Science fair project with multies???

[Jakezori]

this is the coolest project ever

 

[Jakezori]

you can't do a shellie tank without shells...

:liar:


I've seen plenty of shellie tanks without shells (Of course shellies do like shells though...)

 

[jpappy789]

I would personally prefer a setup closer to what Razzo is suggesting but I guess maybe I'm just in the mode of thinking where every little variable should be accounted for...certainly doesn't hurt to be overly meticulous, even if is just a school experiment.

 

[Piranha86]

Sounds like an intresting project! Keep us updated.

Will do. I'll make a thread when I start.

My only concern, scientifically speaking, is that normally the fry are pretty much nonexistent until suddenly you realize that they bred. Maybe that's just my experience based on how unobservant I was but it would be something to take into account. By the time you notice fry some other factor may have influenced survival, not just how shell type affects breeding.

I would also recommend using Neothauma shells since that's one snail species found in Lake Tang itself.

Thanks for the thoughts, JPap. I'll be looking pretty closely at the shells, but if I can't really tell that they've bred, I'll throw that out of the presentation.
And I would love to use Neothauma shells, but I haven't been able to find them on the internet.

I don't see any problem with the experiment. You line up a row of shells, add the fish and observe what they do. You will get some result, even if it's "They don't care what sort of shell they live in", that's still a valid result.

Jazz it up with pictures of the fish and fry, and some fancy powerpoints and pie graphs, and you are all good.

The thing about School science experiments is not that you prove your theory correct, it's that you conduct the experiment in a scientific manner, and get some sort of result. Wether it fits the original theory or disproves it isn't the point, it's that you did the experiment and got some results.

Your plan is good, as either way, the fish will be OK, as opposed to those crap "bio-sphere" things they usually suggest. The Multies may live in the white shell, or the brown shell. They may breed, or not. But they shouldn't drop dead.

Carry On

Ian

Thanks for the suggestions

Seriously though, why not divide it (only if a 20 long or bigger) and see if the diffferent colonies share similar results.

Not a bad idea. Actually, it's exceptional coming from you :silly:

Sounds fun!

How about three ten gallon tanks with everything exactly the same:
#1) One kind of shell
#2) Another kind of shell
#3) Control group with no shells

You must be precise with everything: light, mainteance, feedings, substrate and placement of shells. You can address the variables in your conclusion.

Russ

I have my doubts that I could weasel my way into one more tank, let alone 3. It was a good idea though

 

[user_name]

Not a bad idea. Actually, it's exceptional coming from you :silly:

:banhim:

 

[Piranha86]

:banhim:

Talk to RB. He'd probably be happy to.