October 2nd 2008
Well, we begin.
After bringing you such wonders as: Seamonkeys, growing dinosaurs, NASA Ant Farms, baby fish breeding and Computer Aliens in test tubes, here we go with Billabong Bugs.
What are they?
Dust. Thats what. At least, thats how they turn up.
The Web site says:
Billabong Bugs™ are actually crustaceans (a relative of crabs, hermit crabs and yabbies) known to scientists as Triops australiensis.
The Scientific name is Triops Australiensis but they are also called Dinosaur shrimp, Tadpole shrimp or Shield shrimp.
Billabong Bugs™ have special eggs that are very much like plant seeds. If there is no rain, such as during a drought where rain may not come for two or three years, the eggs remain in the soil completely dry but still alive through an amazing process called Cryptobiosis, which is Latin for “hidden life”. After the rains come, Billabong Bugs™ hatch out in as little as twelve hours to continue the next generation.
(Billabong Web Page)
So we begin. You need the kit from the web site that contains the Bugs, water conditioner, etc in it. It comes with instructions that are very detailed and easy to follow (and in a very small font. Us oldies need longer arms to read it.)
You need your own bowl and light.
Lets get going.
The large container of demineralised water has had the lid off for a while to let air in. Also, when tipping it into the bowl, if you pour from a bit of height – bingo – more air.
Ignore the tank in the background, thats the Mountain Cloud nursery, the residents are watching with intrest.
Thar she be all set up. Water in, conditioner and Bug dust. Somewhere in that dust is the Billabong Bug eggs. Lord knows where but they are there.
The light serves two purposes – one for heat, two for stimulation. The black strip on the tank is telling me the water temp. l need it to read a consistant 28 or thereabouts.
Just of intrest, the baby fry tank runs a heater and sits at 27. l’m curious to see if a light source can keep the water at a set temp despite room temp influences. The tank is not near a window (heat) or near a cold doorway (draft). The light is a 35W Halogen lamp.
l can see the reasoning why a tank heater would be no good in this setting, no water circulation and most tank heaters would near boil 3 litres of water (the amount of water used according to Bug sheet).
l also found with the fry filter that even if l covered the inlet pipe with a stocking, l did lose a few of the newborn fry.
So for now we sit and wait.
Bug Instructions say dont touch or tamper with the set up for the next 12 – 24 hours. That means no stirring with a fork, knife or finger. No giving the Bug dust a quick poke. Look with eyes only.
(Yeah yeah, l’m not touching ‘em, alright?)
Within the next couple of days, l will see moving dust. That will be the babes.
Lemme get back to you then.
Signed
The Swamp Lady With Bug Dust.
October 3rd
Day 2
Here we are on day 2. Funny thing is, its not really 24 hours later but we are already on our way.
Keeping the temp at 28, the only changes had been from 28.3 (night) to 28.7 (morning). The 35W Halogen lamp seems way too easy to control the temp. l did put a half-glass cover on the tank last night but the temp crept upwards so l took it off.
A few important things when using a lamp in this sort of set up – keep it away from the water and keep the lamp head away from any surface. It throws heat (thats why its there) but can also burn your hand or a cloth if left on it/too close. So always pay attention to what you are doing.
l had a bit of a delimma last night with the fry tank being so close to the Bug tank – fish dont have eyelids, they need a bit of darkness at night. Yet the Bug tank had to have its light for heat and the light shone into the fry (who were all pressed up against the glass wall trying to get a good gander at the Bug tank anyway. Stickybeaks). Cant shift the fry tank, too big and heavy. Didnt want to move the Bug tank as there isnt really another safe clear spot and l didnt want to unsettle the tank. Ended up covering the fry tank with cardboard panels so that worked well.
This morning revealed…..nothing. Zero. Zip. Bug Sheet says three days so off to work l went for the day. But when l come home……
WE HAVE LIFE!
Yes, small mobile dots that seem to launch upwards from the gravel, do a small one inch high loop, then defunk back to the bottom. (Defunk being my word for a most ungraceful sink to the bottom.)
Two ‘dots’ are the size of a pin head, one is a bit larger, bit like a cookie crumb. They are white in color.
That be the crumb one since the other two are so small, the camera cant pick them up. The crumb does swim all the way up to the top of the water surface but then seems to drop a bit, take another swim, then drop and so on. Hey, its new life, swimming might be taxing.
l note the temp is now down to 28.1 so a slight tilt of the lamp head will bring it back up for the night.
Guess we are on our way!
Some interesting Reading about Bugs.
What good are they?
What do the eggs look like close up?
Over 200 Million Years Old
October 5th
Signs of life gone.Vanished. Deaded.
No idea why as all tank conditions stayed the same, temp didnt alter….just gone.
The Bug site says to wait longer incase more life comes to light.
We wait.
October 10th
No further life happened. That was it.
Bit disappointing really but there you have it. According to the Bug forum, its happened to a few folk.
So now the tank is empty, the water has been dried off and the gravel remains. When its been dry for a week, we try again in the hope that some unhatched eggs remain and hatch on the second run.
l’m still not sure why they died. We’ve done the seamonkey, brine shrimp, baby fry runs and all were successful just by providing the conditions needed for that particular critter.
l’ve ordered some more bug dust too, so will run two tanks (old dust and new dust) just to see what happens.
l’d like to see bugs.
Somehow l dont think l’ll hold my breath. At least l know l’m not alone, others have flopped so far.
These bugs had better be worth it once l manage to get some form of life that wants to live!
Monday, November 3rd.
Here we go again. New bug dust, old dried bug dust and a clean tank, water, light and all.
Temp just on 28.
Will watch with intrest for signs of life (again).
Fingers crossed we get to see bugs this time.