Comments on: Freshwater Amphipod – Gammarus http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/ A Field Guide to the North Side of Old Mill Hill, Atlantic Mine, MI Thu, 17 May 2012 13:43:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Teanna http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/comment-page-1/#comment-10666 Teanna Sun, 13 May 2012 15:20:27 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-10666 Great site! I tripped over it through googling "amphipod". I do some informal pond programs at a local farm and have been trying to id the wriggly things we scoop up in nets. While my cousin is a PhD bearing entomologist, i am a serious amateur naturalist with a kayak and a digital camera (not bad tools for exploring Planet Water). Some pics here: http://www.swordwhale.com/planet-pond.html Found some amphipods attached in pairs... hmmmm, perhaps like crab "doublers" (mating). Great site! I tripped over it through googling “amphipod”. I do some informal pond programs at a local farm and have been trying to id the wriggly things we scoop up in nets. While my cousin is a PhD bearing entomologist, i am a serious amateur naturalist with a kayak and a digital camera (not bad tools for exploring Planet Water). Some pics here: http://www.swordwhale.com/planet-pond.html

Found some amphipods attached in pairs… hmmmm, perhaps like crab “doublers” (mating).

]]> By: kelly http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/comment-page-1/#comment-8559 kelly Sun, 13 Nov 2011 02:24:52 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-8559 Me again; mayhaps I goofed; ran across a UK paper ("The Trophic Ecology of Freshwater Gammarus spp. (Crustacea:Amphipoda): Problems and Perspectives Concerning the Functional Feeding Group Concept") saying Gams can be predatory/carnivorous -said mostly cannibalistic, but may prey on wounded fish or fry. On the other hand, my invert bible (R Pennak's "Freshwater Invertebrates of the United States") sez "Only rarely do they attack & feed on living animals, but freshly killed animals are consumed readily." i.e. back to detritivores. Maybe British Gams are just meaner? ;-). Pennak also says they serve as intermediate hosts for "a wide variety of parasites" of fishes, amphibians, etc. btw, they are tough little buggers: newly arrived Gams from CaroBio do just fine if you flip their open plastic jar off the countertop & scatter them hell-to-breakfast across the kitchen floor, then spend fifteen minutes carefully picking up each one & putting it back into water. However, I don't recommend it; it ranks very low on the Fun Pastime scale. Copper may not be the problem I was having; all the Gams died in at least one planted tank & I treated it with a chelating agent before adding them. Doing ok so far in the small (5g) planted tank & the bare plastic 'shoebox' I set up just for them... with the same water source & same chelating agent. Argh. Me again; mayhaps I goofed; ran across a UK paper (“The Trophic Ecology of Freshwater Gammarus spp. (Crustacea:Amphipoda): Problems and Perspectives Concerning the Functional Feeding Group Concept”) saying Gams can be predatory/carnivorous -said mostly cannibalistic, but may prey on wounded fish or fry.

On the other hand, my invert bible (R Pennak’s “Freshwater Invertebrates of the United States”) sez “Only rarely do they attack & feed on living animals, but freshly killed animals are consumed readily.” i.e. back to detritivores. Maybe British Gams are just meaner? ;-) . Pennak also says they serve as intermediate hosts for “a wide variety of parasites” of fishes, amphibians, etc.

btw, they are tough little buggers: newly arrived Gams from CaroBio do just fine if you flip their open plastic jar off the countertop & scatter them hell-to-breakfast across the kitchen floor, then spend fifteen minutes carefully picking up each one & putting it back into water. However, I don’t recommend it; it ranks very low on the Fun Pastime scale.

Copper may not be the problem I was having; all the Gams died in at least one planted tank & I treated it with a chelating agent before adding them. Doing ok so far in the small (5g) planted tank & the bare plastic ‘shoebox’ I set up just for them… with the same water source & same chelating agent. Argh.

