Triops (Dinosaur Shrimp)

The Hatching Secret and Pure Water Mandate:

The Spring Water Trap. You buy Triops as a tiny packet of dry sand and 'cysts' (eggs in stasis). THE FATAL ERROR: If you dump this sand into normal, treated tap water or an established aquarium, the eggs will NEVER hatch. They are biologically programmed to only hatch when they sense the extreme purity of fresh, mineral-free rainwater hitting the dry dirt. You MUST use 100% pure distilled water or bottled natural spring water to trick the eggs into hatching. Do NOT use heavy filtration that can suck up the microscopic babies.

The Relentless Cannibalism and Diet:

The Starving Assassins. Triops grow at a terrifying, explosive rate, shedding their armor every few days. To fuel this monstrous growth, they are ravenous, insatiable eating machines. They will violently dig and bulldoze the sand 24 hours a day looking for food. THE LETHAL MISTAKE: If you underfeed them for even a single day, they will immediately turn into ruthless cannibals. The largest Triops will hunt down the smaller ones, pin them to the sand, and rip them apart alive. You must feed them heavily with blanched carrots, peas, and heavy calcium-rich sinking pellets.