A little update, perhaps premature...
I have some plastic shoe boxes that I'm prepping for use in killifish breeding. They're filled with old aquarium water, no heater, no filters and sitting under bright light. Because of the bright light and the nutrients in the water, the inside surfaces are covered in a film of algae...a bit gross and dirty looking, but filled with copepods, so I thought they'd be able to support life.
Sure enough, I tossed the smallest remaining triop in there and it immediately went to town on the algae. Almost two days later, it's still alive, so I placed the others in there.
After I thought about it, it wouldn't surprise me if the still, algae filled and bright environment are what these guys would encounter in the wild. Long story short, I can only guess that the tank I had intended to put them in was too clean, too pristine. Yes, the water quality was excellent and the triops that died had plenty of food in the way of blackworms and shrimp pellets, but even then, I can only guess they weren't eating or able to find food in the larger tank. Regardless, in their new shoe box home, they all but ignore meatier foods and seem to eat their fill of algae. Perhaps the key to keeping these guys (at least this species) is providing them with lots and lots of algae and a messy environment to scuttle around in.
Anyway, perhaps this will help others in the future if they happen to find themselves in the same situation -- the key seems to be providing them with a mucky, scummy green playground!
