Text | Maitreya
The taxonomic theory of native rice shrimp is too complicated, and what we usually call "black shell shrimp" has become the common name of native rice shrimp. These native rice shrimp are widely distributed, commonly found in clear streams of mountain streams, generally about 2 to 3 cm in size, like group life, omnivorous, the staple food is some brown algae, green algae, filamentous algae, black hairy algae and most of the algae.
I've always been using the black shell shrimp as fodder before, but by chance I aimed the camera at it, and the unique dance steps and flowing posture attracted me at once. The black shell shrimp in the lens are gorgeous and colorful, there are golden, dark blue, red, jade white, and some have a gold line on the back (estimated to be a relatively old and spicy black shell shrimp), and the color will continue to change with the water quality environment, which is too charming.
I couldn't help but immediately search on the Internet, and a large number of native rice shrimp with gorgeous appearance appeared on the screen. When I saw that there were very ornamental varieties such as tiger striped shrimp, bee shrimp, and fine-footed rice shrimp (also called red-nosed shrimp) in the neighboring Guangdong alone, I immediately had a strong idea in my mind, looking for local native rice shrimp and seeing what local rice shrimp varieties were.
The first stop of the native rice shrimp exploration
Spring streams are full of life, and although I am already familiar with this place, I get a different harvest every time I come here. As long as you observe carefully, every corner here will give you infinite surprises.
Following the water along the creek path, the moss on the stone walls on the side of the road, the elegant broad-leaved line orchid in the grass, and the moss spores dancing like cranes on the rocks, all this made me pause again and again, greedily shooting. Almost forgot the main purpose of the trip, wild harvesting of native rice shrimp (black shell shrimp).
The main meaning and pleasure of wild mining lies in exploration and discovery, not for the sake of curiosity, ostentation or even profit. Following the principle of appropriate collection, collecting only the type and quantity suitable for your own breeding, is very important for every protists. Many native ecological environments are already fragile, and our slightest inattention will bring fatal damage to the environment on which they depend.
Black-shelled shrimp mostly live in the slower waters of streams, climbing on the edges of streams or in lush aquatic grasses. Fishing tools only need a net and a breathing bag (for transportation purposes), and the method of fishing is also very simple, in the observed terrain with a net to the creek rock, water and grass quickly around, there will be a harvest.
After a few round-trip trips to complete the collection task, the harvest of black shell shrimp among the more hungry are: red (oh ~ is not called red shell), dream blue, golden yellow and so on. A cursory count of the roughly two dozen black-shelled shrimp for ornamental and reproductive purposes is sufficient in my small shrimp tank.
There are also some natives of this area that I am more familiar with, and they are also the main species here. Hainan fine-toothed pond snakehead and Hainan heterogeneous carp. In recent years, the electric fish behavior and irrigation needs of nearby villagers have greatly damaged the ecological environment of this water area, and the populations of these two fish species have not been as large as before. Unfortunately, some fish (such as suckers) are now basically impossible to find...
On the way back, an unknown insect flew unscrupulously to my hand, and I had to take a photo with my fingers before I was willing to leave, so I naturally pressed the shutter and successfully ended the wild trip.
The second stop is the native rice shrimp exploration
After driving for 50 kilometers, the car plunged headlong into the narrow mountain path and bumped through it for nearly an hour before reaching its destination, a mountain stream somewhere below the county seat.
Walking to the place where the mountain stream is at the entrance, the bleak scene makes the excitement suddenly fall to the bottom. This year's dry climate has almost completely evaporated the water here, and many mountain streams have been cut off. Everyone's mood suddenly fell to the bottom, and this trip is estimated to have gained nothing.
If it comes, then settle down, and after cleaning up the mood, you can only continue to go up. A group of people walked on the moss-covered rocky road with their hands and feet and crawled. After walking for about ten minutes, the landscape in front of you is refreshing.
The tranquility here seems to have not been disturbed for a long time, and the bushes are overgrown and full of trees. Let people suddenly get away from the hustle and bustle, as if they are in the middle of the primeval forest, everyone invariably picked up the camera in their hands and pressed the shutter hard, fixing this paradise-like place with their own angle.
Good scenery is naturally a good place, and a good place naturally has good things. Sure enough, a small waterhole was found next to the mountain road, which was covered with aquatic grass, would there be black shell shrimp here?
Can't manage so much, reach out and dig into the water (this trip is relatively hasty, did not have time to bring any fishing tools), after a few back and forth, really caught a dozen black shells and two beautiful dragon lice, happy but also too late to look closely, first put into the breathing bag, get back to say.
Unconsciously, the sky soon darkened, considering that there was still a long way to go back to the city, the group decided to go back to the house and reluctantly left this beautiful place.
The original world always has unexpected surprises, the batch of black shell shrimp collected this time actually found that there are stripes similar to tiger striped shrimp on the body, and after being raised in the tank for a period of time until the state is stable, the stripes on the body are still clear, and they are happy to simply call it "Guangxi Little Tiger Stripe".
Here I also share my small experience of raising black shell shrimp, my method of raising black shell shrimp is very simple.
First, keep the water quality clean and the water flow is slightly slow.
Second, the water temperature generally does not exceed 30 ° C, the problem is not big.
Third, it is best to put some stones, sinking wood, and tie some mosses in the cylinder first, so that they have a place to hide and climb.
I like polyculture of fish and shrimp and think that black shell shrimp with medaka is the best combination. My shrimp tank likes to collect some small stones from the original place for bottom sand, water goblins as a filter, and change 1/3 of the water every week. The feed is very simple, usually when feeding the fish, the leftover feed of the fish can basically meet their needs, and occasionally adjust it with spinach and some special shrimp food.
The reproductive ability of the black shell shrimp is strong, as long as the density of aquatic plants in the tank is sufficient, the survival of small shrimp is not a problem. If you want them to multiply in large quantities, you can also fish out the female shrimp holding eggs and raise them separately, and the hatched shrimp can grow well in green water.
It should be noted that the black shell shrimp collected in the wild will have some parasites in many cases, and it is not suitable to put them in the tank immediately when caught. It is best to isolate for a period of time and observe the good state before entering the cylinder.