# Lawn Shrimp?



## eric10686 (Jan 15, 2009)

Have you guys heard of lawn shrimp? I wonder if this would be a good feeder, Ive seen people talk about them but can never obtain any. Does anyone know about this species and if they are prolific breeders? Id like to get my hands on some and breed them for a couple of my frogs.


Here is a link to a picture of 1.

http://images.whatsthatbug.com/images/lawn_shrimp_geoff.jpg


----------



## clam1991 (Jan 15, 2009)

ive heard of grass shrimp and i ussually find em in the DE river

their very small and look kinda clear

i find em flippin logs at the beach sometimes

but i get a bunch in the minnow trap


----------



## What (Jan 15, 2009)

eric10686 said:


> Have you guys heard of lawn shrimp? I wonder if this would be a good feeder, Ive seen people talk about them but can never obtain any. Does anyone know about this species and if they are prolific breeders? Id like to get my hands on some and breed them for a couple of my frogs.


I have heard of them, I have them in my yard... I have also tried to culture them and imo it is far more trouble than it is worth.


----------



## eric10686 (Jan 15, 2009)

What said:


> I have heard of them, I have them in my yard... I have also tried to culture them and imo it is far more trouble than it is worth.


yea, I guess thats why they aren't that popular, because if they were good feeders, it would be on the live markets today.. :?


----------



## Kirk (Jan 16, 2009)

eric10686 said:


> Have you guys heard of lawn shrimp? I wonder if this would be a good feeder, Ive seen people talk about them but can never obtain any. Does anyone know about this species and if they are prolific breeders? Id like to get my hands on some and breed them for a couple of my frogs.


They're amphipods, also known as beach hoppers or scuds. Very large diversity of marine species, as well as freshwater and terrestrial. Terrestrial species probably require moist conditions. They brood their young, so my guess is it'd be possible to breed them, but my recollection is that they don't produce a large number of offspring at a time.


----------



## dtknow (Jan 16, 2009)

And their is nothing new under the sun. All the feeders that work have been introduced already! :wall:  


What: Please explain why you found them to be impractical. 

I've seen these before and as soon as I can get a large enough of a group together will begin culturing them.


----------



## Kirk (Jan 16, 2009)

dtknow said:


> And their is nothing new under the sun. All the feeders that work have been introduced already! :wall:


Not quite sure how that conclusion could be drawn. There's plenty of species of amphipods in the world. Or, was the statement rhetorical?


----------



## What (Jan 16, 2009)

dtknow said:


> What: Please explain why you found them to be impractical.


Well, first, they are amazingly hard to collect in order to start a culture. They can jump 8"-15" high. You have to keep them very moist(when you squeeze substrate it has to have water dripping out). If kept in a colony with too many animals, they eat each other and their eggs. Not to mention that you have to use a *very* deep container to keep them from jumping out...

There are more bad points, but I think you get the picture. :wall:


----------



## Vulgaris (Jan 16, 2009)

I've never even heard of them :?

here is some good reliable info on them that I found

http://bugguide.net/node/view/48652


----------



## eric10686 (Jan 16, 2009)

What said:


> Well, first, they are amazingly hard to collect in order to start a culture. They can jump 8"-15" high. You have to keep them very moist(when you squeeze substrate it has to have water dripping out). If kept in a colony with too many animals, they eat each other and their eggs. Not to mention that you have to use a *very* deep container to keep them from jumping out...
> 
> There are more bad points, but I think you get the picture. :wall:



Hmmm, that does not sound so bad to me actually, the only thing that is stopping me would be to collect a culture from someone. lol. It kind of sounds like breeding crickets except you have to keep them moist. I can deal with the jumping thing, ill just put a lid on top. and I dont mind watering them everyday when i get home from work. I will keep them overfed at all times
where they wont eat each other. So if anyone has any or knows anyone that keeps them, I would like to get some to see if I can handle it.  
What do you think What? Was it really THAT bad trying to breed them? if so, i guess ill just give up.


----------



## What (Jan 16, 2009)

If you actually want to try it...good luck finding someone that will collect them for you. It is one of the most tedious/frustrating things to do.


----------



## eric10686 (Jan 16, 2009)

Will try but I highly doubt that I can find some anyway.


----------



## Vulgaris (Jan 17, 2009)

What state are you in? Apparently the only place in the US that they are in is Florida and California


----------



## eric10686 (Jan 17, 2009)

I live in the big boot! (Louisiana)


----------



## dtknow (Jan 20, 2009)

What: How did you collect them? And where?

I am in school in long beach, CA. I spotted one hopping(very impressively, as you mention) by the science buildings of our campus. At first I thought it might have been an amphipod that slipped out of a collection bucket on the way to the marine lab, but after watching it hop along I realized what is was.

I agree, these guys do not sound that hard. They are even self limiting! I've grown aquatic amphipods and they are very useful. The only disadvantages to them is they are quick, breed relatively slowly compared to other aquatic foods, and are a bit tedious to harvest unless I figure something out. But my fish love them.


----------



## Kirk (Jan 20, 2009)

dtknow said:


> What: How did you collect them? And where?
> 
> I am in school in long beach, CA. I spotted one hopping(very impressively, as you mention) by the science buildings of our campus. At first I thought it might have been an amphipod that slipped out of a collection bucket on the way to the marine lab, but after watching it hop along I realized what is was.
> 
> I agree, these guys do not sound that hard. They are even self limiting! I've grown aquatic amphipods and they are very useful. The only disadvantages to them is they are quick, breed relatively slowly compared to other aquatic foods, and are a bit tedious to harvest unless I figure something out. But my fish love them.


Catching terrestrial amphipods is probably best done with a small entomological net.

Dtknow, if you're at Cal State LB, do you know Dr. Pernet?


----------



## What (Jan 20, 2009)

dtknow said:


> What: How did you collect them? And where?


In my yard and I was using a gallon freezer bag and disturbing the soil they live in(usually under things). Took me about 45 minutes to get 50-100 of them.


----------



## cjm1991 (Jan 21, 2009)

Doesnt sound to bad. I wouldnt attempt to keep them but I also hadn't heard of them before this thread. Kind of interesting little creatures.


----------



## dtknow (Jan 22, 2009)

chone1 said:


> Catching terrestrial amphipods is probably best done with a small entomological net.
> 
> Dtknow, if you're at Cal State LB, do you know Dr. Pernet?


Yep, I have met Dr. Pernet. He stops by the lab to pick up things for his invert zoo class, and I think he's mainly into polychaete worms.


----------



## Kirk (Jan 22, 2009)

dtknow said:


> Yep, I have met Dr. Pernet. He stops by the lab to pick up things for his invert zoo class, and I think he's mainly into polychaete worms.


Yeah, I work on polychaetes too.


----------

