Clam Shrimp (Conchostraca)

Clam shrimps are very actively for a month after hatching, then they go down to the bottom of lake and lay on the mud or dig around. Most of them don't go up to the surface of water unless the water is too warm or other bad coditions happen. Clam shrimps have two parts of clear shells and it is able to see inside. Usually they are bright orange color, and become dark-red after a month, and it'll be hard to see inside of the shell because algae(bacteria) will grow on the outside of the shell. They have two legs to swim and many other legs inside of the shell to filter food. Clam shrimps grow up to 3/8 inch (10mm) long, 1/4 inch (7mm) wide, 1/5 inch (5mm) deep (shell size), and survive more than 12 weeks in best condition.

About a half of male clam shrimps find its mate in their life. When a male clam shrimp find a female, they bind together and only the male swims around in water or sink down to the bottom along. And they don't separate until one side die or forced by something, but all the female clam shrimps can produce eggs either having partner or not. Female clam shrimps develop the eggs in the body and when it become mature they keep the eggs inside of the shell for a while before release. Sometimes eggs are stayed inside of the shell when female clam shrimp die without releasing, and those eggs can hatch too.

Clam shrimp's eggs are very small, about 0.13~0.16mm, and look like a shiny yellow ball. Usually eggs hatch out in about 30 to 48 hours (sometimes in 16 hours) after exposed to water, and baby clam shrimps are about 0.3mm long when just hatched. The shell starts to be developed at its back (up side) on the next day, and becomes bigger to cover whole body of the clam shrimp in another two days. Clam shrimps are growing slower than any other crustaces in dry lake of Arizona, but survive longer.