Microfood culture: phytoplanktons, Rotifers, ciliates, Artemia, and copepods

[Bababou]

ok ive been reading about cultivating copapodes (bad speeling i know) but were can i get them to stat cultivating them.
Rob

 

[Bababou]

ok ive been reading about cultivating copapodes (bad speeling i know) but were can i get them to stat cultivating them.
Rob

 

[Bababou]

post glitch sorry

 

[jaybro]

As a side note to the above listed information... I have problems with slow growth of phyto in my basement due to the lower temperature (69f mostly). While the the phyto still grows, it grows slow. I wanted to stick with the separate 2l bottles rather than switching to one large culture so I would still be ok if a culture crashed and I didn't want to heat all the bottles separately.

To resolve this I took a standard 20gallon tank (I had one lying around, one of the 'long' or 'breeding' tanks would be more effective size wise) and filled it partially up with rodi water. I then place a heater in the tank to warm the tank water to the desired temperature, and my 2l bottles sit inside the tank and are warmed by the tank water. I keep phyto bottles on one side of the tank next to the light strips, and rots/bs on the nonlit side. I add a tad of bleach to the rodi tank water to prevent anything from growing in it so it stays clear. To date I've not changed the water in the warming tank, but it's not like it's tough to change a tank of sterile water in an empty tank when the time comes! (i.e. keeping the tank water clear for light transmission to the phyto bottles.) On that note, you don't have to have very much water in the tank to effectively transfer the heat to the bottles.

 

[Teremei]

Breeding amphipods

Breeding amphipods

Has anybody tried the IPSF method of beeding pods? Specifically, amphipods only?

They sell a kit, and you can use a dedicated 10 gal breeding tank the same as the link provides. Cept it seems like a different method.

Scroll to the 'pod breeding kit.

http://www.ipsf.com/#anchor45957

 

[NicoleC]

For those who have asked about copepods, you can get clean starter cultures of Nitokra lacustris and Tigriopus californicus at EssentialLiveFeeds.com, and a 3-species mix at www.oceapods.com. Also, Reed Mariculure offers starter cultures of copepods as well.

 

[lillibirdy]

Ok another ignorant newbie here, I just ordered some copepods and assumed with a rubble pile in my main tank they would breed... without much thought from me. The purpose is, so my 5 mo old FOWRL tank will SOME day have a mandrin in it. Now I read I need to feed them phyto? I also was going to have them in my ten gallon QT tank with a rubble pile. Is there any fish that WON't eat them, to keep in my QT tank to keep in cycled (and interesting, as it is in my living room). I am not thrilled with the idea of green water, but may have to go to plan b if necc.
KathyW

 

[Atticus]

You will need to use a phytoplankton to culture pods and I would suggest culturing them out side the tank and then just fedding them to the tank as needed. For greenwater I suggest buying directly from ReefTreats on eBay. They offer a good product at a low price. I have bought their 12 pack before when I was in a crunch since I had stopped producing phyto due to school obligations. They also offer rotifers which are excellent fry and coral food.

 

[lillibirdy]

Thanks Atticus. If I keep them in a ten gallon for example, with an airline, HOB filter and a rubble pile. How much phyto do I need to feed them?

Can I do it in a tank that looks normal with maybe one fish in it, or do I have to go green...lol.

 

[Atticus]

LOL, for a real culture NO FISH!!! Even one would graze on them all day. As far as the HOB goes you would need a small pore size sponge or filter over the intake tube to ensure the pods would not get sucked up and blended. Feeding only requires a light tinting of the water a minimum of once per day. If you remember and have the time tinting the water twice a day would be more benificial and lead to faster and more dense population growth.

 

[Bugger]

How viable will phytoplanton remain when you use skimmers and pumps to move water. I was thinking of having multiple tanks overflowing into each other with different cultures in each with a large skimmer in the sump.
Will this work?

 

[rsman]

How viable will phytoplanton remain when you use skimmers and pumps to move water. I was thinking of having multiple tanks overflowing into each other with different cultures in each with a large skimmer in the sump.
Will this work?

after repetitive head on desk banging
NO!!!
NO!!!
NO!!!

that skimmer will remove all of the phyto, and at the same time nicely remove most of the phyto food!!

the "combined" aproach wont work one will out compete for space and you will have 1 algae type

mixing water means contaminants if you reuse water like that at all it needs to be specially filtered

 

[Atticus]

Culturing of any live food needs to be done in a lab quality manner or you will get contamination. There is no set and forget method for culturing live foods. I guess the key to this is.... You get out what you put into it, or more often than not less than you put into it... That is why so many people are switching to just buying prepared foods as they are already done for you and most likely better quality.

