Ok to refrigerate live Zooplankton?

[djkms]

So I am curious. Is it ok to refrigerate live food, specifically rotifers, tisbe and tigger pods? I see a lot of places that say dont do it yet some companies (Reed for example) sell their products refrigerated. I am culturing roti's and pods and wonder if its ok to refrigerate them with the lid open? If it is ok what is the shelf life if live phyto is added to the bottle in the fridge?

Thanks!

 

[namxas]

I wouldn't refrigerate any warm water species (such as Tisbe), but it's OK to put "tiggers" in the fridge since they're a cool water pod.

It's best to just leave Tisbe sp. out with the lid just sitting loosely on top of the jar (not screwed on).

 

[billsreef]

Rots can handle being refrigerated with some phyto for a couple of weeks if needed. It's actually a great way to keep a back up rot culture with minimal attention, especially good for taking vacations

 

[djkms]

Curious then, how does Reed get away refrigerating all their live foods?

 

[billsreef]

Curious then, how does Reed get away refrigerating all their live foods?

The species of pod they produce are common to tide pools...think temperature extremes The rots and phytos also handle fridge temps well.

 

[GreshamH]

The species of pod they produce are common to tide pools...think temperature extremes The rots and phytos also handle fridge temps well.

Correct.

FWIW Tigger-pods are grown typical reef tank temps 75 - 85 depending on time of year. The green house they are grown in can get gable temps of 120f - 140f rather often in summer translating into air temps in the high 90's and low 100's. This would cook "tropical" copepods. I have frozen Tigger-pods and had most survive (well I didn't freeze them, a hotel did for me when I had a box shipped to myself).

The cold pretty much puts our live items into hibernation (very slow metabolism).

More on Tigger-Pods here: http://wiki.reefnutrition.com/w/page/14004561/Tigger-Pods FAQ (it says our tanks get to 65 but that was prior to us installing heaters in the tanks in the winter - which led to higher winter yields for us). Our greatest yields are when it is the warmest. that kinda flies directly in the face of the crowd that wants to claim they are cold water animals and the % of males shifts above 74 making their culture non viable. 5 years we've been growing this same culture.