COLD WEATHER NOTE: The hatching of Triops can take up to 3 to 5 days more when the weather is cooler. Therefore, Triops must have a bright, warm light during these cooler days. Please allow this extra time before inquiring about a replacement for non-hatching of your Triops eggs.
I do not see any Triops eggs in my egg dish! Where are they?
Most people expect the Triops eggs to be large like a fish egg, but they are very tiny! The eggs are smaller than a grain of sand. Be careful not to open your egg dish near a draft or they could blow away! Also, check the inside top of your lid in case the eggs are stuck under the lid. It is best to open the dish over a white paper so any eggs that fall from the dish are caught.
Why didn't my Triops hatch?
Newly hatched Triops remain tiny for the first 5 days. Feed according to the directions even if you don't see them. If after 6 days you don't see any young Triops swimming about, follow the warranty instructions in your kit.
If you followed the directions carefully, try changing the brand of water you used for hatching and review your instructions for any possible errors that were made the first time around.
Common hatching problems
Common solutions
Not enough light
Place in bright incandescent light
Eggs stuck on side of tank
Wash down side of tank by adding a small
amount of water a day after adding your eggs
Temperature is below 72° F/22. 5°C
Place in bright incandescent light 24 hours a day
if room stays cool
Tank used exceeds 1 liter volume
Use a smaller tank, or Triops will hatch and die
while searching for food
Items placed in tank could be toxic
Soak any foreign objects in water for 24 hours
prior to use
Tanks not rinsed before use
Rinse new tanks prior to use
Poor water quality
Change brand of water. Avoid mineral water and
tap water
My Triops kit came with hatching nutrient. What is this? The hatching nutrient is detritus (dried plants found floating on ponds) and is only needed for the first 8 days after adding your Triops eggs to the tank. You can remove this from the water after the 8th day.
My cat ate my hatching nutrient. What should I do? The hatching nutrient is made of plant debris collected from ponds. Cats and dogs seem to be attracted to the hatching nutrients and food. We would like to say nothing will happen to any pet that eats the hatching nutrient, but we cannot guarantee your pet will not have an allergic reaction. If your pet is sick, please take it to your veterinarian. Samples of our product have been tested and found to be non-toxic. Your vet should call us with any questions.
The directions say not to open the teabag but to punch holes in it with a toothpick. Does that mean I should leave the teabag in the cellophane?
No. You should remove the teabag from the cellophane, but please do not open the teabag itself. Well, you could if you really wanted to, but then the tank water would be dirty enough that the baby Triops would be hidden from view. Poking the holes in the teabag allows extra nutrient to release without muddying the water. That is the trick: feed the Triops but keep the water clear enough so that you can marvel at the babies as they hatch.
I noticed newly hatched Triops in my tank weeks after I added my original eggs. Is it possible that one of my Triops laid eggs and they hatched? Possibly. More likely, though, it is an egg that did not hatch from your original batch.
I have a creature other than my Triops that hatched in my tank! It is long and skinny and has two eyes on the side of its head. What is this? Most likely it is a fairy shrimp. Sometimes their eggs are collected in the hatching nutrient by accident and their eggs also hatch when put into water. Sorry, we do not sell these separately at the moment, but we are in the process of developing new kits that hatch both fish and fairy shrimp! Be sure to visit ToyOps. com to check for our new products!
Can you tell me how to breed multiple generations of Triops from one kit?
Sorry, we can't help with this. All the educational information we have is on this site or not available.
MAINTAINING YOUR TANK
Where do I apply the thermostrip that came in my Triops kit?
Apply the thermostrip on the outside of your tank so you can easily read and monitor the water temperature. Place it on the opposite side of the light source so it is reading the water temperature rather than the light source temperature (radiant heat).
How do I change the water and clean my tank? Important points to remember
Do not change the water before the 8th day after hatching. Otherwise, you run the risk of pouring out the tiny new Triops
Use bottled drinking water even if your original directions call for distilled water.
If the temperatures of the tank water and the replacement water are different, you might shock your Triops, and they could die. That’s why it’s necessary to place the new water near your tank water so that both will be the same temperature when you change the water.
Once the water temperatures are the same, you can gently pour your Triops into a temporary disposable container. Then pour all the tank water into the toilet and rinse the tank with the bottled spring or drinking water. Next, add the bottled spring or drinking water to your tank, and then gently pour your Triops back into the tank.
f the Triops are large, you can gently pour off 1/3 of the water directly into the toilet and replace. Repeat this step every 3-5 minutes until the tank appears clean.
Your Triops will die if you shake or stir up the bottom gravel while water changing. Make sure you change the water several times or until water is crystal clear to your vision. Do not start water changes until day 8.
Can I use tap water?
A big NO. Use purified bottled drinking water only. Some directions may specify distilled water, but spring or purified bottled drinking water are better. Do not purify your own tap water as it may remain toxic to the small Triops. (It is very difficult to remove all chlorine and other chemicals via filtration. )
I do not see a line on my thermostrip! This means your water temperature is either lower or higher than the temperature indicator on the strip. Try moving the tank to an area where the temperature is within the ideal temperature range of 72-84° F.
What size tank should I use for my Triops?
Triops should be hatched in the tank included in your kit or in a small, shallow dish containing less than 1 liter of water (approximately ¼ gallon). They will grow larger if transferred after 8 days to a larger tank (1 gallon or more). Be sure to follow the instructions that came with your kit, as each kit comes with different components.
