Triops?

[Hellbore]

Anyone had any success with housing Triops in a freshwater aquarium? Can it be done, or do they need too specialized an environment?

Here's a link if you haven't heard of them:
http://www.triops.com/

I ask because recently someone gave me a Triops kit as a gift, and I plan to grow some, I just wondered if they were compatible with a freshwater aquarium.

Anyway dealt with these strange creatures before?

 

[Einmyria Lucas]

Yes, I used to "breed" them, and I sold their eggs. Yes you can have them in a aquarium, BUT they eat plants and may attack other inhabitants. I've kept my Triops in a 3g Kritter Keeper with a betta and some ghost shrimp. Well the betta was fine, and to my surprise she also didn't attack the Triops (she is very aggressive). But the Triops killed the ghost shrimp and happily munch on them. They also happily munch on any dead or dying inhabitants. They might eat other Triops, mine have.

The best substrate is sand, they love I mean LOVE to dig in the sand. Plus, most if not all your Triops will end up are Hermies so you'll get eggs as soon as they mature. They loove to lay their eggs in the sand.

If you want plants, pick cheap one like Elodea/Anarcharis. They need a heater and a sponge filter. Some wood or cave like decor is nice. A bigger aqaurium may decrease the amount of cannibalism, and allow you to have a few more Triops in the tank. They eat anything, they enjoy dead or dying inhabitants, bloodworms, fish food... just becareful of the copper.

 

[Piranha86]

Yeah, anything above 2.5-3 gallons is great for them, I like to have washed playsand as the substrate. I've heard of people keeping briggs snails in with them. I kept them a few years ago, and am kind of planning on getting back into them.