# Opae Ula



## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

Don't be puzzled if If you don't know what Opae Ula is, it's the name of a very special shrimp.

It has many other names, the most commonly used is Hawaiian Volcano Shrimp, here is the link to wikipedia on this species.

They live in Hawaiian Islands in a brackish water environment, and can endure wide range of salinity (from full seawater to full freshwater, slow adjustment is the key).

They breed easily but it's recommended to keep them in salinity 1.011 - 1.012 for best baby survival rate. (reported that some hobbyists breed them successfully in salinity as long a 1.005, try to see if you can breed them in even lower salinity)

Also, they are extremely tough as long as the initial acclimation is done properly, it's reported people keeping them for years without one single water change with only weekly feeding.

Above all, they can live up to 20 years !!

Here are some pictures of this special shrimp.


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

From what I understand, these shrimps go through a larval stage much like the Amano shrimp. Therefore, I don't think they can be bred unless you have a green water culture ready.


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## Shrimpwiki (Sep 10, 2013)

solarz said:


> From what I understand, these shrimps go through a larval stage much like the Amano shrimp. Therefore, I don't think they can be bred unless you have a green water culture ready.


They do have a larval state but an abbreviated one, you don't need to do anything special like Amano. Just make sure they don't get sucked into your filter and they can get something to eat (spirulina powder can be fed, both larvaes and adults like it).


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Shrimpwiki said:


> They do have a larval state but an abbreviated one, you don't need to do anything special like Amano. Just make sure they don't get sucked into your filter and they can get something to eat (spirulina powder can be fed, both larvaes and adults like it).


Interesting, so do they breed quickly?


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

solarz said:


> Interesting, so do they breed quickly?


Quickly? I think that's a relative term. Some people can breed neo quickly than I can do with my crystal, and I don't have much luck with neo other than PFRs.

I did a lot of research on this shrimp before I got them, and this link has the best info and easy to read. He mentions the breeding form as well.

I have not had much breeding yet as I just got mine recently. Will provide more info as I gain more personal experience.

PS: If you read the article in the link above, I want to let you know myself is totally against the idea of a "closed ecosystem".


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

randy said:


> Quickly? I think that's a relative term. Some people can breed neo quickly than I can do with my crystal, and I don't have much luck with neo other than PFRs.
> 
> I did a lot of research on this shrimp before I got them, and this link has the best info and easy to read. He mentions the breeding form as well.
> 
> I have not had much breeding yet as I just got mine recently. Will provide more info as I gain more personal experience.


Very interesting read!

I wonder what kind of tank mates would be suitable for them? Nerite snails, as mentioned in the article. Bumblebee gobies? Endlers?


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

solarz said:


> Very interesting read!
> 
> I wonder what kind of tank mates would be suitable for them? Nerite snails, as mentioned in the article. Bumblebee gobies? Endlers?


I did think about keeping them with Nerite snails, but after a bit more research I don't think there's a chance of breeding Nerite in the same tank. It takes a lot more than just brackish water to breed Nerite.

So, I'm not sure... maybe find something from saltwater tanks that can endure lower salinity? I'll have ask my "salty friends" 

Let me know if you have any suggestion. A wanna-be-saltwater-tank scape is what I have in plan.


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

randy said:


> I did think about keeping them with Nerite snails, but after a bit more research I don't think there's a chance of breeding Nerite in the same tank. It takes a lot more than just brackish water to breed Nerite.
> 
> So, I'm not sure... maybe find something from saltwater tanks that can endure lower salinity? I'll have ask my "salty friends"
> 
> Let me know if you have any suggestion. A wanna-be-saltwater-tank scape is what I have in plan.


I like the idea of keeping them with lava rocks. Considering that they're Hawaiian _Volcano_ shrimps, I think that's very appropriate.

Ideally, you would be able to keep plants with them. They say that the opae ula can live in freshwater, but I guess they need brackish to breed? What salinity are you keeping them at?

I found a post here detailing possible brackish plants:
http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/143235-planting-brackish-aquaria/

Java fern seems promising.


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## zzz (Sep 18, 2013)

I've heard about this shrimps a while ago and from time to time I get a temptation to start a tank with them.
Any idea where they can be bought in GTA?