Can I add aquarium plants and stones to my tank? We cannot guarantee that extra objects added to your tank will not have negative effects on your Triops, so we generally say do not do this. But if you insist, be sure to rinse the plants or stones in bottled spring or drinking water for 24 hours to try to remove any pollutants.
Can I put my Triops in a tank with my fish? NO! Remember that Triops are carnivores and they may eat your fish! If the fish are larger, they may eat your Triops.
FEEDING YOUR TRIOPS
I lost my instructions what should I do?
Please go to the Products section and locate your Triops kit. Here you will find the most recent version of the instructions for each kit. These can be downloaded
to your computer in a PDF format. To view these files, you will need a copy of Adobe Reader. To download a free copy of Adobe, click here.
NOTE ON SCHOLASTIC PURCHASES: If you have purchased your kit from Scholastic, you must go to www. scholastic. com/undersea/ and enteryour secret password (found on page 6 of your latest book).
What else can I feed my Triops? Triops kits come with a well-balanced, nutritional mix of pellets. Please feed as directed in your instruction manual. If you run out of food, you can purchase any pellet fish food from a local pet store. You can also supplement the Triops diet with freeze-dried bloodworms and brine shrimp, with tiny bits of raw/cooked fish or shrimp (hold the spice!) and with peeled carrot. Hot dogs kill them so don't even think about it.
My Triops keep disappearing. Could they be eating each other? Yes, Triops are cannibals and known to eat the weakest, smallest or sick. Be sure that you are feeding them often enough and supplementing their diet to try and curb this behavior. The only fail-proof way to get them to stop eating each other is to move your Triops into separate tanks or to a much larger tank on day 8.
ABOUT YOUR WARRANTY
What is your return policy? If you are missing a part or received a kit with a damaged part, please write to our Warranty Department requesting a replacement. Include a proof of purchase. If you have any questions concerning our policies, please e-mail us.
What do I do if my Triops do not hatch? All Triops products include warranty instructions.
Please mail your Proof of Purchase, Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope ($0. 52), and $1. 00 to: TOYOPS Warranty Department
P. O. Box 11369
Pensacola, FL 32524
Please note that if you do not send your Proof of Purchase or SASE, we are not able to send you warranty parts. Warranties cannot be handled over the phone or by e-mail.
Please allow 2 weeks for warranty parts.
How come my warranty parts are packaged differently than my original Triops eggs and nutrient?
Warranty parts include a bag with Triops eggs and nutrient mixed together. This allows for parts to be shipped as efficiently as possible and helps keep our warranty cost at $1. 00.
I bought my Triops on eBay. Is my warranty still valid?
If you bought your Triops on eBay, your warranty is valid only if your eBay seller purchased their stock directly from us. To find out if your seller bought directly from us, ask him or her, or request their name and/or the legal name of their business and call us to find out. Always read a seller’s feedback before bidding on eBay. On occasion, sellers on eBay have been known to tamper with kits to make extra profit. This is why we must put conditions on warranting kits bought and sold on eBay.
I live overseas and purchased my Triops overseas, too. How do I submit my warranty?
If you purchased your Triops from one of our overseas distributors, your Triops are warranted, but they are warranted by that distributor. The distributor’s address should be on the warranty form. Please follow their instructions to claim your warranty.
OTHER INTERESTING QUESTIONS
What species of Triops do I have? Triops longicaudatus, originally collected from the U. S. Northwest and presently grown in a lab setting to avoid disturbing the environment and destroying an important food source to many animals, including birds.
What does “Triops” mean? Triops is the Greek word for “three eyes. ” The “third eye” is an ancient pit organ that senses light. It is located above and between the two other eyes. Sometimes it is hard to see because it is a lighter color than the other two eyes, so look hard and get out a magnifying glass!
Is one Triops called a Triop? No. Triops is the scientific name of the creature. Therefore, it is always called a Triops and is always spelled with a capital T!
Why do Triops have such a short life span? The average life span is 20-90 days. The Triops natural habitat is in temporary ponds. Since the ponds are temporary, the Triops have evolved a survival method of hatching and laying eggs quickly before the ponds dry up. The warmer it is, the faster they grow, and the quicker they vanish.
What makes your Triops products different than other Triops companies’ Triops products? Our Triassic brand Triops are the only Triops products on the market that contain lab-raised Triops eggs. We do not take Triops or their eggs from their natural habitat. This means that we give you eggs in “pure” form and guarantee that you receive the highest quality products on the market. It is the only kit where you can easily inspect your eggs. Remember they are tiny and easy to lose.
I do not live in the United States, but I would like to buy Triops products.
Please contact us by e-mail at sales@toyops. com and we will find a distributor near you!
My Triops hasn't made an exoskeleton yet, and it is completely see-through! What is wrong?
Assuming that you are not describing a brine or fairy shrimp, the best guess of Dr. Hull, the PhD who established and heads our company, is that your non-molting, transparent Triops is the result of a genetic mutation. Dr. Hull has studied Triops for decades and does not recall seeing another like what you describe. I hope that you are not disappointed with your special Triops. As far as we know, he is truly one-of-a-kind!
Thanks for all of your questions. We love hearing from you! We’ll update the FAQs as your inquiries continue to come in.
