Need rotifers for newly hatched perc larvae

[tonypittman]

Just hatched last night, and trying to keep them alive for first few days using warmed up frozen rotifers. Surprisingly, none of the LFS' have rotifer sources available.

Can anyone suggest a reliable, quick source for rotifers and/or rotifer culture startup? Can I feed the culture wit DT's Phytoplankton?

 

[tonypittman]

Oh...also...am I nuts trying this without live rotifers? Wilkerson's book (p. 169) says it may be possible, and a guy at my LFS says he's had success in smaller numbers.

 

[Slakker]

Only one way to find out, keep trying!

 

[mobert]

I've done it with newly hatched brine shrimps but it must be very newly hatched. One day old baby brine won't work and you have to feed just enough very often. The San Francisco Bay Brine shrimps are slightly smaller than the Great Lakes kind. It would be better to get your rotifers going and be ready for the next clutch which should be coming soon. It is possible with baby brine but is is much harder and survival rate is lower.

Also, if the larvae hatched last night, you are already too late to hatch baby brine and also too late to FedEx rotifers.

I've gotten rotifers from:
http://www.reed-mariculture.com/rotifer/

Congrats on the hatching of clownfish. Best of luck with the future clutches.

 

[tonypittman]

Thanks, Mobert. So far, I've been giving them thawed and warmed frozen rotifers. They seem to be hunting them , but I have to keep the rotifers stirred up since they are not alive and moving. I hope that if I can keep the larvae feeding on thawed rotifers I can get some live ones shortly.

 

[rkelman]

Good luck tonypittman. Even if you don't save this clutch. Think of what you are learning..

 

[tonypittman]

Mona, thanks for suggesting http://www.reed-mariculture.com/rotifer/
I ordered a starter kit. If it makes it in time for this current clutch, great. Otherwise, I'll use it to be sure I'm ready for next time.

rkelman, I share your view. Worst case, I've learned what I'll need to know for the future. Who knows, along the way, I just might get a few of these guys to survive.

 

[mobert]

Some other links that might be helpful are:

The brine shrimp eggs I used:

http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/c2...-p44.html?BRINESHR=calv4ucuu7arngqru8dtrsak24

Golden Pearls is a good second food:

http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/GP-Diets-c11.html

After the above foods, I mostly fed cyclop-eeze.

 

[tonypittman]

2nd clutch arrived on Friday, 8-AUG. This time, I have live rotifers. Trying to culture them. I am having trouble figuring out if they are reproducing though. Maybe I added too much algae, but the water has not gone clear after 4 days. I just split off a 3rd container and put in a very small amount of algae (from www.thephytolady.com). I hope to see if it will go clear in the next 24-48 hours so I can be sure the rotifers are feeding.

 

[rkelman]

If its not clearing in 4 days they aren't dense enough yet. Do you have aeration in the cultures?

 

[tonypittman]

yes, rigid airline with couple bubbles per second. Ordered some more just in case.

 

[rkelman]

Ok that sounds good.