Ecospheres

[furtech]

Darn it! I really wanted to get another ecosphere , but this site (about pet shrimp) claims that the shrimp are slowly dying, not surviving in a balanced environment.

So, who's right?!?

I had one a few years ago and the shrimp actually grew noticeably over the year+ that I had it (broken in a house-cleaning mishap-- became the "Ghettosphere" at Casa Zor). So I'm not sure who's right.

Any opinions?

Comments

[fatkraken.livejournal.com]

that website bugs me

"Unfortunately, more than 90% of this species' habitats in Hawaii have been destroyed by development, and although this species is not listed as endangered (yet) it should be considered endangered for all practical purposes. Hence, the purchase of wild-caught animals should be avoided at all cost." is a bit dumb. Shrimp habitat destruction is what is threatening the species, not harvest. In actualy fact, maybe sustainible use of wild shrimp would encourage the PRESERVATION of their habitat; most of the semi natural woodland in the UK for example, is only there because it was reserved for the king and his buddies to hunt in.

If your shrimp was growing, it probably had plenty of food. Unless this person can provide me with some well controlled time course experiments measuring the shrinkage of shrimp over time in a sealed environment, with proper work ups of carbon cycling and fixation, I'd take what they say with a oinch of salt.

ahem, anyway.

I say go for it. Like bladespark said, it's a shrimp, a pretty simple invertebrate. Seamonkies and Triops aren't being "tortured".

[furtech.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I forgot that you would probably have a good perspective on this (not your specialty, but still in the right scientific ballpark). I -really- appreciate you dialing in on this!