arhyne2007.htm

Andrew L. Rhyne (Andy) recently had to leave the world of professional student and has entered the “real world” [his wife really likes the idea of him having a “real job”]; and is now a Post-Doctoral Research Associate in aquaculture at the University of Florida's (AKA: NATIONAL CHAMPIONS); Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences, Indian River Research and Education Center in Fort Pierce, Florida. During his undergraduate years spent at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington he worked in Dr. Joe Pawlik's chemical ecology lab on sponge metabolites and with Dr. Wade Watanabe conducting spawning experiments on Southern Flounder and Black Sea Bass.

His Masters and Dissertation research focused on peppermint shrimp, what most hobbyist call Lysmata wurdemanni. He is an expert on the systematics and taxonomy of the genus and is significantly revising the group. In addition to the sometime mind numbing taxonomic reviews he has cultured more than 30 species of decapod crustaceans and is an expert in the culture of many species of ornamental shrimps, crabs, and lobsters.

Currently he is conducting research on a vital missing link in aquaculture, mass culture of calanoid copepods. Collaborating with Erik Stenn President of AlgaGen LLC, a marine alga biotechnology firm in Vero Beach Florida, a growing number of copepod species are now available to aquarium hobbyist and aquaculture professionals. In the near future they will produce 100 million copepod eggs per day, radically enhancing the ability of fish culturist to successfully culture many species of fish larvae that are currently “impossible” to culture. The goal of this research project is to provide a source where fish culturist can order, on demand a supply of hatchable eggs or live nauplii.

Andrew has published over 15 peer reviewed journal articles; including a 40 page taxonomic revision of the Lysmata wurdemanni species complex. While interesting, this paper should not be read while driving or operating heavy machinery as it could cause drowsiness. Luckily the paper has a lot of drawings and a color plate. Hopefully, in the near future he will finally get around to publishing a few hobbyist papers on peppermint shrimp.

That's easy, Lysmata wurdemanni and Lysmata rathbunae. Well not really. For the past 6 years I've been revising this interesting genus of shrimp and at the risk of putting you to sleep (pillows and blankets will be provided) I'm going to spend the first 30 minutes of my talk introducing several new species of peppermint shrimp. While hobbyist have been keeping just about everything but Lysmata wurdemanni and Lysmata rathbunae in their reef tanks, no one really ever bothered to check the picture books (field guides) to see if they were taxonomically accurate. Luckily the talk has a lot of nice photos and drawings. Even some interesting X-rated Lysmata videos.

Advanced Techniques in Larviculture.

Now that everyone is asleep; I'll spend the next 30 minutes giving some very practical advice on some “advanced” techniques for larval rearing. While I will not show you how to raise a specific species or group; this presentation will help you understand some very important biological and environmental perimeters for rearing larvae. Hopefully you'll leave this session understand how incredibility toxic and dangerous the two worst and most commonly used live feeds (Artemia and Rotifers) are to your fish and shrimp larvae. Far too often live feeds are seen as a means to an end when, they are should be and are in fact the most important factor influencing your larvae's survival. Wild fish and shrimp larvae never encounter Aremtia and almost never ingest rotifers, so why would expect them to do so well on them in an artificial rearing environment? If one views Artemia and rotifers as toxic and vial substances then you're more likely to carefully use them.