Thanks for getting back to me. I was worried that you didn't have any since it didn't seem like you had much activity on your page.
I look forward to getting some from you.
I look forward to getting some from you.
Where to buy Hyalella azteca?
- Thread starter Smertrios
- Start date
3-4 weeks ago I found a bladderwort looking plant growing throughout my javamoss. After seperating about half my moss from the bladderwort I gave the other half to my scuds.
Upto now the only thing I have been feeding them is purina sinking catfish food. Since adding the moss I'm noticing alot of young scuds on the glass of the tank. I think the key is surface area and the fact the moss has a place for each scud to be eating. The pellets just dont have enough room for this many scuds to be eating at the same time at least not without fouling the water.
FYI: I took out the sponge filter!
Upto now the only thing I have been feeding them is purina sinking catfish food. Since adding the moss I'm noticing alot of young scuds on the glass of the tank. I think the key is surface area and the fact the moss has a place for each scud to be eating. The pellets just dont have enough room for this many scuds to be eating at the same time at least not without fouling the water.
FYI: I took out the sponge filter!
Read some interesting information while searching for life cycle info of this species of scud. I was mostly interested in knowing just how prolific these can be if given the right conditions.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2802678 <- next text block taken from here
Survival, growth, and reproduction of Hyalella azteca were determined under various test conditions. Reproduction by a cohort begins when the amphipods are 5 to 6 weeks old, peaks at 8 to 12 weeks, and then declines due to continuing adult mortality. Full life-cycle tests can be completed in 12 to 14 weeks at 25 degrees C. Reproduction is poor when only artificial plastic substrate is provided. A substrate of cotton gauze results in dramatic improvements in both reproduction and growth. Better reproduction can be obtained by culturing the amphipods in some sediments, but this makes weekly enumeration difficult. Increased mortality during chronic exposure to cadmium was observed at 1 microgram/L for H. azteca and 3.2 micrograms/L for Gammarus fasciatus. Reproduction during longer exposure was not reduced at concentrations lower than those causing increased mortality within six weeks. Chronic toxicity of pentachlorophenol was observed at 100 micrograms/L for both species. Chronic toxicity to Daphnia magna was similar to that of the amphipods for cadmium, but lower for pentachlorophenol. Amphipods are at least as sensitive as Daphnia to a variety of toxicants during chronic exposure.
Many other "scuds" species only produce one brood and can take 6 months to a year to mature or so I've read.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2802678 <- next text block taken from here
Survival, growth, and reproduction of Hyalella azteca were determined under various test conditions. Reproduction by a cohort begins when the amphipods are 5 to 6 weeks old, peaks at 8 to 12 weeks, and then declines due to continuing adult mortality. Full life-cycle tests can be completed in 12 to 14 weeks at 25 degrees C. Reproduction is poor when only artificial plastic substrate is provided. A substrate of cotton gauze results in dramatic improvements in both reproduction and growth. Better reproduction can be obtained by culturing the amphipods in some sediments, but this makes weekly enumeration difficult. Increased mortality during chronic exposure to cadmium was observed at 1 microgram/L for H. azteca and 3.2 micrograms/L for Gammarus fasciatus. Reproduction during longer exposure was not reduced at concentrations lower than those causing increased mortality within six weeks. Chronic toxicity of pentachlorophenol was observed at 100 micrograms/L for both species. Chronic toxicity to Daphnia magna was similar to that of the amphipods for cadmium, but lower for pentachlorophenol. Amphipods are at least as sensitive as Daphnia to a variety of toxicants during chronic exposure.
Many other "scuds" species only produce one brood and can take 6 months to a year to mature or so I've read.
Hey thanks again for the culture. Its doing great right now. I just received it yesterday.
As to your pubmed article, there seems to be a lot of scientific papers about them. I wish I was still in college so I could use my JSTOR account to read them.
I just hope they are hardy. I plan to use NYC tap water after I get a bunch going. I have pretty much 0kH and 0gH and ph is in the lower 6.
As to your pubmed article, there seems to be a lot of scientific papers about them. I wish I was still in college so I could use my JSTOR account to read them.
I just hope they are hardy. I plan to use NYC tap water after I get a bunch going. I have pretty much 0kH and 0gH and ph is in the lower 6.
I would test a few scuds in tap water first unless your using a dechlorinator! I use sodium thiosulfate (aka dechlor) I bought from a user on another forum in crystal form and have not had a problem. The water here stinks of chlorine and I wouldn't expect any scuds to live in it for long.
I'm pretty lucky in NYC. There isn't that much chlorine in the water at all. In fact, I can add tap water directly to my daphnia culture and they survive. I'm more worried about the low pH. My tanks are around 6.1-6.4.
BTW have you noticed if your scuds eat worms? Like tubifex, blackworms, or deroworms? I'm scared to add them to my tubifex culture and not sure if I could put deroworms in the same tank as these little guys.
Also I noticed you went from a bare bottom tank to adding substrate. Do you think it makes a difference?
BTW have you noticed if your scuds eat worms? Like tubifex, blackworms, or deroworms? I'm scared to add them to my tubifex culture and not sure if I could put deroworms in the same tank as these little guys.
Also I noticed you went from a bare bottom tank to adding substrate. Do you think it makes a difference?
