Hobby Lobby Triops

[Europhyllia]

They're great!
Okay I'll admit it I also fell for "SeaMonkeys' but the amazing Triops from the age of the dinosaurs are way better. And bigger.

I can highly recommend them to anybody with a kid in the 4-6 year old range

113231132411325
1. Triops pooping (sorry!)
2. Triops eating carrot
3. Triops mini siphon hose for tank cleaning

[tebstan]

I can highly recommend them to anybody with a kid in the 4-6 year old range




Dang! I don't have any little ones to blame for wanting this... :)

[Europhyllia]

lol
(sometimes I clean his tank or feed him even with the little ones not around. It's okay... :) )

[hobogato]

4-6, are you kidding? Many of my students would get a kick out of these. Heck, I plan on talking my boys into wanting them just so I can help :)

[Europhyllia]

okay I'll change it to age 4 and up (the almost 3 year old has a tendency to dump the whole bag of pellets in and spit into the siphon hose...) ;)

[tonyydeee]

My classroom did that when I was in second grade (:

[CoryDude]

Ok, so going by your title, I can get these at Hobby Lobby? I would love to get some of these and do a little video on them. Hum, thanks for my next idea Karin!

[justahobby]

I'm thinking live food for fish..??

[Europhyllia]

WHAT? NO! They are just for fun - not for food! They grow really fast! Every day. Fun to watch. And grow to about 2".
Yes you can get them at the check out at Hobby Lobby. They come in a little paper envelop (got Dinos and Triops on the outside) with a small container of eggs, instructions and food pellets for $3.99 I believe.

[justahobby]

Are they the SW or FW kind?

[Europhyllia]

Freshwater ... and like anybody else they have their own website too: http://triops.com/

[justahobby]

Lol! Wonder if they would get along with my betta. It could help clean up his messy meals.

[cbianco]

You need one of these...

http://triops.com/images/products/large/SAT_TRI_Image_lg.jpg

and one of these!

http://triops.com/images/products/large/JL_SCP_Image_lg.jpg

Might as well go all out.

Christopher :)

Found here: http://triops.com/index.php?link=products

[Europhyllia]

They only live for a couple of months, Justin. And they leave a mess too (hence my little siphon thingy)

[hobogato]

i wonder if i could hatch some out into my pond and get a little breeding colony going

[Europhyllia]

From what I hear eat, poop and breed is pretty much all they do so if the new eggs hatch it should keep going.

I forgot to mention: Justin they like it pretty warm 74 -83 degrees. I have a little desk lamp shining on the Triops. I bet the Betta stays usually cooler.

[justahobby]

I can't use them as food nor keep them with my betta.... have you anything positive to tell me?!? :D I'm not sure what the betta tank is, but I know they like it warmer than most FW fish. IIRC, mid to upper 70's is all gravy for them. But I was reading that adult triops need several per liters of h2o per adult....and you say they are messy. Looks like its time to buy them "for my nephews and nieces."

[Europhyllia]

Geesh Justin. Just give in! It will be fun.
Hatching some sort of mail order critter is something every kid should do at some point. Truly your childhood won't feel complete until you do this.

[justahobby]

It's true. I've had this void in my life from growing up without raising sea monkeys or an ant farm. Triops to the rescue!

[ErikH]

It's true. I've had this void in my life from growing up without raising sea monkeys or an ant farm. Triops to the rescue!

hahahahaha funny.

[CoryDude]

Couldn't resist. My wife went to Hobby Lobby yesterday and I had her pick up a bag for our 4 year-old (ahem, cough, cough). I've going to hatch them in a 10 gallon sump with an old pc light in our garage. Think I'll document their life and make a little video thingy.

http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/pp100/cpryor74/DSC_0134.jpg

[Europhyllia]

Ah see I was worried about the 'guy factor' in this (i.e. not wanting to bother with instructions). Read the instructions guys. For some reason hatch rate seems to be much better in smaller water volumes. ;)
But yep that's them! :D

[CoryDude]

I've also got a smaller 5 gallon tank, do you think that would be better than the 10 gallon?

[Europhyllia]

the instructions say to hatch them in 1/4 gallon

[justahobby]

Pff, Instructions are only good if you have extra pieces left after assembling a toddler swing

[txav8r]

Ugh, I need to send my wife to hobby lobby.

