roti reef

S

SNAKEMANVET

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I just got my rotifers in on Monday and waited 3 days to change the water and harvest some rotifers.I have checked to see how many rotifers there is in 5ml of water,at the most I see 4 or 5 rotifers.When I dosed the roti reef food ,which I started from day on adding about 15 drops for a 4 gallons of water.When I dose the roti reef water turns green as normal,but after 30 minutes water is almost clear.I am lost to whats going on.The roti reef has been doing this from day one. Thanks
 
I could be wrong. But you aren't feeding enough. It should clear up by 12 hours later not 30 minutes. Your reproduction will be low if you don't feed enough.
 
I checked and my rotifers are low,according the instructions 10 drops twice a day should be enough.I still have rotifers in the bucket,but why isn't the water staying green.I put enough in to have a medium green color tint to the water,but 30 minutes later it is clear.
 
Well, It isn't staying green cause they are eating it. I say you aren't feeding enough because a rotifer will reproduce when it is 6 hours old. Yours are out of food in 1/2 hour so newly hatched rotifers have no food. I don't know where the 10 drops comes from but most instructions I have seen relate to milliliters not drops. 2 milliliter is 20-40 drops. Most will tell you it isn't a specific amount of feed it is based on tinting the water and having it clear before the next feeding. If you are feeding twice a day I think you wouldn't want it to clear in as little as 1/2 hour. Rotifers are tough and can take starvation but their reproduction will be low. You don't want them to run out so quickly.

I'd recommend upping it to a few ml and see when you come back if the water is clear or lightly tinted. You just don't want to overfeed dead food due to water quality concerns but it won't hurt them for 1/2 day. Up it a little and see what happens.

Gresham is the expert about this so maybe he'll stop by. There are other who are more experienced then I am.

I raise L-strain rotifers and feed 2 gallons of rots about 5-10 ml twice per day. I'm not as good as most about straining and such everyday. I strain 2-3 times per week and near the end they use the water up quickly. I'm right now just trying to maintain a decent population so that when I have babies I can up reproduction. I don't know how many per milliliter I have but in a few drops there are 20 or more so I'd estimate at least 500 per ml (on the low end). They reproduce exponentially so if you give them the food and keep the water quality from killing them they should fill your 4 gallon bucket in a week or so.
 
Thanks kizanne,I put some more roti reef in the culture at lunch.It was pretty green after putting in 5ml in a syringe.Will see what it looks like at lunch.I did change out about 30% yesterday and will be setting up another bucket today.Thanks again for your help.
 
Got home after work and water was clear again,I changed half the water and fed 3 ml.I tried looking for Rotifera in a quart jar and only seen about 10 to 15.Just wondering if there is a lot of babies I can't see.I was going to order some rg complete,but why $20.00 then have to pay $26.00 for shipping.So I ordered some more roti reef and only $4.99 for shipping.
 
Never tried roti reef but I know with the RG Complete, they grow like crazy, I don't change the water daily (cause I'm lazy) and when I view them under the microscope they have multiple eggs instead of a typical one. I also bought my RG a while back I will probably only have to order it twice a year.
 
Should I be able to see the Rotifera with a magnifying glass.I also don't know what strain of Rotifers I got.If so I am not seeing very many at all and the water doesn't stay green very long.I can dose 5 ml and about 30 minutes later I can see the bottom of the bucket. I am just lost about what's going on with my culture,or it could be bad food.
 
Well most people have the L-strain. I can see them (but not identify) them with the naked eye in sunlight or strong light (at least the adults). The S-strain is smaller but I would think you'd be able to see dots with a magnifying glass. I can see the whole structure of the rotifer with 40x microscrope.

When rotifer starve they can take 24 hours to really start reproducing again. If you put in food and it tints the water then goes clear without alot settled on the bottom then you have rotifers because they are eating the food.

So that means you have rotifers. When you change the culture do you strain it keeping the rotifers? or do you dump out the water, rotifers and all?

They will get more dense either way but if you are trying to get more then you can strain and keep the rotifers. Without a way to see them it is hard to tell how dense your culture is.

Don't worry you have rotifers if they are clearing your food. I'd try to get a magnifer or something to get a better idea of density.

I'd also put a small amount in a jar or cup on the side so that if you have a crash you have another starter culture.
 
Thanks Kizanne,I do have a lot settlement on the bottom of the bucket.I turned of air stone for about 30 minutes to let settle when I did a 50% water change yesterday.I dumped it all out Rotifers if I have any.What would be a good magnifier that doesn't cost a lot.
 
Sorry don't know. Until I sprung for my scope I used a crappy kids science kit scope.
But I know the drug stores have them for old people.
 
Thanks Gresham,I pulled some water out and looked and I seen some Rotifers in the water.Is it best to have a air stone or just ridged airline.
 
Well I fed the rotifer culture before bed last night,at 10.30.Checked on it this morning and water was clear and not seeing any Rotifers.Just wondering if the roti reef is settleing to the bottom and not get eating.I put some roti reef in the bucket just to see and after about 45 minutes,water is starting to get clear.
 
Turn up your aeration. it shouldn't settle out. You'll have the same issue with RGcomplete, or any other feed for that matter. Don't be afraid to get it boiling, they can take it. The old myth of it knocking off their eggs is wrong. Heck, I repeated that fallacy for years till I got corrected.

SNAKEMANVET said:
Got home after work and water was clear again,I changed half the water and fed 3 ml.I tried looking for Rotifera in a quart jar and only seen about 10 to 15.Just wondering if there is a lot of babies I can't see.I was going to order some rg complete,but why $20.00 then have to pay $26.00 for shipping.So I ordered some more roti reef and only $4.99 for shipping.
Click to expand...

FWIW if you have a LFS near you that sells Reef Nutrition, they can add it to their order.
 
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