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Vorteil wrote:If the salinity is more stable underground than in the pools any idea what it is? Do the opae larvae perfer a certain specific salinity?

Your question is to Arnold right?

Per below article - “Because fresh water flowing into the estuary is less salty and less dense than water from the ocean, it often floats on top of the heavier seawater” so I assume it is higher salinity underground and naturally is cooler than in the open pool with the sun warming it. I think one of the main reason we dont see berried ones is that it is safer underground than out in the open so instinctively mothers want to stay underground. You mentioned larvae survived in cooler waters than warmer waters from your tanks so another reason for mothers to stay underground to release larvae in cooler waters. Just thinking out loud.


https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education ... ation.html

My question was to anyone on this forum who wanted to chime in. I was thinking that the salinity was less dense as the fresh water flows out. Just wondering if the babies perfer a lower salinity. Lower temps make sense. I'm pretty sure those ponds can get heated.

Right now my tanks are around 72 degrees. Breeding has been very good. Summer is right around the corner so I plan in the next 2 weeks to set up a 40 gallon & 20 gallon long. I will use a chiller on the tanks with a slow trickle of water flowing back in. I don't want the tanks at 88-90 degrees like last summer. I'll slowy transfer the opae from the tanks gradually.

Vorteil wrote:My question was to anyone on this forum who wanted to chime in. I was thinking that the salinity was less dense as the fresh water flows out. Just wondering if the babies perfer a lower salinity. Lower temps make sense. I'm pretty sure those ponds can get heated.

Right now my tanks are around 72 degrees. Breeding has been very good. Summer is right around the corner so I plan in the next 2 weeks to set up a 40 gallon & 20 gallon long. I will use a chiller on the tanks with a slow trickle of water flowing back in. I don't want the tanks at 88-90 degrees like last summer. I'll slowy transfer the opae from the tanks gradually.

Lots of babies!

Chiller sounds expensive.


Here is a quick diagram. The tubes/underground from the fresh water source is less salinity of course and the ones connecting to the ocean has higher salinity and I assume where the lohena release their larvae so they can reach the ocean to feed. Since lohena occupy the ocean side tubes/underground, can we assume Opae ula occupy/prefer the freshwater side with less salinity?

@opae ula related

I would tend to agree with you on that theory. So maybe the opae ula babies prefer a lower salinity?

A chiller will not be cheap. I have (2) ice probes that lower the temps around 5 degrees but that's not low enough. I want the opae to continue breeding when summer is here. Main goal is to combine (1) 6allon, (2) 5 gallons, (2) 10 gallons into the 40 & 20.Less lighting. I just want to make it more organized.

What will yo do with all the Opae

Vorteil wrote:@opae ula related

I would tend to agree with you on that theory. So maybe the opae ula babies prefer a lower salinity?

A chiller will not be cheap. I have (2) ice probes that lower the temps around 5 degrees but that's not low enough. I want the opae to continue breeding when summer is here. Main goal is to combine (1) 6allon, (2) 5 gallons, (2) 10 gallons into the 40 & 20.Less lighting. I just want to make it more organized.

Nice setup!

What salinity do you have again? I assume so and our tanks are probably just the right ranges if they are breeding and surviving.

@Algae In Space
Here's my plan for the opae. Granted they are small so picture one shrimp on a grain of rice.
I plan to just keep breeding them. Sell some off here & there to pay for any supplies and electricity for my hobby. I am creating a 5 gallon tank that will be at Washington State University this summer. Completely free of charge. Just as a fun donation. These shrimp are perfect for me. I don't have to feed, no water changes. I can leave on a trip & not worry. Yet I do have other tanks that need attention. Out of all the tanks the Hawaiian opae are my favorite.
My salinity ranges from 1.008 to 1.010. I had some major issues last summer with my tanks ranging from 88-90 degrees. I had a tank outside get as hot as 96 degrees accidentally. No issues with the opae. None died & this was only for one day. At the same time my daughter did not plus the the extension cord all the way in this winter and it was in the mid 40's to 50's for 5 days. All the opae were a the bottom some laying on their sides but had their color. Plugged the heater back in and by the end of the day they were all swimming around. That tank is now in my garage.

Vorteil wrote: ↑12 Apr 2019 00:14 @Algae In Space
Here's my plan for the opae. Granted they are small so picture one shrimp on a grain of rice.

Don't give the Japanese new ideas! This would be the worst trend ever...

Nice! The Uni project sounds interesting.

Algae In Space wrote:

Vorteil wrote: ↑12 Apr 2019 00:14 @Algae In Space
Here's my plan for the opae. Granted they are small so picture one shrimp on a grain of rice.

Don't give the Japanese new ideas! This would be the worst trend ever...

Nice! The Uni project sounds interesting.

Lol, that would be terrible!.

Wow, mid 40’s and still survived. I thought they would surely died at that temperatures.

Vorteil wrote: ↑12 Apr 2019 00:14 My salinity ranges from 1.008 to 1.010. I had some major issues last summer with my tanks ranging from 88-90 degrees. I had a tank outside get as hot as 96 degrees accidentally. No issues with the opae. None died & this was only for one day. At the same time my daughter did not plus the the extension cord all the way in this winter and it was in the mid 40's to 50's for 5 days. All the opae were a the bottom some laying on their sides but had their color. Plugged the heater back in and by the end of the day they were all swimming around. That tank is now in my garage.

My god! That's insane. That's as low as 7 C... and they made it for as long as 5 days... wow!