Water Slater, <i>Asellus aquaticus</i>

[john]

The Water Slater, Asellus aquaticus, has built up a healthy population in one of my Daphnia cultures. I first introduced them to a culture in 1999 and that same culture is still going today - even when I moved to the UK I made sure it was kept alive back in Ireland. Here I present some photos of these armoured little monsters and handy "treat" live food.

Side View:

View of the Underside:

The Rear of a female seen from above. The light coloured objects appear to be eggs showing through the translucent armour from the other side:

 

[colin]

Nice pics John!

i think that all of my tanks have a wee population of these guys secreted away somewhere, they came in with live food through the summer, must be good at hiding when they need to?!

 

[john]

Yes, they're good at hiding. I have old red bricks in three of my tanks and every time I lift the bricks there are usually a number of these little monsters underneath. I've seen Cynops chase these with a lot of enthusiasm.

 

[jesper]

Very nice photos!
How big are these guys? Maybe I'll get some when I go after Daphnia?

 

[john]

At a guess, a large male would be 1.5 cm. Most would be smaller though. Glad you like the photos.

 

[jesper]

Hmm, I did get some Asellus aquaticus when I went for Daphnia. At first I didn't think that they were Asellus aquaticus because I only saw them from above - they keep to the bottom and the backside is brown. I guess yours look so bright due to the flash eh?

I noticed mine had bred, anyone know how they "deposit" their young? Eggsacks?
I saw some rather big eggsacks - might just have been the snails though.



(Message edited by Jesper on December 16, 2004)

 

[juraj]

Nice pics and good food.

 

[john]

Jesper - the female carries the eggs around underneath her carapace, until the eggs hatch and you get little tiny slaters.

Yes, without bright lighting they are brown.

Juraj - I love watching my Cynops ensicauda popei chasing slaters over the gravel and into the plants.