 

[lillibirdy]

I am confused then. If skimmers remove phyto and phyto food, how come so many reefers have pods in there tanks. What with the fish eating them, and the skimmers removing food? Totally not being sarcastic here, I am confused, and don't want to waste my bottle of pods...

 

[Atticus]

THe pods are able to find food and shelter in the tank, but they are not able to build large populations, in a predatory environment, like they would be able to in a controlled and safe area. The reason phytoplankton additions are good for a reef tank is that you increase the available food for micro-organisms thereby increasing there survivability. Just as increasing the size of a rubble pile will increase the amount of shelter. These are small ways to increase in-tank pods, but direct culturing and feeding of the desired critters is far more productive and benificial.

 

[Bugger]

Sorry for the mix up Im not trying to culture pyhto in a mixed culture Im thinking about having a multiple zooplanton culture system. As most of you already know brime shrimp need good oxygen concentration to grow. How fast will a skimmer remove phyto, does anybody really know the answer to that question. Can you give some kind of study link or reference. Everybodyusing DT's is just pouring money down the drain if its that true.

Copepods don't eat just one thing they also eat diatoms and dirt maybe even bacteria.

 

[rsman]

Sorry for the mix up Im not trying to culture pyhto in a mixed culture Im thinking about having a multiple zooplanton culture system. aha well thatll work fine then, you just need to screen the overflows so that nothing good goes down them.

As most of you already know brime shrimp need good oxygen concentration to grow. uuh, brine shrimp dont need good anything to grow, including oxygen, there is 2 low numbers one where they change what they eat and how fast they breed its around 3ppm and one where they croak around 1ppm

How fast will a skimmer remove phyto, does anybody really know the answer to that question. the only problem with the answer is really a problem with the quesiton, look at the protein skimmers available commercially, are you really comparing an euro-reef with a seaclone??? also look at the flow rate vs volume if it takes 20 minutes for a single phyto cell to make its way to the skimmer to be removed, there is a good chance that a copepod or something might find it and eat it. and once that happens then its chances of being pulled are lower.

Can you give some kind of study link or reference. search around the DR Ron forum there is one in there

Everybodyusing DT's is just pouring money down the drain if its that true. no it gets back to that volume thing, and the amount of DT's thing, they are pouring some money down yea, but how much, and at what benefit if its not eaten eventually itll settle and decompose, decomposing in the skimmer collection cup provides no nutrient excess to the tank, decomposing in the tank does.

Copepods don't eat just one thing they also eat diatoms and dirt maybe even bacteria. my empty head isnt seeing anything that says they only eat one thing so if im not following that part point it out. but more or less diatoms are algae, i dont know of any copepod that eats dirt. bacteria consumption is secondary to algae.

 

[Atticus]

Just a side note on the DT's and other commercial phytos. Most of those bottles address the damage and removal, by pumps and filters, factor by telling customers to shut off all pumps and skimmers for a period of 15 minutes while feeding their product. This does allow the animals time to ingest a good portion of the product, but yes the reminants will be partially skimmed or destroyed when the system is turned back on, but it is a gradual dilution issue like RSMan stated not an immeadiate removal.

 

[rsman]

gradual dilution issue like RSMan stated not an immeadiate removal
yea but that sounds better

 

[MitchMC]

here is a very good reference from the united nations no less here is the table of contents

Manual on the Production and Use of Live Food for Aquaculture


1. INTRODUCTION

2. MICRO-ALGAE


2.1. Introduction
2.2. Major classes and genera of cultured algal species
2.3. Algal production


2.3.1. Physical and chemical conditions


2.3.1.1. Culture medium/nutrients
2.3.1.2. Light
2.3.1.3. pH
2.3.1.4. Aeration/mixing
2.3.1.5. Temperature
2.3.1.6. Salinity


2.3.2. Growth dynamics
2.3.3. Isolating/obtaining and maintaining of cultures
2.3.4. Sources of contamination and water treatment
2.3.5. Algal culture techniques