[Europhyllia]

All I am saying is you may have to have your wife read the instructions too (just so she can tell you afterwards 'told you, you should have...) ;)

[justahobby]

So reading instructions... it says to use spring water. Is that what you are doing Karin?

[Europhyllia]

Yes, HEB Spring water. And don't forget the carrot!

You all don't forget to post piccies of your Triops! Ours is really huge by now.

[Kristy]

Ugh, I need to send my wife to hobby lobby.

They actually let guys in there too. Justin was convinced otherwise, so perhaps this is a new policy and some of you didn't get the memo?

[justahobby]

I believe the new policy is "men are allowed, but only with an accompanying woman." Pretty sure it was on the national news



:innocent2:

[hobogato]

just stumbled onto this article and thought i would post a link here

http://www.tfhmagazine.com/freshwater/feature-articles/triops-ancient-wonders-full-article.htm

[Europhyllia]

I believe the new policy is "men are allowed, but only with an accompanying woman." Pretty sure it was on the national news
:innocent2:
LOL I don't think there's a ratio requirement though. Perhaps Kristy can take all of the wife-less males to Hobby Lobby for a Group Buy?

[Europhyllia]

Lovely article Ace! Thanks for sharing :)

[justahobby]

Very fun little read as well as educational. Sweet, so 75/25 RO/ tap will work.

[allan]

All this time I was questioning all you male's "maledom"...

I'm so proud of you guys. We need to stand up a local chapter of "No MAAM". :)

The only reason I go to hobby lobby is to safeguard my wife when she goes... And I like the stuff the sell there. Not the flowers though!

[ShAgMaN]

I've been dragged in there a few times...it's not too bad. Funny how they jack the "original" prices up and then just about everything is "on sale" - yah the place is catered to women:wink_smile:

But seriouslly, I did by some super glue there for cheap - still not as good of a deal as Lowes.

[jroescher]

The Hobby Lobby closest to me is next door to a Tractor Supply. For every point subtracted off my Man Card by Hobby Lobby, I get it back by going to the Tractor Supply.

[allan]

John, I posted (awhile back) the various places a man shops at from kid to man to manly man somewhere here. Going to tractor supply is one of those specialized shops that cater to those men occupying the upper tiers of mandom. So much in fact that we can probably over look your jaunts to HL as a symptom of the negative impact on your eyes as a direct result of your advanced chronological status. :)

[Europhyllia]

Oh Brother... lol

(can you imagine how little we would get done if women would have to check all the time to make sure what we do is in the right category?)

[jroescher]

Allan,
I've never actually been inside the Hobby Lobby, just walked with the wife to the door. I keep walking to the Tractor Supply next door. I think they deduct points just for doing that. She has to come tell me when she's through shopping. I lose track of time researching and testing equipment.

[Kristy]

Oh for crying in the night...

First of all, how did I get appointed as the designated MAAST chaperone who is supposed go supervise all these guys on their field trip? No thanks!

Second, Allan I believe that John just destroyed you in man points! :D

Now, if I only had a carrot I'd be all set to for the fun of raising some pre- historic critters!

[Europhyllia]

I was just testing to see if that man card thing works the other way around too:
I said I'd rather be arranging fake flowers than unloading hay and was told 'If you want that hay in the barn by tonight you're going to put on your gloves'. Pft...

Anyway. Our little Triops is shedding his skin almost every other day. He is growing that fast!!!

[justahobby]

LOL! Very good try Karin, but your delivery could use a bit of tweaking :D

Do you leave the skin in?

[Kristy]

Yeah Karin, sadly it does not work both ways at all. In fact, you get no points at all for playing the "pink card." At least we certainly never did in my family growing up and I wouldn't expect Mike to cut me any slack either!

[Europhyllia]

11406

Rest in peace Mr T.! He was still eating carrots this morning but died this evening before lights out.
Timing couldn't have been better. We've been talking about how Mr T will only live for a couple of months and that we might get another little aquarium with a critter with a longer lifespan and we picked up Stephen's Betta tank this morning...

[allan]

How big was he Karin?

[Europhyllia]

about 2 inches if you count the tail