Feeding Rotifers Cryopastes

[Mac1]

About 3 weeks ago I got a sample of rotifer culture from a local reefer. Good stuff, I've been keeping it alive in an old Mott's Apple-Juice container on the table next to my tank. Have had to dose them several times to my tank, as the culture was getting too dense!
Anyways, been feeding them DT's, and they're doing just fine. Water changes from a slight green, to a honey-brown color in a matter of hours (hungry little bastards!). However using DT's is getting rather expensive...

Has anyone ever tried raising them on cryopaste microalgae?
I've got a little bit left from last year in my freezer, and will be placing an order w/ BrineShrimpDirect.com shortly... Just curious if anyone's had any success.. or does the frozen stuff just foul the water too quickly?

I've tried growing microalgae culture's in the past, and not had a lot of luck. I was hesitant to even try the rotifer's, but figured I could just put a few drop's of DT's in there when I feed that to my tank... Well, the rotifers take a shot of DT's a day, and as you know... that gets expensive FAST!
Thanks.

- Mac

 

[plankton123]

The antifreeze in the pastes will leave a film that will eventually lead to more bacteria growth unless you change water very often. If you can manage it live nanno (e.g. DT's is the way to go). You can always start your own nanno culture that you can feed directly to your tank and to the roti culture. Just keep the two separate since as you've found out if the rotis get even near the nanno culture the nanno will be eaten up in no time.

Good luck.

Scott

PS Since adding nanno to my 100G reef I've got tons of feather duster worms, pods and sponge growth.

 

[Mac1]

Thanks PLankton... I was hoping somebody wouldn't say something like that . I'd forgotten all about the Glycerin. Damnit. I simply can't afford to buy DT's at the rate these little bastard's are consuming it, and the culturing the live stuff was something I tried once before, but had little success. I was hoping to avoid it. However, the way they grow... you've got me to thinking about using it anyway, and as you say, re-starting the culture's rather frequently. Think I could get by w/ changing the culture's over once every two weeks?

- Mac

 

[plankton123]

Yea, there is no reason you can't have a continuous roti culture and just take 3/4 off every week to two weeks. Most roti growers I know grow them in the dark and drip food into the roti tank. However, I know a few that were able to successfully maintain a naturally sunlit tank and added live nanno every once and awhile. The tank needs to be big to control ammonia/nitrite and the occational explosive growth if there is too much nanno.

Growing your own nanno is easy! Just take one of those nanno disks from florida farms, some f/2 solution (or the equiv you can now get from kent marine) and add some bubbles and light and you are on your way. I've grown nanno directly from DT's but it isn't as easy (it really depends how fresh you can get the DT and how it has been handled).

Where are you located? If you have trouble getting f/2 I might be able to get some ~20ml or so to you to experiement with.

Scott

 

[Fredfish]

Reed Mariculture has actually stopped putting antifreeze in there phyto.

If you go to their site, I think it is www.algae.com, they have instructions on raising rotifers on frozen phyto.

Fred.

 

[plankton123]

Better link might be:

http://www.instant-algae.com

Looks like Tahitian Blend sold by brineshrimpdirect takes four of Reed Mariculture's algaes and preserves them in antifreeze. I don't know if that means Instant Algae doesn't. But, I do know that Reed Mariculture has some live cultures now (and some pods) for sale (although a bit pricey for me).

One trick Reed Mariculture uses to get high roti cultures is the ClorAm-Ox stuff that neutralizes ammonia. One of the biggest problems when culturing rotis is that the water pollutes so fast because they eat so much!

You might want to check that stuff out.

Good site for information nontheless.

Scott