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Ocean Rider Green Iron Horse Feed : Amphipods
Purchase These Items When you receive this unique feed you will notice what seem like small clumps of sea lettuce. Look carefully for it is within these clumps that the amphipods (grammarus sp.) are hiding. They are bright green shrimp like animals. They do not like the light and will make a cocoon like structure made from mucus and debris to cover or shade themselves away from the light and from predators. You will find both breeding adults and small babies in the clumps. For immediate feeding to your seahorses, simply net out and gently squeeze free the animals into the tank. Make sure the seahorses are watching so that they can chase down the animals before they find a new hiding place. If they do hide first, don’t worry too much as the seahorse will come back later and patiently wait and stare at the clump until the critter moves...and then he has got him! This will probably happen when you are not watching! For long term holding/ breeding: These green amphipods will flourish with proper care. They like cool dark and slimy conditions!! Sumps, refugiums and live rock work very well. They will feed on detritus in your tank . If you have a very dense culutre going you can feed them small amounts of our high protein Shrimpgro 2 or 3 times per week. Be careful not to over feed or create to much disturbance in the tank. Although the amphipods may be hard to find or may seem inactive, follow the acclimation procedures carefully anyways. It make take some time before you are able to detect the nests and the population of babies and adults. You will want to set up a separate tank for your amphipods. Water quality parameters should be the same as for the seahorses with the exception of temperature: Temperature 55F –75F, Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, PH 8.2 – 8.4, Specific gravity 1.0252. Very mild aeration is needed. ACCLIMATION PROCEDURES: Prepare NEW water. Do NOT rely on the water the animals are shipped in for holding these shrimp. Check that the salinity of your holding tank is the same as the shipping water. If it is not adjust your holding tank so it is the same as the shipping water BEFORE acclimating. If you do not do this you will kill the shrimp and we do not offer any guarantees on these shrimp. All other parameters must be within acceptable ranges. If they are not your shrimp will die quickly. Please acclimate slowly. The best way is to: 1.Float the bag in your tank for about 20 – 30 minutes to equalize temperatures. 2.Then partially open the bag and add 1 cup of tank water. 3.Wait 10 minutes. 4.Remove 1 cup of water and add another cup of water from the tank. 5.Wait 10 minute. 6.Gently release the animals into the tank, discarding the water left in the bag. 7.Do not feed until the day after arrival and acclimation. |
