Feeding Daphnia

[jennifer]

Yes, ordinary bakers yeast from the store.

 

[joseph]

I've been culturing daphnia with some success for a month or so now.

two 5 gallon buckets outside which I put water from water changes out of my fish tanks into. I add in banana peels, old fish food, old microworms cultures, pretty much any rich organic matter in modest amounts and before long you get greenwater. Need a place outside that gets at least some direct sun. Keep your daphnia in another container, and when the water goes clear empty most of the water of the daphnia culture through a BS net to harvest and refill with greenwater.

 

[jazz]

If I went looking for one of these "high pressure lamps" is there any other name I should know to ask about?

I just got a daphnia culture from Blue Spruce Science supply and am housing it in a 10gal. only partially filled with water. I have 2 jugs turning green for their food outside with an airpump. I will put in an airtube for the daphnia today. I only started with about 50 daphnia- I know that we're supposed to split the group in case one fails... but I have limited space. any ideas? It is ok to keep them in a tub outside?

Thanks for the help!

 

[jennifer]

Hi Jazz, yes, they can be kept outside. You might want to try raising some inside and some outside - if one way fails, the other may be just fine. If you are producing green water for them, there is no reason that you need any light over the daphnia themselves. Mine are kept in a rather dark corner of a room. They only need light if you want the algae to grow in with them.

I'd suggest filling the 10-gallon tank all the way up. Also, be sure to use water that contains no chlorine/chloramine but also does not contain dechlorinating chemicals. Use either old tank water, or water dechlorinated by carbon filter or aging.

One note about keeping tubs outdoors. I had a tub outdoors and accidentally drowned a pair of local rodents (not sure what they were - about the size of rats, but much cuter). If you keep tubs outside, be sure to put a plank in them so any animals that fall in can get back out. Also, outdoor cultures will grow a variety of other "bugs". Most of these are good newt food, so that's not a problem.

(Message edited by jennewt on September 13, 2006)

 

[jazz]

Thanks!!

 

[jacob]

Jazz, you might also try putting a couple of dried leaves (oak, maple...) in a tub of water. After a few days, the water will turn a light brown color. Add half of this water and half aged aquarium water to a tub to feed daphnia. I also throw in some granulated trout pellets. But remember, the if you let the leaves sit in the water too long, it will alter the pH and probably kill your precious culture, so be sure to remove the leaves after the water is light brown.