9 replies to this topic

[NotCousteau]

Hey All,

There are tons of these tiny, oval off-white/beige creatures swimming around in an old container pond. Do you know what they are?

I was hoping they'd be safe to feed to my fish. Sorry for the blurry picture.

Thanks!

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[CowBoYReX]

Seed shrimp, they are safe

[NotCousteau]

Seed shrimp, they are safe

Awesome! Thanks!

[gerald]

Yup, aka ostracods.  Safe, but not all fish can crush and eat them; shells are too hard for some fish.

[NotCousteau]

Yup, aka ostracods.  Safe, but not all fish can crush and eat them; shells are too hard for some fish.

Thanks! Good to know. I'll test out a few first.

[gzeiger]

If you can spare the space they are every bit as interesting as fish to keep.

[NotCousteau]

If you can spare the space they are every bit as interesting as fish to keep.

That's an interesting idea. Do they need aeration or filtration?

Could I keep them in a large, unfiltered, unareated vase I have that houses some spare plants?

[littlen]

I have a 10gal tank with several breeding Red-spotted newts.  Those little things (now I know are called Seed shrimp) are everywhere in the tank.  There is nothing more than the newts, pea gravel, and coontail in the tank which is only 1/2 full of water.  

[gzeiger]

Filtration is probably a negative since they are detritus feeders. Whether you need aeration depends on the surface to volume ratio and amount of decaying organics (ie whether they actually need air). A vase will probably work.

 

These are vernal pool organisms, and like Daphnia they will respond to an increase in dissolved solids in their water by laying resting eggs and then dying (this is their environmental cue that their pool is drying up).

[NotCousteau]

Thanks for the input, all!