Now, before the Triops eggs arrive, I felt like it was good to go over the other materials one would need to perform this experiment themselves well ahead of time.
Here is a list:
1. Three 10 gallon aquariums (approximately 38 liter tanks for those using the metric system). Label 1 CONTROL, 1 EXPERIMENTAL, and leave the 3rd aside as a place for the Triops you "weed out" to live out the rest of their days instead of killing them. Technically, the third tank is optional, but I would rather Triops not be put in the garbage because they didn't have the "right traits" to survive in the experimental environment.
2. Tropical fish beta pellets and/or algae wafers. Triops are bottom feeders that will eat just about anything, but it is easiest to feed them something that can be given in small increments when they are small. The easiest way to kill Triops is overfeeding.
3. Triops eggs. I am using the species Triops cancriformis, but other people that wish to perform the experiment don't need to restrict themselves to that species. I had to order the eggs from another country in order to get mine. If you order a Triops kit, it is almost guaranteed that the eggs you will get are from the species Triops longicaudatus, which does require slightly warmer temperatures than the species I am taking care of.
4. Mud from a clean, freshwater pond or mature aquarium water from a freshwater tank. This is to ensure that the microbial biome of the tanks is healthy for the Triops. While this isn't absolutely necessary, this will reduce the risk of any Triops dying from bacterial infections. You only need a small amount in order to make gallons of water become an imitation pond. I have a sandwich bag half full of pond mud, and that's enough to last me for a few years. Make sure to leave the container open so that not only anaerobic bacteria survive.
5. Aquarium safe sand, and enough of it to cover the bottom of each tank as a layer 1.5 inches tall (4 centimeters).
6. Some calcium carbonate powder or a few limestone pebbles. This is for when the Triops are very young, as a small amount helps their shells develop well. If your water has a pH below 6, use baking soda to increase the pH to between 7-9, which is the ideal range for Triops. If you don't know the pH of your water, no worries, since pet stores often test aquarium water for free if you bring them a sample. Use distilled or rainwater for your Triops, since some chemicals common in tap water can be harmful to them.
7. A light source that can shine down on the tank for 8 hours a day. You could just put the tanks near a lamp, if you want, or buy an aquarium light. Just don't try putting a tank by a window for it to get natural light, as this will cook your Triops.
8. A thermometer for the tank. It is best for the most common species that the tank temperature not get below 70 degrees F (21 degrees C).
And there you have it, the absolute bare minimum you will need to perform this experiment. However, I am not just doing the bare minimum, I am adding some other things to help with the comfort of the animals and make managing them a bit easier. Here are some optional things I am adding.
1. Marimo balls, a couple per tank. While only Triops native to Japan have any chance of interacting with these in the wild, it seems that all species of Triops like these balls of moss. The Triops even passively defend them by consuming diseased bits.
2. Some hatching bins. While I could just drain the tanks after all the adults die of natural causes, and allow the eggs to dry out over the course of 6 weeks, and then refill the tanks partially to stimulate the eggs to hatch, this wastes a lot of time. So instead, I am going to collect some of the eggs directly, put them in a warm, dry place to dry quickly, and have them hatch and start to grow in hatching bins while the adults of the previous generation remain in the tanks. I actually have enough spare bins that, if need be, I can have 3-4 generations alive at once.
3. Some water filters. I'm actually deliberating on adding these myself, since they aren't necessary. However, they do keep the tanks cleaner and introduce some extra oxygen into the tanks by churning the water, so it is worth mentioning that it is beneficial to have them.
4. 50 watt tank heaters. Now, these I definitely will not be using, since the species I am raising can survive temperatures lower than the water will be getting. However, for people raising a different species, the tank heater calculation is 5 watts per gallon of water, thus for 10 gallon tanks filled up, you'd need 50 watt tank heaters. Also, under no circumstances should you let the tank heater be turned on without it being under water. They will explode.
And that's it. Seems like a lot, but it's actually pretty minimal for animals in an aquarium. Which, sadly, does mean your first pet fish probably died due to improper care and not because they have naturally short lifespans... or ick. Lots of fish from pet stores have ick.
