Triops Articles

Comprehensive guides and information on caring for your Triops

Introduction

What are Triops?

Triops, sometimes called tadpole, dinosaur or shield shrimp, are a small group of crustaceans that are in the Branchiopoda group that are found in temporary bodies of fresh or brackish water. Sometimes they are sold in 'Sea-Monkey' like kits in toy shops, they are often billed as living fossils.

The Appeal of Triops

The Appeal of Triops - Or why would you want to keep them as pets?

Care & Maintenance

Quick Hatching Guide

Take the water and pour a little into the tank leaving an air gap in the bottle. Re-seal the bottle and violently shake the bottle for at least five minutes. This ensures there is oxygen dissolved in the water...

How to raise Triops

This document was largely put together from extrapolating information in scientific journals regarding triops biology and rearing them in laboratory settings. Other parts are taken from my own experiences or those of other triops owners.

Food recipes

Once you've got your Triops hatched you will want to feed your Triops and this is where the fun comes in.

Eggs & Detritus

This is a brief outline of my particular methods for isolating eggs and preparing them for hatching. It has worked reliably for several generations and will presumably continue to work for many, many more.

Container types

Suitable containers for keeping Triops. If you use a container made out of plastic then you should realise that some plastics are not suitable as they will leak toxic chemicals into the water over time.

My Method

Chip Hannum's detailed guide on isolating Triops eggs and preparing homemade detritus for optimal hatching success.

Companions to Triops

At MyTriops we're often asked what makes for a good companion for a Triops in their tank. This is indeed an interesting and challenging question as any other aquatic creatures must be suitable for living in a small freshwater tank within certain temperatures and water conditions.

Biology & Science

Eggs and Babies

A Recipe for Hundreds of Millions of Years of Success. Take some eggs, fresh water, sunlight and let them simmer for just 48hours at 22°C...

Species Overview

Just how many species of triops there are is a good question, and one that in spite of researching several papers on them I certainly don't feel confident to answer with any authority. There are a number of problems involved with a definitive list of who's who in the triops world.

Anatomy of Triops

A brief overview of the Triops' anatomy aided with sketches.

Species Descriptions

Below are tables describing briefly what I know about the 15 major species. Do not take my range descriptions as gospel; no mention does not mean a species is not present somewhere and a mention is hardly a guarantee.