]]> By: kelly http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/comment-page-1/#comment-8541 kelly Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:55:07 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-8541 Ted, thanks for adding the CB site addy, oversight on my part. I just ordered some more gammarus from them, having lost all my cultures from a recent cross country move. It occurred to me to add that some might have trouble culturing them if they have copper in their water...I've found the hard way that the water in the house where I now live (Durham, NC) has enough that all my fw shrimp (crystal reds, cherries, tigers) have croaked within 24 hours of arrival....this despite a big carbon/particulate filter system in the fish room (& I use Amquel too, as we have chloramines). I fear the scuds may be sensitive to it also, so before I get my gams I'm gonna get a chelating agent such as Novaqua Plus (it claims to chelate metals). anybody got any other recommendations for copper removal? I know Polyfilter does a good job but i'm planning on putting the gams in least 5 different tanks, most 55+ gallons, so it'd get mighty $$$$$! Ted, thanks for adding the CB site addy, oversight on my part. I just ordered some more gammarus from them, having lost all my cultures from a recent cross country move. It occurred to me to add that some might have trouble culturing them if they have copper in their water…I’ve found the hard way that the water in the house where I now live (Durham, NC) has enough that all my fw shrimp (crystal reds, cherries, tigers) have croaked within 24 hours of arrival….this despite a big carbon/particulate filter system in the fish room (& I use Amquel too, as we have chloramines). I fear the scuds may be sensitive to it also, so before I get my gams I’m gonna get a chelating agent such as Novaqua Plus (it claims to chelate metals). anybody got any other recommendations for copper removal? I know Polyfilter does a good job but i’m planning on putting the gams in least 5 different tanks, most 55+ gallons, so it’d get mighty $$$$$!

]]> By: Tim Eisele http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/comment-page-1/#comment-8536 Tim Eisele Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:18:31 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-8536 Thanks, Kelly! It might be time for me to get new pictures and update this page, including all the new information people have given in the comments. Also, I see that BugGuide has changed their policy; they still don't have marine crustaceans, but they have decided to include freshwater crustaceans, including <a href="http://bugguide.net/node/view/284369" rel="nofollow">Gammarids</a>. Oh, and Carolina Biological's website is here: http://www.carolina.com/home.do Thanks, Kelly!

It might be time for me to get new pictures and update this page, including all the new information people have given in the comments. Also, I see that BugGuide has changed their policy; they still don’t have marine crustaceans, but they have decided to include freshwater crustaceans, including Gammarids.

Oh, and Carolina Biological’s website is here:

http://www.carolina.com/home.do

]]> By: kelly http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/comment-page-1/#comment-8525 kelly Tue, 08 Nov 2011 21:49:12 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-8525 great article & pix!! I used to have a tropical fish store (& have been creek-sloggin' my whole life), so am real familiar with gammarus. In the store, they would often turn up with live plants. Don't often see plants in African cichlid tanks, but they can also hang up on nets, rocks, etc, particularly the little ones. btw, in addition to being good food for larger fish, they make great scavengers for fry tanks; they'll scrounge any excess non-live food without snacking on your baby fish. I've used the fry/gammarus combo as a 'grow out' tank for both fish & continuing gammarus culturing. i'm with Tim re; possibility of parasites, tho the ones that came with the aquarium plants in the store never appeared to cause problems to the fish I fed 'em to, & heaven knows aq plant suppliers don't grow their plants in sterile conditions! You can buy live 'starter' cultures at both Niles Biological & Carolina Biological. I've always had good results w/CB; have never ordered from Niles, so dunno about them other than they seem to have a very foggy grip on shipping charges. happy scudding! great article & pix!!
I used to have a tropical fish store (& have been creek-sloggin’ my whole life), so am real familiar with gammarus.
In the store, they would often turn up with live plants. Don’t often see plants in African cichlid tanks, but they can also hang up on nets, rocks, etc, particularly the little ones. btw, in addition to being good food for larger fish, they make great scavengers for fry tanks; they’ll scrounge any excess non-live food without snacking on your baby fish. I’ve used the fry/gammarus combo as a ‘grow out’ tank for both fish & continuing gammarus culturing.
i’m with Tim re; possibility of parasites, tho the ones that came with the aquarium plants in the store never appeared to cause problems to the fish I fed ‘em to, & heaven knows aq plant suppliers don’t grow their plants in sterile conditions!
You can buy live ‘starter’ cultures at both Niles Biological & Carolina Biological. I’ve always had good results w/CB; have never ordered from Niles, so dunno about them other than they seem to have a very foggy grip on shipping charges.
happy scudding!

