You know...it is possible to look at a small container that can technically hold water...and not fall prey to the temptation to imprison something in there that just barely fits.
Three gallons of water will experience lightning-fast temperature swings and changes in water chemistry. The tiniest shred of uneaten food will quickly pollute the water; direct sunlight that happens to strike the tank for a short time will overheat it; a cold draft from a nearby door or window will overcool it. You can't filter it; you can't control temperature; and you can only light it very carefully to avoid heat.
Now, I'm not quite in the "not even a pond snail..." school of thought on this topic...but I'm close.
And on top of everything else, you grew weary of Neocaridina shrimp, so you need something that is rare, cool, nano-sized and actually available.
So...try this: you're a fisherman. There are innumerable absolutely fascinating aquatic insects, crustaceans, leeches, etc. that you likely see when you fish. Try keeping some of them. Most will die by the end of the summer anyways, so will
probably not outlast your interest in them...hopefully. With a magnifying glass and some patience, you will be able to observe some incredible stuff: the jointed extendible lower "jaw" of a dragonfly larva's mouth as it shoots out to grab a prey item; the unbridled ferocity of a Predaceous Diving Beetle larva (aptly called Water Tiger) as it hunts; backswimmers and water boatmen; Giant Water Bugs and snorkel-breathing Water Scorpions; fishing spiders; carnivorous water plants like the Bladderwort; the list is endless.
You could even just take the empty tank with you when you go, use it to photograph something cool that you happen to find, and then release it. Much easier than maintaining that micro-tank long term.
Warning: most people will not be impressed. But, guess what? That's their loss.
Three gallons of water will experience lightning-fast temperature swings and changes in water chemistry. The tiniest shred of uneaten food will quickly pollute the water; direct sunlight that happens to strike the tank for a short time will overheat it; a cold draft from a nearby door or window will overcool it. You can't filter it; you can't control temperature; and you can only light it very carefully to avoid heat.
Now, I'm not quite in the "not even a pond snail..." school of thought on this topic...but I'm close.
And on top of everything else, you grew weary of Neocaridina shrimp, so you need something that is rare, cool, nano-sized and actually available. So...try this: you're a fisherman. There are innumerable absolutely fascinating aquatic insects, crustaceans, leeches, etc. that you likely see when you fish. Try keeping some of them. Most will die by the end of the summer anyways, so will
probably not outlast your interest in them...hopefully. With a magnifying glass and some patience, you will be able to observe some incredible stuff: the jointed extendible lower "jaw" of a dragonfly larva's mouth as it shoots out to grab a prey item; the unbridled ferocity of a Predaceous Diving Beetle larva (aptly called Water Tiger) as it hunts; backswimmers and water boatmen; Giant Water Bugs and snorkel-breathing Water Scorpions; fishing spiders; carnivorous water plants like the Bladderwort; the list is endless.
You could even just take the empty tank with you when you go, use it to photograph something cool that you happen to find, and then release it. Much easier than maintaining that micro-tank long term.
Warning: most people will not be impressed. But, guess what? That's their loss.
