my 10 halocaridina rubra/opae ula--easiest pets ever

[guavakai]

I started with 10 opaes over 6months ago. And I still have 10! I noticed that there are a bunch of eggs attached to 2 of the shrimps--one shrimp has had eggs for about 3 weeks, the other only for less than a week--right after i added some more bottled water. I haven't fed the shrimps for several months now. They never eat the food I put in the tank anymore.
my set up: just a fishbowl kept by a west facing window--no heater, no filters . I just top up with some bottled water every few weeks, and use a toothbrush to scrub off some of the algae so i can see them better--did that twice so far. i'll try to take and send some pics --once i scrub some more algae off for a clearer view
Does anybody know when i should change the water? I've never had shrimp before. but they seem way cleaner than fish--not so poopy.
Who knows:
when should I change the water?
when will the eggs hatch?
what triggers reproduction? seasonal?

update: another one has eggs!--it was the one i suspected (the black patch inside was growing), and it looked like it was ready to molt yesterday.

[snicker07]

I am a beginner too, do you mind telling me what the algae on your fishbowl looks like? My tank is just starting to grow algae. Also what do you do to keep your water "brackish"? Do you measure the specific gravity?
From what I have read the eggs will be come larva little things floating all around in the water. I can't wait to see some pictures of your set up. I am also under the understanding that you do not neccessarily have to change the water, you can do partial water changes or just keep adding water like you are doing.

[Mustafa]

If you don't feed like crazy (which you shouldn't), you don't have to change the water. Don't add bottled water though, because you do not know the mineral content of such water. After a while such water may increase salinity/hardness/etc. to very high levels, eve if it takes a long time. Use distilled or reverse osmosis (RO) water to top off. Eggs should take about 30-35 days to hatch.