ARK - Arizona Rivulin Keepers

The Scheel Letters, No. 25

I intend to stop sending eggs from about 01 Oct. 59 as I am going on my "summer" holiday at that time and will not be back before approximately 01 Nov. 59. After that time weather here might be too cold for safe shipping to overseas, whereas within Europe no doubt many shipments might come through in good order. During 1959 the normal way of handling eggs sent in ampoulles has been:

1) Washing eggs out of the ampoulles as soon as possible after receiving them.
2) Renewing water at once if "air" in ampoulle stinks.
3) Removing all white or fungused eggs during the following days from the open container in which eggs are stored.
4) Using methyleneblue, trypaflavine or KMNO4 for protection of eggs.
5) Sorting out of ripe eggs and a) hatching them (if they do not hatch themselves after having been ripe for 2-3 weeks) by using dry food ("non annuals") or b) packing them into moist peat for one or more weeks and then hatching them in water (in particular the Cynolebias/Pterolebias where "belly sliders" often occur). In some cases the (b) method did not work and all or most eggs died in peat. I do not know why. Normally the eggs hatched.