Live food?

Jim Miller · Post by **Jim Miller** » Tue Mar 08, 2011 10:43 pm

Anyone do it?

What's the fav?

I'm a bit gunshy on Daphnia since collection in the wild could bring some hitchhikers. Any ideas on safe daphnia starter sources?

I've got a SFBay shrimp thingy that sorta works.

Any recommendations?

tnx
jim

halak · Post by **halak** » Tue Mar 08, 2011 11:10 pm

For fry or very small fish, you may try microworms. I can give you some. For newly hatched fry, you can use vinegar eels, which I can give you some, as well. The latter one is extremely easy to keep alive.

If you want Daphnia, I think Rick Dotson usually has some. If not, attend the PVAS Spring Auction on 4/2; I am sure there will be some Daphnia. If you find a place where you can collect it, let me know as I have not found a good collecting site in this country. I used to collect it in Europe, and I never had problems with hitchhikers (I always got them out of the holding container, so they never made it to the tanks). I also used to collect Cyclops which is a great live food, but again, I have not found a good collecting site for them here.

Also, if you can collect live mosquito larvae, you are lucky. Just make sure you know what their final stage looks like, so you can avoid them hatching in your tanks and you becoming their food.

Finally, I also usually have blackworms that you can buy in most independent fish stores.

Jim Miller · Post by **Jim Miller** » Tue Mar 08, 2011 11:17 pm

I'm looking at getting some more small fish from Rachel to accompany and complement the b. brigittae. Most of the care lit for these little guys recommend live food for some part of their diet.

Sounds like your vinegar eels would be a good idea. Do you maintain a culture of them somehow?

No shortage of mosquitos here in the summer. A bit sparse in the winter of course.

Now if critters would eat stinkbugs we'd have something! Found one swimming in the tank yesterday.

I'd like to take you up on your offer. How about the next club meeting?

Thanks!

Jim

halak · Post by **halak** » Wed Mar 09, 2011 12:21 am

I will probably be at the March meeting. Vinegar eels are for fry; they would be way too small for adult rasboras. And yes, I maintain a culture of them. The key to success is after setting it up not even looking at them for a few months.

g01ngog · Post by **g01ngog** » Wed Mar 09, 2011 12:31 am

I don't have much to say except I have the same wants as Jim Miller.

bussardnr · Post by **bussardnr** » Wed Mar 09, 2011 2:10 am

Jim, check out the killi club, I think thier next meeting is in baltimore

seiji64 · Post by **seiji64** » Wed Mar 09, 2011 8:21 am

Frank in PVAS keeps daphnia cultures and other live foods. I found notes on the talk he did on raising live foods here:

http://www.pvas.com/notes/notes0209.php

I'm a fan of black worms, if your fish are large enough to eat them. I keep them in the fridge in a black worm keeper and change the water out every couple of days. Fwiw, A lot of folks say to only use aged tap, but I've always used untreated tap or even RO waste water without ill effect. Adding dechlor products to the water did not work for me. I don't think my tap has chloramines in it though.

You should see both daphnia and black worms for sale at the PVAS Spring Auction on April 2.

Doug

FrannyB · Post by **FrannyB** » Wed Mar 09, 2011 9:49 pm

Frank brings daphnia to the CCA meetings as well. It's this Saturday.

DonkeyFish · Post by **DonkeyFish** » Wed Mar 09, 2011 10:09 pm

halak wrote:The key to success is after setting it up not even looking at them for a few months.

Totally true. I have a jar in the pantry with them and it is disturbing how little care they need! Of course any time I try to start another culture and go crazy taking care of them they don't survive. LOL!

Frank cowherd is for sure the best local resource for live food cultures or information. He maintains several different types at any given time, much to the dismay of his sweet wife! He takes orders and will deliver to CCA and PVAS meetings.

For blackworms, the best way is to get in on a group buy. You can get a half pound for the same price as a couple shot glasses worth at your local store. Not that you shouldn't support your LFS of course! I feed them to just about everything. And if you are trying to breed anything they are a great way to help trigger spawns. I can't say it will have the same result with people, but you could try! Please report back with your findings on that one.

Jim Miller · Post by **Jim Miller** » Wed Mar 09, 2011 10:27 pm

I got some blackworms today at Exotic Aquatics...shot glass amount.

I also got some freeze dried bloodworms and freeze dried shrimp.

I'll see what the critters think of them.

Where are the CCA meetings held?

Jim

Live food?

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