2.3.5.1. Batch culture
2.3.5.2. Continuous culture
2.3.5.3. Semi-continuous culture


2.3.6. Algal production in outdoor ponds
2.3.7. Culture of sessile micro-algae
2.3.8. Quantifying algal biomass
2.3.9. Harvesting and preserving micro-algae
2.3.10. Algal production cost


2.4. Nutritional value of micro-algae
2.5. Use of micro-algae in aquaculture


2.5.1. Bivalve molluscs
2.5.2. Penaeid shrimp
2.5.3. Marine fish


2.6. Replacement diets for live algae


2.6.1. Preserved algae
2.6.2. Micro-encapsulated diets
2.6.3. Yeast-based diets


2.7. Literature of interest
2.8. Worksheets


Worksheet 2.1.: Isolation of pure algal strains by the agar plating technique
Worksheet 2.2.: Determination of cell concentrations using haematocytometer according to Fuchs-Rosenthal and Burker.
Worksheet 2.3.: Cellular dry weight estimation of micro-algae.


3. ROTIFERS


3.1. Introduction
3.2. Morphology
3.3. Biology and life history
3.4. Strain differences
3.5. General culture conditions


3.5.1. Marine rotifers


3.5.1.1. Salinity
3.5.1.2. Temperature
3.5.1.3. Dissolved oxygen
3.5.1.4. pH
3.5.1.5. Ammonia (NH3)
3.5.1.6. Bacteria
3.5.1.7. Ciliates


3.5.2. Freshwater rotifers
3.5.3. Culture procedures


3.5.3.1. Stock culture of rotifers
3.5.3.2. Upscaling of stock cultures to starter cultures
3.5.3.3. Mass production on algae
3.5.3.4. Mass production on algae and yeast
3.5.3.5. Mass culture on yeast
3.5.3.6. Mass culture on formulated diets
3.5.3.7. High density rearing


3.5.4. Harvesting/concentration of rotifers


3.6. Nutritional value of cultured rotifers


3.6.1. Techniques for (n-3) HUFA enrichment


3.6.1.1. Algae
3.6.1.2. Formulated feeds
3.6.1.3. Oil emulsions


3.6.2. Techniques for vitamin C enrichment
3.6.3. Techniques for protein enrichment
3.6.4. Harvesting/concentration and cold storage of rotifers


3.7. Production and use of resting eggs
3.8. Literature of interest
3.9 Worksheets


Worksheet 3.1. Preparation of an indicator solution for determination of residual chlorine



4. ARTEMIA



4.1. Introduction, biology and ecology of Artemia


4.1.1. Introduction
4.1.2. Biology and ecology of Artemia


4.1.2.1. Morphology and life cycle
4.1.2.2. Ecology and natural distribution
4.1.2.3. Taxonomy
4.1.2.4. Strain-specific characteristics


4.1.3. Literature of interest


4.2. Use of cysts


4.2.1. Cyst biology


4.2.1.1. Cyst morphology
4.2.1.2. Physiology of the hatching process
4.2.1.3. Effect of environmental conditions on cyst metabolism
4.2.1.4. Diapause


4.2.2. Disinfection procedures
4.2.3 Decapsulation
4.2.4. Direct use of decapsulated cysts
4.2.5. Hatching


4.2.5.1. Hatching conditions and equipment
4.2.5.2. Hatching quality and evaluation


4.2.6. Literature of interest
4.2.7. Worksheets


Worksheet 4.2.1.: Procedure for estimating water content of Artemia cysts
Worksheet 4.2.2.: Specific diapause termination techniques
Worksheet 4.2.3.: Disinfection of Artemia cysts with liquid bleach
Worksheet 4.2.4.: Procedures for the decapsulation of Artemia cysts
Worksheet 4.2.5.: Titrimetric method for the determination of active chlorine in hypochlorite solutions
Worksheet 4.2.6.: Artemia hatching
Worksheet 4.2.7.: Determination of hatching percentage, hatching efficiency and hatching rate



4.3. Use of nauplii and meta-nauplii


4.3.1. Harvesting and distribution
4.3.2. Cold storage
4.3.3. Nutritional quality
4.3.4. Enrichment with nutrients
4.3.5. Enrichment for disease control
4.3.6. Applications of Artemia for feeding different species


4.3.6.1. Penaeid shrimp
4.3.6.2. Freshwater prawn
4.3.6.3. Marine fish
4.3.6.4. Freshwater fish
4.3.6.5. Aquarium fish


4.3.7. Literature of interest
4.3.8. Worksheets


Worksheet 4.3.1.: Standard enrichment for Great Salt Lake Artemia.