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## gen (Sep 26, 2011)

zzz said:


> I've heard about this shrimps a while ago and from time to time I get a temptation to start a tank with them.
> Any idea where they can be bought in GTA?


I think shrimpwiki has them.


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## zzz (Sep 18, 2013)

gen said:


> I think shrimpwiki has them.


Thanks for the advice. Now I just have to figure out how to cycle a brackish tank.

Randy, any advice about cycling? Would be bacteria from my freshwater aquariums helpful?


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## darkangel66n (May 15, 2013)

zzz said:


> Thanks for the advice. Now I just have to figure out how to cycle a brackish tank.


Use a fish less cycle with fish food or use a few mollies.


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## shrimpzoo (Jan 15, 2012)

the laws of saltwater tanks don't apply to brackish setups do they?

like live substrate, marine lighting, etc?


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## darkangel66n (May 15, 2013)

shrimpzoo said:


> the laws of saltwater tanks don't apply to brackish setups do they?
> 
> like live substrate, marine lighting, etc?


No. Treat it like freshwater as you will not have corals in the tank.


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## shrimpzoo (Jan 15, 2012)

I'll have no issues treating it a freshwater tank 

Are you sure there is no need to do anything extra with the salt being added in?

Not even a skimmer is needed?


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## zzz (Sep 18, 2013)

shrimpzoo said:


> I'll have no issues treating it a freshwater tank
> 
> Are you sure there is no need to do anything extra with the salt being added in?
> 
> Not even a skimmer is needed?


Skimmer is not necessary for Opae Ula, that's for sure.


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## Scotmando (Jul 10, 2011)

Cool Randy. Keep us posted


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

I cycled the tank just like darkangel66 said -- treat it like a freshwater tank. I cycled the tank for 2 weeks, added enough Prodibio startup 6 hours before I added the shrimps in and all is good.

For your reference, I used 12.5ml instant ocean salt mix per gallon and they are doing great. Salinity is around 1.008.

These shrimps are extremely tough, and so cute to watch. You probably won't have as many as I have in a tank, but they look phenomenal in number. Here is another picture.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

Oh, no, skimmer is not needed, my set up is like this,

Hardware
- 20G with 1 bag of inert black stone kind of substrate.
- 7lb of whole coral rock as seen in the picture above (was going to use crushed coral but found whole coral rock looks much better), this should be enough to buffer the PH and KH.
- Light (I use single T5HO but any light will do)
- One AC70 HOB, with a double sponge filter as the prefilter (so shrimps don't get sucked in), seachem matrix as filter media as in all my shrimp tank filters. While cycling, you can remove the prefilter so water flow is better.

Cycle
- Filled with tap water, add 250ml instant ocean salt for this 20G tank. Add some ammonia to cycled. When there is no ammonia detected, add a bit more to to maintain about 1ppm of ammonia daily until one day there is no ammonia/nitrite-- tank is ready.
- Do a 100% water change with tap + salt mix. Let it run for a day. 
- Tank is ready for this beautiful shrimps. I added Prodibio startup 5-6 hours before I added shrimps because I added a lot of shrimps at one time.

If you buy them from the store, ask to buy a bit of whole coral (like $2/lb) or find them elsewhere. I find they look really nice, almost like a saltwater tank ;-)


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## eatmysox (Jul 24, 2012)

I am in the process of setting up a tank for these guys, fortunately I have two reef tanks so I have lots of extra stuff around. I will be using lava and lace rock in the tank and using an aragonite substrate. The salinity will be maintained at 1.012 and I plan on just topping up with 10 percent water changes perhaps once a month. Similar to my Sulawesi tank set ups I will be leaving the light on 24/7 for the first week of cycle to allow algae and biofilm to accumulate. I hope to breed these and then have a secondary tank to bring them over to freshwater for distribution, if I am fortunate enough to breed them. I am so excited about them I have been after them for well over a year. 

Sent from my tube on the lazy river


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Can these shrimps breed in full saltwater? It would be pretty cool to keep them with a reef tank.

I found a video of them in the wild:






They look uncannily like cherry shrimps!


