instructions and placed all the contents of the 'Triops Eggs' packet (eggs and bits of
wood) into the tank.
- 25 July
We've seen the first tiny Triops swimming around, they are slightly orange and swim rather
than jerk around like the new-born Fairy Shrimp do.
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26 July
Fed the Triops one green and one brown crushed pellet. There appears to be other creatures
swimming around in the tank too. The instructions say these could be Fairy Shrimp
(Fresh water cousins of Sea-Monkeys) and Daphnia (water fleas). Oh dear, the instructions also say
they won't be around much longer with the Triops.
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Feeding time |
- 27 July
Feeding time again for the Triops one green and one brown pellet for each Triops (There's
about three of them).
- 28 July
They have really grown now, you can see the difference between the Fairy Shrimp and the
larger Triops. The Triops look like Sea-Monkeys wearing orange American Football
kits! They keep 'walking' along the bottom of the tank then swim to the top to pick
at the food and detritus. They also keep dive bombing the Fairy Shrimp which is a
little upsetting :-(
- 29 July
The Triops are doubling in size every day, in the tank we now 5 Triops, one is very large
and aggressive, 3 Fairy Shrimp and using the manual that comes with the kit we have
identified the three very small jumping creatures as Daphnia.
- 31 July
There are no longer any Daphnia in the tank. The Triops are now about
3/4" long, when they eat they swim on their backs holding their food on their
stomachs.
- 1 August
The Fairy Shrimp have escaped! Following the instructions in the
'Information for U.K. Customers' booklet, we've emptied out half of the Triops water into
an old Sea-Monkeys Ocean Zoo and replaced it with room-temperature spring water. The
Fairy Shrimps both made it into the Ocean Zoo and we can't bring ourselves to put them
back with the ferocious Triops for a certain death.
- 2 August
Whoops, I fear that both the Fairy Shrimp, although in a new tank of their
previous water, are upset that they have left their play-mates the Triops behind.
They have in fact, as my Nan would say, "Died of a broken heart"
- 3 August
More death! This morning there were five Triops, now there are only
four. No trace of the missing creature. Time to start feeding them twice a
day. It being a cold, wet usual British mid-summers day, we put a desk light on them
all day to keep them warm, they love it.
- 4 August
Ghostly Exo-skeletons litter the bottom of the tank, as the Triops shed
their skins and grow.
- 5 August
Carnage, this morning when I fed them there were 4 Triops. This
evening the food pellets float untouched in the tank, while only two Triops remain.
The other two have been killed by their cannibalistic siblings. I can't help
feeling responsible, if we'd only added part of the 'Triop Eggs' packet then there
wouldn't be this many Triops in the tank at the same time.
- 8 August
The Two Triops are an inch long now and very active in the sun. You
can see the egg sacks under their 'armour', they seem friendly enough to each other
- 9 August
While cleaning out the Ocean Alien tank by spurting the green algae
into the Triops tank, to irate them, we spotted a fairy Shrimp in the Triops tank. It
must have been sucked up by the pipette. Throwing caution into the wind, I
semi-fearlessly plunged the pipette back into the Triops tank to save the
Shrimp. Holding the pipette at the end of my fingers and keeping a wary eye on the
Triops, with a bit of guiding we managed to save the Fairy Shrimp.
- 10 August
Left the tank on the window-sill by accident on one of the warmest days of
the year, the water is very dark and green now. You can't even see the Triops until
they come to the sides. Luckily they will eat the algae and tomorrow it's about time
to replace half of the water again for the second and last time.
- 14 August
Due to the sunlight it's just green now, a murky green tank with the odd
flash of Triops as they come near the side of the tank.
- 18 August
Added the little pile of sand, ready for them to lay their eggs in.
The Triops attacked the sand as it was dropped into the tank, thinking it was food of some
sort. They are now happily nosing around in the sand.
- 23 August
The Triops are going white on their little whiskers now, they come to the
surface and play with the pellets of food. We've not seen anything but hopefully
they've laid their eggs in the sand by now.
- 30 August
The office was closed over the bank holiday and no one fed the Triops, now
the one I named Kenny is no more. "Oh my god they killed Kenny".
- 1 September
It good to see that Kenny is being recycled by the remaining
Triops, Bob:-)
- 2 September
Dark and cold outside (must be autumn now then) so we've had the light on
the tank for Bob, it makes him a lot more active.
- 3 September
Bob is still swimming around, earlier he was treading water in the middle
of the tank rather than the usual acrobatics.
- 5 September
Bob must be at least 2 inches long.
- 11 September
Bob is still going strong, 2 meals a day (lucky we have lots of food
left). We're letting the water slowly evaporate so Bob thinks the 'pond' is
evaporating and will lay some eggs.
- 14 September
Bob isn't looking at all well now, he is just floating at the top of
the tank waving his little legs weakly. We gave him a drop of Jack Daniels to cheer
him up.
- 15 September
Bob is no more, he has gone to the great mud pools in the sky.
