tmarmoratus
2010 Research Grant Donor
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2005
- Messages
- 756
- Reaction score
- 12
- Points
- 18
- Location
- Sacramento, CA
- Country
- United States
- Display Name
- Jeff Fenn
A few weeks ago I purchased several bunches of elodea in preparation for my T. marmoratus to breed, and threw in a bunch into the tank that houses my C.e. popei as well, not expecting anything from them, but not discounting their willingness to breed, either. Suffice to say, it didn't surprise me when I discovered popei eggs in the tank over the weekend.
The surprise came today. When feeding them bloodworms tonight, I perchanced to notice a little larva already in there, and not newly hatched, either. The little guy, in my guesstimation, likely hatched a good week or so ago. So he's sitting there next to a bloodworm, I'm watching maybe 10 seconds, when an adult comes trouncing up, sniffs, then sucks up both larvae and bloodworm into it's mouth - my heart skips a beat! The little guy to whom I'd just been introduced had become the victim to it's own kind; cannibalism in it's purest form.
The horror lasted a good 3 seconds. Just when I was sure it was over and it's voyage through the digestive system was about to begin, and with the speed and force it used to suck the larva in, it used to spit the larvae right back out. The little larva swam a good half foot, then dove under a rock, no worse for the wear.
Anybody else ever experience this before? I'm under the impression this larva was extremely lucky.
The surprise came today. When feeding them bloodworms tonight, I perchanced to notice a little larva already in there, and not newly hatched, either. The little guy, in my guesstimation, likely hatched a good week or so ago. So he's sitting there next to a bloodworm, I'm watching maybe 10 seconds, when an adult comes trouncing up, sniffs, then sucks up both larvae and bloodworm into it's mouth - my heart skips a beat! The little guy to whom I'd just been introduced had become the victim to it's own kind; cannibalism in it's purest form.
The horror lasted a good 3 seconds. Just when I was sure it was over and it's voyage through the digestive system was about to begin, and with the speed and force it used to suck the larva in, it used to spit the larvae right back out. The little larva swam a good half foot, then dove under a rock, no worse for the wear.
Anybody else ever experience this before? I'm under the impression this larva was extremely lucky.
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