4.4. Tank production and use of ongrown Artemia


4.4.1. Nutritional properties of ongrown Artemia
4.4.2. Tank production


4.4.2.1. Advantages of tank production and tank produced biomass
4.4.2.2. Physico-chemical conditions
4.4.2.3. Artemia
4.4.2.4. Feeding
4.4.2.5. Infrastructure
4.4.2.6. Culture techniques
4.4.2.7. Enrichment of ongrown Artemia
4.4.2.8. Control of infections
4.4.2.9. Harvesting and processing techniques
4.4.2.10. Production figures and production costs


4.4.3. Literature of interest
4.4.4. Worksheets


Worksheet 4.4.1: Feeding strategy for intensive Artemia culture.



4.5. Pond production


4.5.1. Description of the different Artemia habitats


4.5.1.1. Natural lakes
4.5.1.2. Permanent solar salt operations
4.5.1.3. Seasonal units


4.5.2. Site selection


4.5.2.1. Climatology
4.5.2.2. Topography
4.5.2.3. Soil conditions


4.5.3. Pond adaptation


4.5.3.1. Large permanent salt operations
4.5.3.2. Small pond systems


4.5.4. Pond preparation


4.5.4.1. Liming
4.5.4.2. Predator control
4.5.4.3. Fertilization


4.5.5. Artemia inoculation


4.5.5.1. Artemia strain selection
4.5.5.2. Inoculation procedures


4.5.6. Monitoring and managing the culture system


4.5.6.1. Monitoring the Artemia population
4.5.6.2. Abiotic parameters influencing Artemia populations
4.5.6.3. Biotic factors influencing Artemia populations


4.5.7. Harvesting and processing techniques


4.5.7.1. Artemia biomass harvesting and processing
4.5.7.2. Artemia cyst harvesting and processing


4.5.8. Literature of interest
4.5.9. Worksheets


Worksheet 4.5.1.: Pond improvements and harvesting procedures
Worksheet 4.5.2.: Procedures for the brine processing step
Worksheet 4.5.3.: Procedures for the freshwater processing step





5. ZOOPLANKTON


5.1. Wild zooplankton


5.1.1. Introduction
5.1.2. Collection from the wild
5.1.3. Collection techniques


5.1.3.1. Plankton nets
5.1.3.2. Trawl nets
5.1.3.3. Baleen harvesting system
5.1.3.4. Flow-through harvesting
5.1.3.5. Plankton light trapping


5.1.4. Zooplankton grading
5.1.5. Transport and storage of collected zooplankton


5.2. Production of copepods


5.2.1. Introduction
5.2.2. Life cycle
5.2.3. Biometrics
5.2.4. Nutritional quality
5.2.5. Culture techniques


5.2.5.1. Calanoids
5.2.5.2. Harpacticoids


5.2.6. Use of resting eggs
5.2.7. Applications in larviculture


5.3. Mesocosm systems


5.3.1. Introduction
5.3.2. Types of mesocosms


5.3.2.1. Pold system (2-60 mÃ"šÃ‚³)
5.3.2.2. Bag system (50-200 mÃ"šÃ‚³)
5.3.2.3. Pond system
5.3.2.4. Tank system


5.3.3. Mesocosm protocol
5.3.4. Comparison to intensive methods


5.4. Literature of interest


6. CLADOCERANS, NEMATODES AND TROCHOPHORA LARVAE


6.1. Daphnia and Moina


6.1.1. Biology and life cycle of Daphnia
6.1.2. Nutritional value of Daphnia
6.1.3. Feeding and nutrition of Daphnia
6.1.4. Mass culture of Daphnia


6.1.4.1. General procedure for tank culture
6.1.4.2. Detrital system
6.1.4.3. Autotrophic system
6.1.4.4. General procedure for pond culture
6.1.4.5. Contamination


6.1.5. Production and use of resting eggs
6.1.6. Use of Moina


6.2. Nematodes
6.3. Trochophora larvae


6.3.1. Introduction
6.3.2. Production of trochophora larvae


6.3.2.1. Mussel larvae
6.3.2.2. Pacific oyster and Manila clam larvae


6.3.3. Quality control of the produced trochophora larvae
6.3.4. Cryopreservation


6.4. Literature of interest