- 16 September
Put the Triop tank on the side ready to evaporate the water and see
if any of our fine pets laid any eggs. You can just drain off the water then allow
the sand to dry before starting again with the next generation.
- 24 November
Missing our little pets and the tank having sat on the side for the
last few months with the sand well and truly dry, we filled the tank with water and left
the tank under a lamp.
- 27 November
No sign of life in the tank 8-( so I added half the
Triops eggs
- 29 November
There are four little creatures swimming around - a bit early to
tell what they are yet though. Put them on the windowsill to enjoy the winter
sunshine.
- 1 December
They have all doubled in size, no longer little specks of white
drifting against the water flow, but now they look like little white swimming creatures.
- 2 December
They have all doubled in size again! They are clearly orange
now their tails and features have developed. One is very much large than the other
three and there's also a daphnia in the tank too.
- 5 December
There's only three of them now, zooming around the tank they are
much faster and more active than Sea-Monkeys.
- 6 December
We keep a desk light on them 24 hours a day now to give them the
light they just love and it helps maintain the correct temperature. The largest one
is now about one inch long, the other two are only half that size. The smaller two
keep burying into the sand in the tank, left over from the last generation. I think
that's a good plan.
- 8 December
The water has turned very murky and green, perfect conditions for
Triops, but makes it a bit dull for viewing. We think there's at least two in there
somewhere (there was definitely three yesterday). The larger one seems to be getting
most of the food though and maybe having a midnight snack on the other Triops ? We
are putting a tank of pre-boiled water from the kettle on the side to get to room
temperature so that we can replace half of the water in the tank tomorrow. Maybe
we'll be able to do a full body count then.
- 13 December
The tank still has a bit of a green tint, but there's definitely
four of the little cuties swimming around in there. Last time I didn't think we
added enough sand for them to lay eggs, so I've added half of the packet of sand now just
to be sure.
- 15 December
Triops are fine, but the desklight has given out. I'll just
place them next to the Christmas tree lights instead.
- 24 December
They are changing form the orange-red colour they started life as to
a grey older looking (easier to hide in the sand)
- 3 January
There are still four Triops swimming around, they survived Christmas
and the New Year. While away form the office over Christmas they were pet-sat at a
home with cats, the cats enjoyed drinking the Triops water! Very brave cats.
Easily solved by placing the lids on the tanks.
- 10 January
The algae from our Sea-Monkeys tank may well have provided a great
food source for the Triops but it makes lousy viewing. The whole tank is green
again, this time we are going for a change of tank. We begin another tank full of
cooled boiled water.
- 11 January
Transfer time. The new tank is ready (with sand in the bottom
as well). The plan is to wait until they come to the surface and while they are busy
backstroking away scoop them up with a spoon.
The first one comes out fine (now called 'The Kraken'), a bit of wiggling around on the
spoon and plop! into the new tank. He drives into the sand, digs around a little
then settles into his new surroundings. We wait a few minutes to make sure he
doesn't suddenly croak it. The next Triop to be transferred gets injured by the
spoon! 'Sport Billy' swims shakily around his new tank, his tail now at a slight
angle. Within 30 seconds 'The Kraken' has pounced on him. 'Sport Billy' is no
match for 'The Kraken' he is flipped over on to his back and devoured alive! Whoops
:-( The other two Triops are transferred across safely. I think the morale of
the story is find some other way to transfer the Triops or better still DON'T TOUCH!
- 30 January
All was quiet in the Triop tank, 'The Kraken' swims around at the
top of the tank whilst Patsy and Liam walk, swim and dig at the bottom (generally keeping
out of The Karken's way. However....As I was having a good look at the tank today
trying to decide if there was anything to report for this diary, I noticed Liam lying on
his back in the sand obviously in distress. Next to him was Patsy, now I have a
witness for this so don't blame me for what I saw. Even though Liam was rather
defenceless Patsy was right next to him and wasn't trying to eat him (YUCK!) but it did
look rather like she was trying to bury him! Patsy was digging away making a large
hole in the sand in which Liam was slowly falling, while all the time The Kraken circled
above.
We have noticed that sometimes a Triops seems to have a problem with their tail, this
affects the way they can swim and they have increasing difficulty in spinning themselves
round when they land on their backs. Terry son of Terry (October - 31 December
1998) had this problem as well, but it got better. However he was the only Triops in
his tank, the future doesn't look so bright for Liam!
- 31 January
Liam has gone, consumed by The Kraken. Patsy continues her
digging in the sand (could she be laying eggs ?) This evening The Kraken was also
walking around the bottom of the tank, but we think this was because he was too full of
Liam to swim 8-)
- 4 February
The Kraken is very large now, he swims around
without a care in the world. But then he wouldn't have any cares, he isn't going to
get attacked by any other Triops as he has eaten them all! Patsy has gone to the
large smelly Triops Pond in the sky :-(
- 8 February
Doh! The Kraken floats at the top of the tank, dead.
Maybe something he ate disagreed with him.
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