JBL Expedition to the Freshwater Artemia in German Riparian Forests

Only a few people know that there is an Artemia species (brine shrimp) which is endemic in pure German freshwater! The fairy shrimp (Eubranchipus grubii) lives in riparian forests and forest ponds in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe.

The south west group of the International Rainbow Fish Association and JBL initiated a little Saturday afternoon expedition to the various fishing grounds on the Rhineland-Palatinate side of the Rhine, since catching feeder animals there is, according to the provincial law on fisheries (§31), not dependant on having a fishing license. Along with large amounts of black and a few white mosquito larvae a lot of water fleas and cyclops were caught in the JBL nets. Then, in a flooded forest, we found our rare freshwater artemia! With the help of the JBL ProScan water tests the water values were determined immediately on-site: nitrite and nitrate were undetectable, although enormous amounts of leaves were present! General hardness and carbonate hardness were at 4 °dH with a pH value of 6.8. The about 2 cm large Branchiopoda were so cute that we don’t plan to feed them to the aquarium fish, as we will with the mosquito larvae. Instead we’ll keep them in a small aquarium. With a bit of liquid algae food looking after them will be easy.

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