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Billabong Bugs® is an educational triops kit that contains the large prehistoric brachiopod called Triops australiensis. Billabong Bugs kits are unique in that they contain the eggs of Triops australiensis an Australian native species. All other kits contain either the eggs of the North American species T longicaudatus or the European species T cancriformis. In some parts of Australia the word 'Billabong Bugs' is a 'colloquialism' used to refer to creatures that seemingly appear in puddles overnight after heavy rains. In other parts they are referred to as 'Shield Shrimp' or 'toe bitters' although it is important to note that Triops do not bite.
Steps
Part 2
Part 2 of 2:
Setting up the Billabongs Bug kit
Make sure that your chosen container is clean and capable of holding three litres of water.
Please make sure that it is free from any soap residue. Soap or other cleaning products can be harmful to Triops.
Open the sachet labelled Magic BugDust™ and empty the entire contents into the aquarium.
Fill your tank with 3 liters (0.8 US gal) of 'demineralised'(some times referred to as deionized) water. Triops are very fussy about the type of water they live in. Never use tap water, not even from a rain-water tank. Tap water contains substances that can be poisonous to Triops. This is also why you should only use demineralized water which is available from most major supermarkets (Used for ironing and topping up car batteries).
Demineralized water and distilled water are produced using different methods. There is a higher failure rate with distilled water followed by tap water and then tank water. Some reasons include not enough mineral content and bacteria that although usually harmless to humans can harm baby Triops.
Open the sachet labelled Bugditioner and add one level scoop of the bugditioner in the water(scoop is provided with the kit).
Attach the thermometer to your container. Peel the backing strip from your thermometer and fasten to the outside of your container. Make sure that you place the thermometer below the water level so that it can give an accurate reading of the water temperature and not the air temperature above it. Place your container close to the light source so that the water’s surface is around 10 centimeter (3.9 in) from the light bulb. Keep an eye on the temperature for the next few hours. If the temperature becomes higher than 29ºC, move the light a little further away. However, if the temperature is still below 22ºC after a few hours, move the light closer to the water’s surface. If that does not help, try placing the tank in a cooler or warmer part of the house. It is important to maintain the temperature because Triops australiensis may not hatch out or could perish outside of these recommended temperatures(See below for more information on Temperature & Lighting.
Leave your container under the lamp for at least 12 – 24 hours before disturbing again. During this time make sure your container is in a place that can’t get knocked over. The lamp must remain on at all times for the temperature to remain constant.
Feeding - Triops grow incredibly fast, so the amount of food fed to them will vary over the first few days. After your baby triops have hatched DO NOT FEED them for the first 3 days. A specially micronized “Baby” food is premixed in with the Magic BugDust™. Adding extra food to the tank at this time will only encourage harmful bacteria that could multiply rapidly and consume all the oxygen in the water, killing your baby Triops.
On the morning of day three, feed one pellet of food by holding the pellet under the water and rolling it between thumb and forefinger until it has dissolved into a fine smokey cloud. Remember, soap and chemicals are poisonous to Triops so make sure your hands are clean and free of soapy residues, cosmetics, hand creams, hair products, perfumes, dirt, grease etc when feeding your Bugs.
On day four dissolve one pellet of food as per day three.
On day five dissolve one pellet of food in the morning and one in the evening.
On day six repeat as per day five.
On day seven count the remaining number of Triops australiensis hatch-lings that are in the tank and place a food pellet in for each one. From now on you no longer need to dissolve the pellets as the Triops will be strong enough to find them and eat them whole.
Remove 1/3 water from the tank. To do this, stir the water, ensuring all the detritus on the bottom is floating in the water. To avoid losing one or more of your Triops australiensis during this process, you can use a very clean (but free from soapy residues) tea strainer or fine netted colander to pour the water through every time you do a water change. Alternatively you use a plastic cup to scoop the water out.
Place one level scoop of Bugditioner™ into the remaining water
Start adding water to the tank gradually. A good way to do this is to add one cup of demineralised water that is the same temperature as the water in the tank, every ten minutes. This allows the Bugs to acclimatise to the new water.
