Larval L.debelius

[Luis A M]

I am once more trying to raise L.debelius.Last time was in 2001 when I could only reach 53 days of survival.
I hope I can keep them longer now,hopefully until they settle.I will document all the larval stages.It will be interesting to find out if larval development matches that of peppermints with 11 stages or that of L.amboinensis with at least 14.Please refer to the staging key here in this forum.
So a new run begins.This is Z1,sessile eyes,2.4mm.

[Luis A M]

Z2,four days.2.6mm.
Pediculated eyes,no uropods.

[spawner]

Exactly the same as L. amb or L. grab. only they settle at 1cm or so.

[FuEl]

Just below 1cm. The blue lines are exactly 1cm apart.

[joefrith]

What are you guys feeding these?

[Luis A M]

What are you guys feeding these?

I keep with the OTO/bbs scheme.
This is Z3,at 7 days and 3 mm
Uropods show-Two pairs of walking legs.

[joefrith]

So these are large enough to accept bbs right out of the egg?

[Luis A M]

So these are large enough to accept bbs right out of the egg?

Sure.See "crustacean larviculture"

[Luis A M]

Z4 at 9 days and 3.2mm
Pereiopod 5 shows.They are uniramous (one branched),large and ended in paddles.Typical of Lysmata larvae.

[FuEl]

Nice photos Luis, can't wait for the larvae to turn purplish-red. They are most beautiful around that time.

[Luis A M]

Thanks Junkai,how long yours took to meta?

Z5 at 11 days and 3.5 mm
Three pairs of walking legs:


easier to see in a lateral view:

[FuEl]

Hi Luis, somewhere just before 60 days. Think it was between 55-60 days at a temperature of 27 degrees celcius. I fed them alot of junk food besides Artemia. The settlement rate when I tried was'nt that high (somewhere around 5 or 6 individuals), as I kind of mistreated the larvae in the beginning due to my attempts with L. amboinensis.

[Luis A M]

Some days ago hydroids were found I am siphoning them every two days,but sooner or later I will have to move the larvae to a clean tank

Z6 at 15 days and 3.6mm
Four pairs of walking legs,the red tipped ones.



focusing on the legs:



and a side view:

[Noof]

As I understand Luis you change water on these guys every couple of days? How much and how often?

100% every three days?

[Luis A M]

I am mowing hydroids every two days.
Tank is in a system.No water changes other than replacing siphoned water,and compensate for evaporation.

[Luis A M]

TRAGEDY AGAIN!
Hydroids are winning the battle,they regrow faster that the every two day mowing.
When larvae molted to Z6,they looked not so many.I could see about 50 of them.Now they molted to Z7,at 20 days,and I had a massive die off.
So I scooped out the survivors,(only freaking eight ) and emptied and cleaned the tank.
Playing again the stupid little indians game!
Always larval mortality coexists with hydroids bloom.Don´t want to be paranoic but suspect both facts are related.As my system is contaminated with hydroids,it will be a recurrent problem unless I shut off and sterilize the whole system.But because Lysmata larvae take up to 5 months to settle,I must compromise with a less radical aproach
Ups and downs all the time!.You can´t get bored with this hobby!

[Luis A M]

Anyway,this is Z7 at 20 days and 4mm



The larva has now all five pairs of walking legs:



Now we´re getting into the unknown Will Z8 show the development of the antenna,like L.amboinensis,or will it show pleopod buds,like the peppermints?.See the staging table.
I bet it will follow the stages of L.amboinensis.For several reasons I believe these two groups are next of kin.Andy R.disagrees here
Just in case,I'm posting a close up of the head of Z7 showing the antenna´s buds:



Going from the middle line to the sides,one can see A1 (the antennula),the scale of A2 and the eye.The bud of the antenna (flagellum of A2) can be seen between A1 and the scale.

[KathyL]

absolutely awesome!

Luis, what else do you have on that system? If it's not just shrimp, surely you could cycle a new aquarium to put them into later.....

[Luis A M]

Thanks Kathy
Mostly larval shrimp tanks,with occasional larval fish tanks being hooked up.I could stop the circulation and chlorinate the head tank for one hour or remove the bioballs and sterilize the whole system shutting larval tanks circulation,of course.

[Luis A M]

Z8,at 24 days and 4.7mm



As expected, larval development of L.debelius follows the same stages of L.amboinensis.See the antenna reaching the setae of the scale (arrow)



and a closer view:

[mpedersen]

I have to tag on to this one - YOU CAN DO IT LUIS!!!

Matt

[quantim0]

The other grad student in my lab worked with L. debelius for her undergrad research. From what I have gathered from her, she had 1 settle out at about 120 days and the rest took at least 150-180. She's thinking of continuing with them for her grad thesis, but she's unsure about working with a species with such a long larval stage.

Good luck with your babies, hope they settle for you.

[FuEl]

The other grad student in my lab worked with L. debelius for her undergrad research. From what I have gathered from her, she had 1 settle out at about 120 days and the rest took at least 150-180. She's thinking of continuing with them for her grad thesis, but she's unsure about working with a species with such a long larval stage.

Hi quantim0,

That sounds awfully long for L. debelius (twice the reported durations). Such a larval duration sounds to point to L. amboinensis instead. The post-settlement size for L. debelius is only around 8mm.

[Luis A M]

Z9,at 31 days.Antennae are longer and divided in two segments.This can be seen in a close up of the head:

[Luis A M]

Z10 at 35 days.Seven larvae remain.
Antenna is about half of the scale and shows several segments:



Pleopod buds begin to show,but not the first pair.This one has buds of pairs 2,3,4 and 5,with the fifth bud more developed:



This one has only buds of 3rd and 4th pairs:



While this other one has all 2,3 4 and 5: