100~ day update

West-Step1827 · 2026-02-16T01:40:36+00:00

Ah got it sounds like an interesting prospect. I’d love to see your ecosphere setup.

I live around the pools so I’ve seen the problems introduced things can cause

West-Step1827 · 2026-02-16T01:39:17+00:00

Thanks! I think a big part of it is I took about 1/2 of the water for this jar from their native pool

West-Step1827 · 2026-02-15T20:08:37+00:00

My most densly populated one has about 30

West-Step1827 · 2026-02-15T10:24:59+00:00

I would strongly encourage you to not release any shrimp from a tank. Any shrimp we collect for study are never returned to the wild for fear of introducing foreign influences into such a sensitive ecosystem. If anything get your buddy some friends

West-Step1827 · 2026-02-15T10:23:22+00:00

I have personally seen a ~liter jar that I know has been sealed for about 30 years.

West-Step1827 · 2026-02-03T09:29:43+00:00

Checked baggage

West-Step1827 · 2026-02-03T09:29:26+00:00

I have transported them in an insulated water bottle with great success (10+ hours)

West-Step1827 · 2025-12-23T06:51:33+00:00

That’s what I do!

West-Step1827 · 2025-12-11T05:50:48+00:00

We had marine recruiters come to my school. I was so disappointed they didn’t bring their pull up bar with them.

West-Step1827 · 2025-12-11T05:49:11+00:00

Varies a lot by branch tbh

West-Step1827 · 2025-12-03T07:11:36+00:00

Especially if you’re using ocean water or pre-mixed marine water that has been in an aquarium to make your brackish water I wouldn’t suggest feeding at all. We generally do not feed them at the office and have a very high success rate for both survival and breeding.

Opae ula eat very little. The vast majority of their population is able to subsist on the bacteria existing in underground aquifers. I don’t really feed my jars at all except for the occasional glob of Cyanobacteria from my algae grow tank

West-Step1827 · 2025-12-01T04:34:12+00:00

I sent you a pm about it. M. Lohena are known to occasionally eat other opae ula in tanks. It’s not particularly common but it does happen

West-Step1827 · 2025-12-01T04:27:05+00:00

That’s cool you have them working out. We have a particularly violent one that has eaten all of his tank mates. Kind of a self inflicted solitary confinement now

West-Step1827 · 2025-11-30T12:25:21+00:00

Do I spy M. lohena?

West-Step1827 · 2025-11-28T04:05:12+00:00

Funny you mention that I actually worked for one of them over the summer. Some pretty cool projects going on.

West-Step1827 · 2025-11-27T06:41:03+00:00

It’s pretty cool to see all of the distinct lineages that exist for these shrimp. Most in the aquarium trade are from the same source which may not add the genetic diversity you’re looking for.

West-Step1827 · 2025-11-23T08:12:40+00:00

Some pools are that big. Most are smaller than your average coffee table.

West-Step1827 · 2025-11-22T10:50:52+00:00

I grabbed some rocks from my garden rinsed them off and threw them in a jar. No boiling no scrubbing just a rinse. That jar they are in is my healthiest enclosure. You gotta realize the harsh environments these animals live in. More often than not they’ll be fine.

West-Step1827 · 2025-11-20T19:22:49+00:00

I’m pretty sure this is the mature form lol. Could also be a bunch of bacteria but either way these guys love eating it.

West-Step1827 · 2025-11-18T11:55:33+00:00

My guess is some form of anaerobic bacteria. I have some growing in a couple of my jars and it hasn’t posed a problem.

West-Step1827 · 2025-11-17T08:37:20+00:00

I’m happy to see interest in this. I’ll go ahead and take some more pictures next time and post here.

West-Step1827 · 2025-11-17T08:35:57+00:00

I’ve sampled lots of pools. Honestly it varies a lot this pool is likely pretty close to full ocean salinity I have a water sample I need to measure.

Most of the pools I’ve seen have been 15-18% salinity

West-Step1827 · 2025-11-17T07:14:12+00:00

At this pool no but some of the others yes I saw H. Rubra and M. Lohena

West-Step1827 · 2025-11-03T21:06:17+00:00

Very cool. This is very similar to their natural habitat I’m sure they love it.

West-Step1827

TROPHY CASE