]]> By: Tim Eisele http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/comment-page-1/#comment-4274 Tim Eisele Thu, 17 Feb 2011 12:59:12 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-4274 I've heard of these turning up in odd places, like pet water bowls, and I really have no idea how they do it. Well, at any rate, I'm sure your fish will like them. I’ve heard of these turning up in odd places, like pet water bowls, and I really have no idea how they do it. Well, at any rate, I’m sure your fish will like them.

]]> By: Sarah http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/comment-page-1/#comment-4271 Sarah Thu, 17 Feb 2011 01:47:13 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-4271 I found these little buggers in my African Cichlid tank and I didnt put them there........ :) I found these little buggers in my African Cichlid tank and I didnt put them there…….. :)

]]> By: Tim Eisele http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/comment-page-1/#comment-2978 Tim Eisele Sun, 13 Jun 2010 09:42:19 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-2978 Katana: That sounds like an interesting aquarium to watch. I always liked the way that leeches walk along by grabbing onto things with their suckers and flipping end over end. Feeding them might be an issue, though . . . Katana: That sounds like an interesting aquarium to watch. I always liked the way that leeches walk along by grabbing onto things with their suckers and flipping end over end. Feeding them might be an issue, though . . .

]]> By: katana http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/comment-page-1/#comment-2972 katana Sat, 12 Jun 2010 16:55:08 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-2972 hi i am 11 and i live in edmonton and i have a pond behind my house and i have like 30 of those things she just swim in circles and i also put leeches in there too and they clen my tank for me and the leeches dont bother the shrimp thingy hi i am 11 and i live in edmonton and i have a pond behind my house and i have like 30 of those things she just swim in circles and i also put leeches in there too and they clen my tank for me and the leeches dont bother the shrimp thingy

]]> By: Tim Eisele http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/comment-page-1/#comment-2684 Tim Eisele Sun, 18 Apr 2010 10:58:26 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-2684 Before trying to buy some, if possible I'd suggest finding a small stream in your neighborhood (preferably one too small for fish to live in), and turn over some rocks to see if you can find some underneath. That way, any Gammarus that you stock in the pond will already be adapted to your particular climate. If you have no such streams in your area, I did turn up at least one place where you can buy live gammarus in something resembling bulk (although, I'd like to note that I've never had any dealings with these people, so I have no idea how good they are): http://www.buylivefishfood.com/buy_live_scud_cultures.html They do like to have rocks and other structure to hide under, so if your pond doesn't have such structure already, you might want to add some. Otherwise, I'm afraid your trout and bass will devour them instantly before they can establish a long-term population. Before trying to buy some, if possible I’d suggest finding a small stream in your neighborhood (preferably one too small for fish to live in), and turn over some rocks to see if you can find some underneath. That way, any Gammarus that you stock in the pond will already be adapted to your particular climate.

If you have no such streams in your area, I did turn up at least one place where you can buy live gammarus in something resembling bulk (although, I’d like to note that I’ve never had any dealings with these people, so I have no idea how good they are):

http://www.buylivefishfood.com/buy_live_scud_cultures.html

They do like to have rocks and other structure to hide under, so if your pond doesn’t have such structure already, you might want to add some. Otherwise, I’m afraid your trout and bass will devour them instantly before they can establish a long-term population.

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