Element wrote:By the way Nat, I had some questions about your set up if you don't mind me asking. I do apologize if you have already explained it somewhere, I have been reading this daily and didn't see the answers anywhere yet
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You posted your new photo additions on page 3, so you basically just have 2 jars that you swap the babies between so you can do daily water change? That is a really brilliant idea! I just had a few questions about your set up. From what it looks like to me, you have the main tank (freshwater?
YES) with two jars inside it (saltwater
YES) with airpumps inside the jars to create the constant moving water. I see your heater stick and thermometer in the main tank and a lamp for the constant light source. Did I miss anything?
NO I love reading these, and so far your setup seems the simplest to make. I was worried about having to creating a Kreisel tank.
They are so cute, and you are doing such an awesome job!! You are lucky to have live zoea so many times! Your habitat must be perfect for them
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Hey! you are spot on with my rearing set up, Next time I will use jars that are cylindrical so there is no void in the corners though as I've noticed lag in that area, I've searched out some jars
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, now to get my mum and mother in-law to drink the coffee (I don't drink it) so I can use the jars lol!
I spent most of yesterday working out how to build a kreisel tank with the help of a plastic store in the city, made out of acrylic, out of my price range at the moment so will have to wait and see, but can be done easily enough, I've always wanted to build my own tanks (this way I can have more at a fraction of the cost) If I get one to land this time I will build a Kreisel with 2 chambers.
My next challenge will be the transition tank on a budget (with what I already have at hand if possible), I have a small tank that is my iso tank (that ive not yet needed), I could set this up....... but where do I start and I am reluctant to do it just yet, in case I spend hours crying over a failed attempt you see, so I am building it in my head, but it all depends on how many are successful in reaching megalopa, curlz transition tank looks easy enough & Alan Harvey used a shell with salt water in for the megalopa to climb out of, Like I said it really depends on how many there are.
The eye dropper thingo for moving them from one jar to another is also good for fishing out the dead :-/......... There is over 100 still alive at the moment! So no panic yet.
My tank (it was an old aquarium hence the stains that don't come off and show more in the humidity grrrr) that I call their Crabitat (I reckon a few others refer to it as this too lol) is way smaller than I would like it to be, I want water areas like some of you guys have! you know with like salt water beach and pool area, Larger water dishes and more climbing things (I have a massive piece of gnarly old vine wood, but I wont risk disturbing the substrate to put it in, it will have to wait and go in my dream crabitat) and a basking area, need new moss for the moss pit & must get to the beach and hunt out some more pheasant shells as they are a fav (light weight and easy for them to mod inside) oh the list goes on....
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Its a 4ft (48x16x21 in inches)
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I usually have fresh sprouts (alfalfa, sesame and sunflower) growing for them too, although at the moment none are ready for a night of total destruction.
Its so hard to make changes once they are in, I don't like disturbing them, I try to be as quick and quiet about feeding and water changes as I can be, I'm pretty sure I'm a giant seagull in their eyes and don't my fingers know it. CV's can be total tank trashers too, Ive found the least changes the better, when I moved water dishes it took ages for them to reorient themselves again so I decided that everything stays where it is until I develop a new tank, I put sprouts in the exact same spot and the same with food. I could easily have more crabs in here too but I refuse to support the local pet shop like that, the more I buy/rescue the more that will replace them :-/
The conditions in my crabitat fluctuate too, If Im not home then the house gets very warm (I turn the largest heater off in summer unless the air con is on [ducted cooling]), sometimes its 35 degrees celcius or higher and the crabs are happily basking under the UV light and they are right up high on the mopani against the heater that is always on, in winter I do not let it go under 20, all heaters are on and I top up substrate moisture & humidity (I use a spray bottle) as needed as our heating dries out the tank more than summer.
I was lucky enough just recently to go fishing in the Northern Territory, we stayed at Manangrida in Arnhemland, while out fishing in the tidal estuaries I had my eyes fixed on the bank and in the mangroves looking for my favourite little guys (not saltwater crocs!), I could see little holes all about the place but not much activity, later in the day though I spotted a few, like all fishing trips that have a lady onboard the time eventually arises that a toilet stop is necessary and I didn't fancy hanging over the edge of a low to the water fishing vessel to pee when we had seen so many crocs about and a boat load of men, my husband included, we had lost several barramundi including Lures to hungry crocs so decided the safest thing was to find high ground, when I had about 500 sand flee bites and finally found somewhere out of eye sight with my husband standing beside (spotting for crocs) me I was able relieve myself (I was absolutely thankful, guys you have it easy) I jumped up in shock there were hundreds of CV's all around me in tunnels between my feet everywhere peering out
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I was so overwhelmed with the sight I had tears in my eyes, I didnt want to leave, I wanted to stay and watch them for ever. I took note on what was around and boarded the boat, wont ever forget and look forward to going again in the future.
Hope this answers some of your questions, sorry about babbling on & on, I will update you on the zoea as soon as anything changes
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or I think of something relevant