preacher Posted October 16, 2010 Report Share Posted October 16, 2010 While at Zealandia I was browsing a book of 'Rare New Zealand animals.' It listed a creature called Tadpole Shrimp. I have never come across this before and it mentioned they were found in the South Island, Wairarapa and several other spots. Has anyone ever heard or seen this species? Is it actually a New Zealand Native? Not looking at anyone specific Stella... Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdspider Posted October 16, 2010 Report Share Posted October 16, 2010 Used to catch them on my grandparents mid-Canty farm ponds. They haven't been there for years though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-town... Posted October 16, 2010 Report Share Posted October 16, 2010 just googled them and they look awesome! i have never seen thm before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdspider Posted October 16, 2010 Report Share Posted October 16, 2010 I'm glad you posted btw, cos I was just thinking about them the other day. And I couldn't remember what they were called & was thinking 'horseshoe crabs' but then those are marine. And then I was wondering if I'd dreamed the memory. They were very cool. The pond we'd catch them in was in the middle of a paddock, no connection to any water ways and got to nearly-dry each summer. So they must have been quite hardy, maybe they burrowed into mud? But how did they get to a man-made pond to begin with? But now the pond gets completely bone dry, so even the frogs are gone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reptilez Posted October 16, 2010 Report Share Posted October 16, 2010 yep i have seen them,they are also called triops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted October 16, 2010 Report Share Posted October 16, 2010 Not looking at anyone specific Stella... LOL I have never seen them before. A friend of mine was on a mission to find some, so I have done a bit of reading and asking about them. I understand that they used to be quite widespread but are coming rarer and rarer. They live in ephemeral (ie temporary) ponds and used to be quite common in small farm ponds that dried over summer. Of course people are getting better and better at draining wetlands, so like anything else that lives in these places, tadpole shrimp are becoming rarer. All mentions I have heard of them in the Manawatu/Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa were from 20 years ago. Apparently there are some good populations in the South Island somewhere. My aquatics lecturer, Russell Death, is interested in these guys. If anyone knows of a population that existed near the Manawatu in more recent times he would love to know. He thinks they are likely locally extinct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted October 16, 2010 Report Share Posted October 16, 2010 Actually, someone on another messageboard posted that he'd bought some eggs for them a week or two ago. Different species than here I'm sure, but probably related. You might find more info looking for "Triops". They're sold in the US as pets similar to sea monkeys. From Triops.com Also, one of the google results is a post on the fishroom from 2007 asking something similar, someone posted this link: http://rsnz.natlib.govt.nz/volume/rsnz_49/rsnz_49_00_005150.html to an article on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted October 16, 2010 Report Share Posted October 16, 2010 Wow, interesting Ira! I guess it makes sense that they would work in the same way. The native species is Lepidurus apus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
si_sphinx Posted October 17, 2010 Report Share Posted October 17, 2010 Triops, I have them growing right now I have grown them many times before. You buy a pack that will grow about 10 max. They double in size every day for the 1st 2 weeks and they lay hundreds of eggs each over a few months in sand. When they all die off, I dry out the sand and add more water to the sand a month later and had what looked like thousands of them, most went to the fish. Ive managed to grow them to 1.5 -2". Very interesting to watch swim around. You can buy them on ebay pretty cheap and they come with everything needed to grow them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted October 17, 2010 Report Share Posted October 17, 2010 Hmmm, that is probably highly illegal.... Certainly importing them would be illegal. Second incident from the bottom lists triops, MAF seized them. http://www.ermanz.govt.nz/no/compliance ... s0405.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted October 17, 2010 Report Share Posted October 17, 2010 I seriously suggest you destroy them yourself before MAF comes knocking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted October 17, 2010 Report Share Posted October 17, 2010 Triops, I have them growing right now I have grown them many times before. You buy a pack that will grow about 10 max. They double in size every day for the 1st 2 weeks and they lay hundreds of eggs each over a few months in sand. When they all die off, I dry out the sand and add more water to the sand a month later and had what looked like thousands of them, most went to the fish. Ive managed to grow them to 1.5 -2". Very interesting to watch swim around. You can buy them on ebay pretty cheap and they come with everything needed to grow them. What's the sentence for that? Up to a couple years jail time and a $200K fine or something like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
si_sphinx Posted October 17, 2010 Report Share Posted October 17, 2010 Hmmm, that is probably highly illegal.... Certainly importing them would be illegal. wow really? I didn't know that. I thought they would be just like growing sea monkeys/brine shrimp for live fry food. I will destroy them now then. Last thing i want to be doing is something illegal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted October 17, 2010 Report Share Posted October 17, 2010 wow really? I didn't know that. I thought they would be just like growing sea monkeys/brine shrimp for live fry food. I will destroy them now then. Last thing i want to be doing is something illegal. Brine shrimp are an allowed import. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
si_sphinx Posted October 17, 2010 Report Share Posted October 17, 2010 Brine shrimp are an allowed import. I know but i didn't know triops weren't, i assumed they would be treated the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preacher Posted October 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2010 I would contact MAF and enquire first, as Stella pointed out back in 2005 they were seized. But at the time their new organism status was undetermined. It would be interesting to know if MAF have since made a determination on that status. P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted October 17, 2010 Report Share Posted October 17, 2010 Yeah, I emailed ERMA (they misted the incursion linked above) as a random enquiry. Will let you know what they say. On that incursion they said the status was unclear, and it probably still is, but I wouldn't risk another white's tree frog drama. Especially since they were imported. Sorry this must suck. I imagine they were interesting critters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
si_sphinx Posted October 17, 2010 Report Share Posted October 17, 2010 Yes it does suck, they WERE interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted October 17, 2010 Report Share Posted October 17, 2010 Yeah, I emailed ERMA (they misted the incursion linked above) as a random enquiry. Will let you know what they say. On that incursion they said the status was unclear, and it probably still is, but I wouldn't risk another white's tree frog drama. Especially since they were imported. Sorry this must suck. I imagine they were interesting critters. And given that the general policy is that if it's not specifically allowed then it is banned, and they are a completely different species than brine shrimp, I'm going with no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted October 18, 2010 Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 Yes, it's no. Dear Stella, Thank you for your enquiry. No, Triops logicaudatus (tadpole shrimps) is considered a new organisms under our legislation (Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act). It is illegal to import the eggs into New Zealand without a HSNO approval. However, based on its biological characteristics (reproduction), it is highly unlikely that a HSNO application to release this species can be approved. Please contact me if you have further questions. Kind regards Dr Jenny Khoo ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ADVISOR, NEW ORGANISMS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted October 18, 2010 Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 Sounds like a good opportinty to make some money if you can find some native ones and breed them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preacher Posted October 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 I knew you would be able to answer the question Stella Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
si_sphinx Posted October 18, 2010 Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 thanks for that Stella, I thought that would be the case. I have destroyed them so I'm safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikBok Posted October 18, 2010 Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 wow .. I am ABSOLUTELY 100% positive I saw them for sale in toyshop.. an educational /nature/ science toyshop to be exact. They were in a box similar to the one pictured and sitting right next to the seamonkeys in a shop at Sylvia Park. I'll have to have another look next time I go by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice222 Posted October 20, 2010 Report Share Posted October 20, 2010 I wish we could get those in NZ, MUCH cooler looking than brineshrimp imo. I've seen them overseas and almost bought them once or twice before I remembered that I probably couldn't bring them back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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