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 Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:04:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Tim Eisele http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-363 Tim Eisele Sat, 30 Aug 2008 09:00:21 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-363 Boiled lettuce sounds close enough to what the commenter above was using, that it should work. Since tadpoles are detrivores too, I would expect than anything that worked for raising tadpoles should be fine for raising scuds too, but I haven't tried it myself. Please let us know how it comes out! Boiled lettuce sounds close enough to what the commenter above was using, that it should work. Since tadpoles are detrivores too, I would expect than anything that worked for raising tadpoles should be fine for raising scuds too, but I haven’t tried it myself. Please let us know how it comes out!

]]> By: Roland http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-362 Roland Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:42:05 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-362 Finding alot of interesting information. I would like to culture scuds for the science class. Have access to lots in the lake behing the school.Could I feed them boiled lettuce because this is what I feed some tadpoles and worked well. They eat alot of lettuce. Would appreciate some information. Thank alot. Roland Finding alot of interesting information. I would like to culture scuds for the science class. Have access to lots in the lake behing the school.Could I feed them boiled lettuce because this is what I feed some tadpoles and worked well. They eat alot of lettuce. Would appreciate some information. Thank alot.

Roland

]]> By: tim http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-216 tim Thu, 05 Jun 2008 01:58:34 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-216 I spent most of my childhood studying my backyard arthropods (grasshoppers in elem school, then spiders in high school). I wish I had documented everything I found, but alas, I didn't. I love the pics and commentary. Back on topic, whenever I siphon off the water from my aquarium, I just let it sit in its bucket for about 10 minutes. I pour out the mostly clear stuff on top, and the detritus on bottom (fish and snail poop, decaying plants) goes into various containers I have around the house which house the gammarus shrimp. Most of them are clear plastic containers to make easier collection/observation, but also to give some photosynthesis to whatever algae are in the water (backup food for the shrimp). I also have float duckweed (skimmed off from my aquariums) in these containers as an additional source of backup food. Using this method, I've never had to actually feed the shrimp. They are all indoors, but next to a west facing window. The only time I experienced a die-off was when I put some in a used plastic water bottle, but capped it for a few days. The lack of oxygen sufficated them all. But generally, they're relatively hardy creatures, tolerating even a hot summer afternoon sun. I spent most of my childhood studying my backyard arthropods (grasshoppers in elem school, then spiders in high school). I wish I had documented everything I found, but alas, I didn’t. I love the pics and commentary.

Back on topic, whenever I siphon off the water from my aquarium, I just let it sit in its bucket for about 10 minutes. I pour out the mostly clear stuff on top, and the detritus on bottom (fish and snail poop, decaying plants) goes into various containers I have around the house which house the gammarus shrimp. Most of them are clear plastic containers to make easier collection/observation, but also to give some photosynthesis to whatever algae are in the water (backup food for the shrimp). I also have float duckweed (skimmed off from my aquariums) in these containers as an additional source of backup food. Using this method, I’ve never had to actually feed the shrimp. They are all indoors, but next to a west facing window. The only time I experienced a die-off was when I put some in a used plastic water bottle, but capped it for a few days. The lack of oxygen sufficated them all. But generally, they’re relatively hardy creatures, tolerating even a hot summer afternoon sun.

]]> By: Tim Eisele http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-215 Tim Eisele Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:07:18 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-215 Well, 1 cm isn't half bad, it's certainly a good start. Maybe in 20 years or so they'll hit eating size. Do you have any cultivation tips? Well, 1 cm isn’t half bad, it’s certainly a good start. Maybe in 20 years or so they’ll hit eating size. Do you have any cultivation tips?

]]> By: tim http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-212 tim Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:35:39 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-212 At this moment, I have about 100 shrimp swimming in front of me. I've been raising them as acquarium fish food. I'd caution "garden" against feeding them directly to fish, as they may be a carrier of parasites/disease. It's best to culture them for a couple months so the parasites (the ones that depend on multiple hosts) die off. I'm trying to selectively breed some to a large size (the largest are nearly a cm), but I'm doubtful if I'd ever get enough to make even a decent shrimp omlette. At this moment, I have about 100 shrimp swimming in front of me. I’ve been raising them as acquarium fish food. I’d caution “garden” against feeding them directly to fish, as they may be a carrier of parasites/disease. It’s best to culture them for a couple months so the parasites (the ones that depend on multiple hosts) die off. I’m trying to selectively breed some to a large size (the largest are nearly a cm), but I’m doubtful if I’d ever get enough to make even a decent shrimp omlette.

]]> By: garden http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-166 garden Sat, 26 Apr 2008 22:15:27 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-166 I've ordered freshwater shrimp through the mail (priority mail) several times. They usually come double-bagged in fish bags. Duct taped double-bagged ziplock bags work too. There's usually an aquatic plant or something in the bag that they can cling on to. Actually, now that I think about it, I had always ordered shrimp when the weather was a bit cooler. It'll be in the 80s here this week. I don't think I want to subject the little guys to an unnecessary death. I guess I'll keep searching streams and lakes. Thank you though. I also forgot to mention earlier that I really love the site. I’ve ordered freshwater shrimp through the mail (priority mail) several times. They usually come double-bagged in fish bags. Duct taped double-bagged ziplock bags work too. There’s usually an aquatic plant or something in the bag that they can cling on to.

Actually, now that I think about it, I had always ordered shrimp when the weather was a bit cooler. It’ll be in the 80s here this week. I don’t think I want to subject the little guys to an unnecessary death. I guess I’ll keep searching streams and lakes. Thank you though.

I also forgot to mention earlier that I really love the site.

]]> By: Tim Eisele http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-165 Tim Eisele Sat, 26 Apr 2008 17:47:50 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-165 Well, I suppose I could try shipping some to you, but I have no idea how well it would work. I've never tried mailing live specimens, would they have reasonable odds of surviving if I just put maybe a dozen of them in a closed plastic jar with lots of water, and shipped them regular mail? It's kind of a long way from here to SC, do you think they'd survive for 4-5 days in the mail? Well, I suppose I could try shipping some to you, but I have no idea how well it would work. I’ve never tried mailing live specimens, would they have reasonable odds of surviving if I just put maybe a dozen of them in a closed plastic jar with lots of water, and shipped them regular mail? It’s kind of a long way from here to SC, do you think they’d survive for 4-5 days in the mail?

]]> By: garden http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-164 garden Sat, 26 Apr 2008 14:51:41 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-164 Would you be willing to ship some of these to me? I've searched in many creeks and ponds near my house, (SC) and haven't been able to find any. Many years ago, I had a culture of them that I would raise and feed to my aquarium fish. Would you be willing to ship some of these to me? I’ve searched in many creeks and ponds near my house, (SC) and haven’t been able to find any. Many years ago, I had a culture of them that I would raise and feed to my aquarium fish.

]]> By: K T Cat http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-156 K T Cat Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:53:08 +0000 http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com/2008/04/12/freshwater-amphipod-gammarus/#comment-156 What a great blog. I learn things every time I stop by. Thanks for sharing this with us. What a great blog. I learn things every time I stop by. Thanks for sharing this with us.

]]>