# Fairy Shrimp??



## Amie (Sep 15, 2010)

So, I was looking on ebay for a live food to feed to my fish and found some Fairy Shrimp up for auction. I think, from what I read that you get the eggs and put them in a little water and within a day or 2 they hatch out and within 8 weeks or so they have gone from eggs to reproduction complete to dead from old age. At that point you have a new colony of fairy shrimp eggs that are ready to be hatched any time after you dry them out (I'm thinking maybe they are native to Rice Patties or something since the auction said they will not hatch until they have been dried out). 

So, I'm wondering if anyone here has had them before and if so:
1. Did the fish like them
2. Were they easy to take care of
3. Did the produce a lot of eggs
4. Did you have a high hatch rate from the ones you purchased
5. Where did you purchase
6. If on ebay then from whom
7. and anything else that you can think to tell me would be appreciated.

Thanks


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## NeonShark666 (Dec 13, 2010)

Fairy Shrimp live all over the Northern U.S. in pools of temporary water. They live for a few weeks, lay eggs, and die. Often they follow the snowmelt. If abundant, they can color the water pink like Brine Sprinp. Like Brine Shrimp, their eggs can survive drying. I suspect they need lots of O2 and cool temperatures to thrive. One species, in Oregon, is endagered.
http://www.fws.gov/oregonfwo/Species/Data/VernalPoolFairyShrimp
Good fact sheet on this shrimp at this WEB site.


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