Cyclops belong to the family of copepods. Entering the class of crustaceans, the cyclops has a unique body structure that significantly distinguishes it from other representatives. Surprisingly, despite their small size, these crustaceans not only serve as food for most fish, but can also eat the fish itself before it has time to grow up.
Description
In fact, the cyclops refers to crustaceans, planktonic individuals that can be found in almost every freshwater body of water. They are the main food source for most fish and fry.
At the same time, they themselves eat a wide variety of microorganisms, so that the water is constantly kept clean. In addition, thanks to the food activity of the Cyclopes, it receives a significant share of clarification and improvement of its natural qualities.
Basic data
Usually, all copepods are called cyclops because of their external similarity, but this is a false statement, because the appearance of each crustacean cyclops is unique in its own way. The largest individuals, rareexception, do not exceed 4.5 mm. On average, the size of a standard representative is from 0.5 to 2 mm. All Cyclops can be divided into males and females according to pronounced sexual characteristics. Cyclops are crustaceans whose color depends on the food they eat, from which they take on part of the coloring pigment, but most often they are:
- Gray.
- Red.
- Green.
Despite their size, most Cyclopes lead a predatory lifestyle. At the same time, for hunting, they most often use the technique of an unexpected, quick jump on an unsuspecting victim. During the period when hunting is impossible for some reason, they eat various algae.
Cyclops Appearance
Crustacean cyclops are inherent in year-round habitat in reservoirs. As a result, they have a significant impact on human life, not only increasing the population of fish, but also infecting people through it with a variety of parasitic worms. In fact, daphnia, like the cyclops, are crustaceans, the structure of which differs significantly from most other individuals that are in the same class with them, and which have a unique body structure, but the shape of the head of the cyclops is more complex. On it is:
- One eye - it was he who served as the main reason for the fact that the copepod got its second name - cyclops.
- Two pairs of antennas.
- Oral apparatus.
- Several jaw legs.
At the same time, one pair of antennas is developedmuch better and is much longer than the other. It is due to it that the Cyclops develops the required speed, but it can also be used for alternative tasks. For example, a male can use them to hold a female during the mating season.
The whole body of the Cyclops is divided into separate segments, while the chest area received five of them at once. In addition, pectoral legs with special bristles are attached to it, helping individuals to make swimming movements. The abdomen received 4 segments and a special branching at the end.
Reproduction
In order to determine the sex of a crustacean cyclops, it is enough just to catch an individual and look at it through a magnifying glass. If you find a small bag at the end of the body, then you have a female in front of you, if not, a male. These crustaceans reproduce at a very high rate, due to which they can quickly populate the reservoir they have entered to failure. Thanks to this, Cyclops survives perfectly in large numbers even in vessels or aquariums intended for storage.
Crustaceans, the breeding of which is possible at home and is not particularly difficult, are caught using a net made of thin and durable fabric. In any other case, it will not be possible to catch this small crustacean. It will simply slip into the holes along with the flowing water. Next, you need to launch several individuals into a vessel with water.
Maggots
Nauplius - this is the name of the larva from which the Cyclops hatches. Crustaceans, the reproduction of which is carried out in sufficiently large quantities, are born at the base of the female's abdomen, in one or more egg sacs. Fully formed larvae emerge from the laid eggs in the future. It is worth noting that their appearance is fundamentally different from a full-fledged, adult individual.
In natural conditions, it is quite difficult for fish to catch a cyclops or its larva due to extreme mobility. Therefore, one thing must be taken into account. If cyclops crustaceans are used to feed domestic fish, then it is worth throwing a very limited number of individuals into the aquarium, because if the fish do not have time to eat them in time, the crustaceans will begin to develop rapidly within the aquarium and will simply eat all the fry.
Habitats
Most often crustaceans Cyclops (Cyclops) and their closest relatives Diaptomus (Diaptomus) can be found in the coastal strips of lakes and rivers. Thanks to their powerful antennae, they repel both from the water itself and from the bottom and make the jumps they need to move. At the same time, the jump itself can be made in any direction necessary for the cyclops and is made over sufficiently large distances, given their small size.
Cyclops crustaceans can travel up to 75mm in just one second. For comparison: a cyclops swims more than 25 times faster than a submarine at average speed.
A separate species of crustaceansCalanus can be found even in s alty sea waters. It is also a major part of plankton and is the most readily available food for many fish.
Interesting facts
These arthropods can be successfully used as live or frozen food for aquarium fish, providing them with all the necessary nutrients. It should be taken into account that the class of crustacean cyclops (Copepoda) includes many families.
Cyclops crustaceans perfectly adapt to changing climatic conditions. In the event that the reservoir freezes or dries up during the dry season, the cyclops secrete a special substance and completely envelop their body with it. At this time, they visually resemble a cocoon in their structure, in which all the processes necessary for life are preserved, even when frozen into ice. In rare cases, cyclops crustaceans retain a cocoon for several years, but most often such a long period is not required. That is why they can be found in large quantities in puddles of melted snow.
Another unique feature of these crustaceans is resistance to the environment, which is very unfavorable for other animals. As an example, we can cite such a variety of Cyclops as Cyclops strenuus, which can live for a certain time even in the water where hydrogen sulfide is present. Other species are well tolerated by gases, acids or other substances unfavorable for normal life.
