Phyto is done, now for some ROTIFERS!!!

[Mr James]

I plan to order my rotifer culture next week from FAF (Florida Aqua Farms). I plan to raise them in the same manner I am doing my phytoplankton cultures. May be tricky and I may have to go to a 10g tank if the bag/bottles doesn't work out, but I will try to avoid that as it is a pain. Pictures coming soon.

[Mr James]

I think I am going to order my rotifers from this place over in St Augustine: http://www.aquaculturestore.com/index.html Not that FAF isn't good at what they do, I just want to try different places. Check out the web site, it has some good stuff in it.

[IslandCrow]

James, Suzi, what type of phyto are you two culturing again. I'm seriously considering starting my own culture, but what I was thinking was if we each did a different type, we could share and get a better variety in our tanks. Of course, I'm assuming that's a good thing. Also, maybe I could try out raising some mysis or some such thing for our fishies, especially since it seems my new blenny is just as picky when it comes to eating as the one I got before. This one looks much cooler, though, so he may be worth the trouble.

[Mr James]

I am doing nannochloropsis and will start a tatraselmis when I see Suzi next. She is doing the same two I think, plus maybe iso--------something or other... Between the three of us, I think it would be good do try one or all. Because, if my tatra crashes and I don't have a back-up, I can always get a bottle from one of you to start a new one.

We should discuss this topic in a round table forum so we don't miss out on anything.

[SueQ]

I've got Tetraselmis and Nannochloropsis in culture. I've also got some Iso I'm trying ot get going. I had Rhodomonas but the culture was bad. One of the grads students I work with is ordering some more Rhodo after Turkey Day and will be passing some along to me as part of the "don't put your eggs all in one basket" phylosophy. I'm all about sharing what I've got:) Tetra and Nanno have been super easy to culture. Rhodo will be a bit more but only b/c it requires a bit more feed than the others.
Agree w/ James-Roundtable discussion would be good so we're not all duplicating efforts. Maybe we'll each have a knack at growing something different:)

James, that place sounds good. Just put me down for 1/2 of what you get. Maybe get a big thingy of rots and we'll spit it, plus split s/h?

[Mr James]

by SueQ
James, that place sounds good. Just put me down for 1/2 of what you get. Maybe get a big thingy of rots and we'll spit it, plus split s/h?

Sounds good.

[IslandCrow]

OK, this cracked me up from the website James posted:

up - Fiddler Crabs In Lots of 10 (Uca pugnax) These guys will fiddle there way into your hearts..even though they're crabs! Octopi like to hear them fiddle from the inside!

I'll probably try my hand at some copepods later on, but any suggestions from you guys on phyto. I'd like to do something different or at least something only one of you is doing, so probably not Nano, but maybe Tetra. What else is out there that would be worth looking into?

[Mr James]

by IslandCrow
What else is out there that would be worth looking into?

If you did young brine shrimp, before they reached adult sizes and become as Suzi puts it "cotton candy", I'd be interested in trading/buying it off of you to feed my fish. Lord knows my harem of Anthias needs them.

**UPDATE**

I am going to get some rotifers off of another RC member and get the culture going. My fish are HUNGRY!!!

[IslandCrow]

Brine shrimp may not be a bad starter once I get the phyto going. It's easy to find brine shrimp eggs, and they're supposed to be pretty easy to raise. Maybe I'll try them out.

[DrHank]

Hang a collection cup inside the lip of your tank (preferably filled with water from the tank. Drop in an airstone. Add a teaspoon of brine shrimp eggs. In 24-36 hours the eggs will hatch, shells go to the top and hatchlings to the bottom. Baby brine are ready to feed. If you want them a little larger you might add a teaspoon of phyto and wait a day or to for them to grow. Instant fish (and possibly invert) chow. It's almost too easy!

[Mr James]

Doc, how do you keep the collection cup submereged?? Wouldn't it float?? Or does it have holes in it??

[Mr James]

Received my Rotifers and they look great. I have them in two separte containers with a lot of phytoplankton after that long trip. I may try to break some out maybe this Friday and feed it to my system.

Also got my Tetra culture from Suzi and will be toying around when feeding the Rots.

[IslandCrow]

Awesome idea, Doc. I think I may definitely try that out. My two blennies are still being really picky eaters, and that would be much easier than weekly trips down to Fish Biz for adult brine.

[DrHank]

You fill the cup just higher than the level of the tank. The extra water in the cup and force of gravity keep it in place. I tried to get my butterfly to eat that way (unfortunately it didn't work) but everything else in the tank went nuts over the baby brine. Another trick is to add a little phyto to the collection cup after the brine have hatched. Let the brine feed on the phyto for a couple of days and then feed. That way you've really given them something with some nutrition. It's so easy that even a caveman can do it. No wait, that's been taken. Good luck!

[Mr James]

Harvested half on one container of rots tonight and filled it back up with new water and lots of phyto. Per the suggestion of the guy who sold me the stuff, I may switch to a larger vessel. But that kinda ruins my plans for the bags. I don't know. If I get a bunch of crashes, then I will go bigger. I'd show you a picture, but it looks just like the phyto bottles, but a little lighter green. I can see them swimming around in there though!!

[DrHank]

That's really got to be cool! They have to be more nutritional than baby brine but brine are so easy to raise. Its eggs to chow in a couple of days. I guess I have to admit to being lazy.