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## Shrimpwiki (Sep 10, 2013)

solarz said:


> Can these shrimps breed in full saltwater? It would be pretty cool to keep them with a reef tank.
> 
> I found a video of them in the wild:
> 
> ...


Hi solarz, do you have a saltwater tank? If you will set up a small brackish water tank and slowly acclimate them into full saltwater, I can give you 10 for free to try this so you can tell how it goes.


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Shrimpwiki said:


> Hi solarz, do you have a saltwater tank? If you will set up a small brackish water tank and slowly acclimate them into full saltwater, I can give you 10 for free to try this so you can tell how it goes.


Awesome, I'll send you a PM!


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Any suggestions on how I should proceed? Over how long of a period should I acclimate them?


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

I've read about these guys a number of times.. usually see them advertising those closed eco system set ups, which I too disagree with.

If interested, I found a pretty comprehensive post on how to breed nerites. Guy who posted it was breeding them to sell, quite successfully. I think I bookmarked it.. I'll have to go look though.

Way cool little shrimpies. Btw, there are a few plants that tolerate some salt, though gradual acclimation is also the key for them, just adding a bit more salt water to their water over a period of a couple or weeks or so. Though you can't grow it underwater, pothos roots are surprisingly salt tolerant, so you might be able to have a stem or two just rooting in the tank and draped over the sides. They're one of the few 'house' plants than can tolerate living on salt beaches.

Java moss is one of the plants that can take salt.. I'd have to go check on some others. I was looking awhile ago while researching what I might put in a brackish tank I want to set up to try raising various shrimp's larvae, seeing as I have so many that can only reproduce that way.

Edit.. Some info I had copied for my future brackish tank.. I think from Fish Channel, IIRC.

Quote ' Acclimating to Brackish Conditions
A significant number of live aquatic plants can withstand water ranging from barely brackish (specific gravity 1.004) to mildly brackish (specific gravity 1.008) conditions. This is an ideal salt range for many brackish fish readily available to the aquarist, such as the tiny bumblebee goby (Brachygobius) and the salt-tolerant mollies (Poecilia spp.). Unquote

Suitable plants to try would be Vallisneria spiralis or V. americana, and Anubias barteri, as well as good old Java fern, all do fine in low lighting and don't need CO2.

Quote' Cryptocoryne*undulate, C. wendtii. Crypts can survive unbelievable abuse and are ideal for a brackish aquarium. They tolerate low lighting and withstand a temperature range of 68 to 85 degrees. They are sensitive to transplanting and often experience a temporary condition referred to as “crypt melt” when the leaves seemingly melt away. This is not a sign of the plant succumbing; rather, it is adjusting to new water and light conditions. Sometimes hobbyists erroneously think this condition is the result of salt. Cryptocorynes need a nutrient-rich substrate. Carbon dioxide is not required.

Bacopa. These are fast-growing plants that do best in higher-intensity light. Bacopa are ideal for accent points in the aquarium, such as complementing a feature or creating a thicket. Carbon dioxide injection combined with bright light and substrate nutrition make this plant explode with growth. The leaves are tender and susceptible to pecking from larger fish. It grows well in water temperatures ranging from 60 to 85 degrees. Unquote


There are also a few marsh or marginal plants.. sag subulata is one that was mentioned in this category.. and of course, mangroves, if you want to spend the money for them.. but they're not suited to submersed growth in salt water. Grow best as marginals, in a paludarium or marsh setup.


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## darkangel66n (May 15, 2013)

Fishfur said:


> If interested, I found a pretty comprehensive post on how to breed nerites. Guy who posted it was breeding them to sell, quite successfully. I think I bookmarked it.. I'll have to go look though.


I would be very interested in this especially if it says how to acclimate ones in fresh to salt water.


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

I would be willing to buy about 10 off you as well for my saltwater tank, as they are natural "cyanobacteria" eaters. In a reef tank it would be a bit hard to keep them since the flow is extremely high and they are use to tidal pools and low flow areas where cyano grows.

If you want to see a comparable saltwater shrimp, check out the sexy shrimp. 
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+525+1135&pcatid=1135


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

I"ll post the info on breeding nerites in a separate thread.. so as not to hijack this one.


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