Triops...anyone keep them?

[Destroyer551]

Hey all, I was just wondering if anyone here has kept/heard of Triops.
I find the little guys amusing. All you need is to buy a kit and grow a two week old female and it'll lay eggs till it dies.
By then, you'd have a few hundred eggs. Dry them out, mix them with sand, and store them in the dark.
Walla, enough Triops eggs for several years. Here's a pic of Triops longicaudatus, USA's most common species.

 

[Destroyer551]

Thought I'd include a pic of one of the largest Triops species. Triops numidicus. The one above only maxes out at around 2-3 inches.

 

[Toxic Fish 9999]

that is crazy is they stayed small i would get one but they look like horse shoes

 

[Destroyer551]

Nah, they stay small. That large species is pretty rare, no one really keeps those. Triops longicaudatus, the one included in the first pic. Rarely exceeds 2 inches. Not to mention they usually live 2-6 weeks. Not long at all. Often sold as "aquasaurs" or "living fossils" at toy stores. The more larger, colorful species, are harder to raise to adulthood. And only available through private sellers. (you can get the other species on aquabid or ebay). Once they reach 1 inch, they lay about 20-30 eggs a day.

 

[Gearhead]

I never could get those things to hatch, I waited 3 weeks and nothing.

 

[poly-nomial]

Nice

 

[spotfin]

I received one of those kits as a gift a few years ago, but never set it up. How long are the eggs viable? Would it be worth it to try hatching them now?

 

[Destroyer551]

Eggs are viable for up to 9 years on average. Sometimes more. I usually get bored of mine, store the eggs away for a few years. And set them back up. You get a better hatch rate the longer your wait, just don't wait too long.

 

[Noddy]

Friends of mine had them,but i never saw the big ones.

 

[rclark12]

the big ones are australian or T. cancriformes ... triops are awesome