Very few pets can live in a limited space and small aquariums or turtle kingdoms first come to mind.  Nano fish aquariums are usually two-gallons or larger and take up more room than desirable. 

          How about a total environment with a footprint just 6" x 6" ?

INTRODUCING THE AMAZING HAWAIIAN MICRO-LOBSTERS!

          Hawaii is the most isolated land mass in the world and rare unique creatures have evolved!  These Hawaiian Red Anchialine Pond Shrimp (Halocaridina rubra) are endemic to Hawaii where there are more anchialine ponds than anywhere else in the world. Anchialine ponds (or pools) are formed in young lava and most of these are on the Big Island of Hawaii. The ponds are near to but not connected to the ocean and show tidal changes. 

         In Hawaiian, they are called "opae'ula."  "Opae" means small shrimp.  "Ula" can mean red but is also the name for lobsters.  So we trademarked "Micro-Lobsters" to describe the small red shrimp that look like lobsters.  They are small and usually less than 1/2" long! Take out a dime and you'll see that the photo above shows them larger than actual size! They are truly amazing creatures with unique traits!  They are active and sociable and make great pets! In enjoying them the stresses of daily life disappear. 

          Rain water that falls on mountains follow the lava flows and pass through or under the ponds enroute to the ocean. The ponds vary from fresh water to salty brackish. If the changes are made slowly, opae'ula can adapt from pure fresh water to water two or three times saltier than the ocean!

          They live and breed in a hypogeal environment in the cracks and crevices in the watertable under and around the ponds. The epigeal ponds provide most of their food sources and when the ponds are pristine and predator-free, they can be seen in large numbers feeding on the algae, insects, or almost anything.  Long ago, the native Hawaiians created highly productive aquaculture fishponds and set aside smaller opae'ula ponds to harvest bait for fishing. 

           Increasingly their natural habitats are being destroyed.  The Big Island of Hawaii is now being discovered as the premier Hawaiian vacation spot and with development, ponds are being filled or becoming a part of beautiful landscaped gardens filled with colorful koi and other fish.  People (including the Hawaii State Department of Health, Vector Control Division) are throwing tilapia, guppies, and other fish to reduce the mosquito population to guard against the possible spread of West Nile Virus.

          When this happens, the opae'ula are forced into the hypogeal environment and mainly come out at night when the fish are sleeping. Opae'ula are often found far from any pond. If a landscaping crew finishes digging a hole in the lava that penetrates the water table, the hole fills with water and opae'ula!  They are pumped up in brackish water wells. They seem to be able to survive on an extremely small amount of oxygen and food and these traits have been cruelly exploited.

         They are sealed into glass "ecosystems" that claim to be a miracle of science and art.  Opae'ula, which have a life expectancy of over 20 years in a good environment, will take a year or longer for all of them to die.  They are sold in poorly designed jars or plastic boxes as "the perfect pets that never need to be fed."  There they are almost lifeless, do not reproduce, and shrink each time they molt. 

 PART OF THE SECRET IS IN FEEDING!

          Instead of exploiting them commercially, we set out to create the optimum environment.  In a zoo, if a lion is listless, has ribs sticking out, and allows any creature to harass it, something's wrong and the zookeeper would be fired! It's easy to see if animals are receiving proper care.  When properly fed, they are happy, healthy, active, retain their personalities, AND THEY REPRODUCE! 

         Halocaridina rubra was scientifically described in 1963. The first scientific paper describing larval development was published in 1979.  We and our Micro-Lobster Team, made up of researchers, hobbyists and customers, are discovering new techniques of captive breeding and work as begun on a major mass culture system to make them available for future generations! 

        It's an exciting time for the conservation and preservation community!  DNA research has begun and we are learning a lot!  In the coming years, an increasing number of scientific papers will be published and there is confidence that opae'ula will never become an endangered creature!  

          In December 2004, hobbyist Bryan Yoshimura of Honolulu forwarded the above copywrited photo of larvae still attached to the mother. Even up to now in nature, in the anchialine ponds,  there has never been an observation of a berried female (a female with eggs) and much of what we know is based on aquarium observations. It is apparent that all reproduction activity is confined to the hypogeal environment where it is not possible to observe. 

          Over the years, we've found that we can induce captive breeding by feeding, light and temperature control, and building a bacterial and breeding habitat with pieces of lava. We've learned a lot from customers forwarding their observation and photos.  Prior to Bryan's photo, no one had ever seen this, but since then, other photos have been received and the record of reproduction in our breeding tanks is getting stronger!

          Because of their long lives, small size, and ability to become a sustainable breeding colony in just 3/4th of a gallon,  the units are very portable and are becoming more popular in educational institutions!  Although more costly,  for the highest success rate and to avoid "new tank syndrome,"  we only ship complete fully "cycled" units that include our balance proprietary water chemistry. Children, teenagers, and adults are captivated by them and this makes them effective teaching tools and great pets. 

          Most of us who live in Hawaii love the beauty of our islands, the warmth of the multi-ethic community, and the great climate.  But we are proud that Hawaii is also nature's laboratory.  We have active volcanoes and you can see new land being formed!  We have some of the top astronomy facilities that contribute to the knowledge of the universe!  Geothermal, wind, biomass, ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) and other forms of energy are being researched!

         But we are very aware and concerned that Hawaii is the endangered specie capital of the world and most of us take our conservation and preservation responsibilities very seriously.  We've learned enough about the unique endemic Hawaiian opae'ula to know that it can survive and thrive as an easy-care pet on desktops throughout the United States. 

         Be very careful not to over-feed as like in any other aquarium, excess uneaten food will pollute the water and cause the system to crash (all creatures die).  But the opae'ula are so tough that an air-powered undergravel filter is not required!  It's not necessary to make many frequent water changes! They're amazing!

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