As your Bugs grow they might require more food than just one pellet each per day. As long as the Triops australiensis have consumed all of the pellets in the tank, more pellets to match the number of Bugs can be added. You may find that you are feeding them up to four times a day as they grow to their largest size. But remember make sure that every last pellet has been consumed before adding more food or you will pollute the tank. Also, be aware that underfeeding you Triops could lead to cannibalism – when your Bugs are hungry, they will start to eat each other!
Your Bugs may also enjoy some variety in their diet, so why not try feeding them some of these treats: a frozen pea, a frozen corn kernel, a small cube of carrot (about the size of a pea), a small amount of lettuce…Whatever you choose to give your Bugs, make sure it is washed thoroughly to ensure it is free from any pesticides or other chemicals. Also, the same rules apply for special treats – don’t give them any more until the first amount is gone to avoid polluting the water. If your Bugs don’t finish it within a few hours, remove any leftovers from the tank.Advertisement
Community Q&A
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- QuestionCan an adult triops live in cold water?
Community AnswerYes, they can live in almost any condition. - QuestionWhere can I buy them?
Community AnswerYou can either buy them from a breeder or a pet shop. Either way is fine! - QuestionWhat is the purpose of the sand?Community AnswerThe sand helps to sustain the triops in their early days.
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Tips
- Start adding water to the tank gradually. A good way to do this is to add one cup of demineralised water that is the same temperature as the water in the tank, every ten minutes. This allows the Bugs to acclimatise to the new water.Thanks
- Triops australiensis don’t need a heater like a regular aquarium, but you can keep them warm by using a simple desk lamp. If you chose to use a Halogen lamp, a 25 – 55 watt lamp is most suitable. If using a conventional Tungsten lamp, a 60 watt bulb is recommended. Fluorescent lamps are not recommended as they do not produce the heat required to warm the water during the colder months. During colder months, it is VERY IMPORTANT that the lamp remains on at all times, including during the night, because this is generally when the average room temperature falls to its lowest. Don’t worry about your Triops having the light switched on all of the time because unlike us, they are always busy and don’t have very much time for sleep.Thanks
- Place one level scoop of Bugditioner™ into the remaining waterThanks
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Warnings
- When Triops australiensis hatch out they are so tiny that they are not much larger than the dot at the end of this sentence. If you are not careful, you can easily miss them, so you might also try using a magnifying glass to get a closer look. Even if you don’t see anything at first,do not throw the contents of your container away for at least the next 7 - 10 days. Remember: Be patient and keep watching for your Triops, They will hatch!Thanks
- If you are setting your Bugs up during the summer months you will need to consider how to keep them cool. If extreme temperatures are forecast you may want to put off setting your kit up, unless you have air-conditioning in your home. Although Triops australiensis come from the desert, they must be kept at below 29ºC. This is because they do not hatch out in the wild during the hottest part of the year, but wait until the temperatures are below 29ºC.Thanks
- Why are fish tank heaters dangerous to the triops of a Billabong Bugs® kit?Many people report Triops either not hatching or dying shortly after hatching when they have used a fish tank heater to keep them warm. Why is this so? Because your Triops kit has been designed to be as simple as possible, you do not require aeration or filters. Many years of research has gone in to finding the right balance of Triops, baby food oxygen levels for their recommended three litre environment. Fish tank heaters have been designed for a more sophisticated aquarium with stronger circulation to carry excess heat away. Without this flow, very hot water can form around the heater and at the top centimetre of water in your aquarium. This is also the area where the eggs float, and newly hatched Baby Triops like to search for microscopic organisms to eat. With a heater, the temperatures at the surface can be 10 °C (50 °F) or higher than what the thermometer is actually reading. The end result will be that your Baby Bugs will die from heat exhaustion in their very first day of life. Because of this danger, please do not use fish tank heaters with your Billabong Bugs® kit!Thanks
- NEVER LEAVE YOUR TANK IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT OR ON A WINDOWSILL WHERE TEMPERATURES CAN BECOME TOO EXTREME.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- A three litre aquarium
- A few bottles of demineralised water
- A desk lamp 60 watts tungsten or 25 - 55 watts halogen
- A Billabong Bugs Kit (contains eggs, food and water conditioner)
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