opae ula vs. Metabetaeus Lohena eating routines? different?

[abc]

I'm cycling a tank and was wondering about Metabetaeus Lohena? Do they require a different feeding routine than opae ula? if so, should they be housed separately rather than together.

If you keep them together, what feeding routine do you do so don't over feed the opae ula but don't underfeed the Metabetaeus Lohena.

I did some web surfing and could not find a straight answer to this question. Feedback appreciated.

[Dch48]

Some people say they are predatory towards the Opae's, and some say no. I imagine they would prey on the larvae. They're almost like a mini-crayfish. I would be hesitant about keeping them together.

[sliphorn]

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I wouldn't keep them together. Why risk shutting down Opae breeding!

I would set up a separate tank for the Met.
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[abc]

Thanks @sliphorn and @dch48 for the feedback. I think in the long run, I should do separate tanks as you say. I'll have to set something up.

It also sounds like they have different feeding routines. the Opae Ula can be feed sparingly every 2 weeks or month, but the Metabetaeus lohena Alpha shrimp need feeding sooner, may be 1x a week.

If any one has Metabetaeus lohena, I would be curious what their frequency/feeding routine is like.

[Vorteil]

I keep a colony of around 80 ML in a 10 gallon tank. I run a sponge filter. I feed daily frozen bloodworms, daphnia, & brine shrimp. Flake food & live gammarus shrimp. I don't see them feeding much on any algae. Always on the hunt for food and will eat anything they can catch & hold on to. Extremely active and do like to hide.

[sliphorn]

I keep a colony of around 80 ML in a 10 gallon tank. I run a sponge filter. I feed daily frozen bloodworms, daphnia, & brine shrimp. Flake food & live gammarus shrimp. I don't see them feeding much on any algae. Always on the hunt for food and will eat anything they can catch & hold on to. Extremely active and do like to hide.

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That sounds like a nice set up you have. Do you keep snails with them? Any chance you could post some pictures?
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[Vorteil]

Here's a couple of pics

[Dch48]

Any reason for the lack of substrate Vorteil?

[sliphorn]

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Thanks for the pics!
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[Vorteil]

I decided I didn't want any substrate other than the lava rocks. There's not real need for substate. These don't shift through it like the opae ula.

[Dylan]

I had no idea about these and would love to do a tank of them! From what I briefly read online, they do feed on the Opae, so I would definitely keep them separately.

[Vorteil]

Bottom line these will feed on anything they can catch. They rarely catch the opae ula but will easily catch & eat the babies.

[Varanus]

The issue I hear with keeping this species is that nobody has figured out how to breed them successfully in captivity, and thus all of them are captured from wild populations in habitats that are quite threatened. Has this changed?

It is a shame though, the claws on Metabetaeous are so cool looking.

[Vorteil]

It has not changed. I don't know of anyone who has successfully bred the ML. And is there just an assumption that this species is threatened? I know this is up for debate but from my underatnding there has been no count as to what is actually out there. There has been no survey of the pools on any of the islands as to what actually exists. I personally believe in raising opae. At the time I took these in I could not pass on the opportunity.

[Dch48]

From what I have read it's the pools themselves that are disappearing, not the shrimp in them.Increasing development is causing some pools to be filled in.