ROTIFERS and COPEPODS
MAINTAIN CULTURES WITH ANF RUSALTY PHYTOPREME LIVE
Live rotifers & copepods are microscopic in size. You may see the adults with the naked eye, but you will need a magnifying glass & a flashlight to see the juveniles & babies. Use a magnifying lens & shine a flashlight into the water to obtain a better view. Sometimes they will cluster in a corner or at the bottom. If you see little specks of “sand” or “dust”, you are seeing copepods & rotifers. Some lay dormant on the bottom, while others move around.
WHEN LOOKING AT OUR PODS CULTURES, YOU WILL NOTICE A BROWN YELLOWISH TINGE TO THE WATER. THIS IS NORMAL. WE PACK OUR PODS WITH 5 TYPES OF LIVE ALGAE FOR THE BEST NUTRITIONAL PROFILE.
SLOWLY ACCLIMATE BY PLACING JAR/BOTTLE/BAG INTO YOUR TANK. FLOAT IN AQUARIUM FOR AT LEAST½ HOUR BEFORE INTRODUCING INTO YOUR TANK.
IN SEVERE COLD or in SEVERE HOT WEATHER, YOU MAY HAVE TO ACCLIMATE FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.ANIMALS WILL BE LETHARGIC DUE TO COLD TEMPS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO SLOWLY ACCLIMATE THEM TO INDOOR ROOM TEMP BY FLOATING JAR IN AQUARIUM FOR AN HOUR OR MORE BEFORE INTRODUCING.
CARE INSTRUCTION GUIDELINE:
This culture can be kept alive for a short period of time if you follow the instructions for batch culturing below.
Or, this culture can be fed to your aquarium as soon as you receive it. Follow acclimation instructions below. It is packaged in sterile salt water, so it is safe to add directly to your aquarium.
VERY IMPORTANT: These are live critters, so sudden change in temperatures can hurt their survival rate, stun & may even kill them.
ACCLIMATION:Float rotifers & copepods in aquarium for 1 hr. adding a cup of aquarium water every 10 min. Then pour half of contents into sump or refugium & other half in your main tank.
SHORT TERM BATCH CULTURE METHOD:
It’s relatively simple to culture these rotifers & copepods separate from your aquarium for a month or so. Then you can periodically feed some to your corals and tank inhabitants etc.
When you receive your rots & pods, place them in a larger container,( 5 or 10 gal tank will do). Increase water volume by 25% or ¼ every 24 hours, starting on first day.
Place air stone on low setting, just enough to disturb the water. These critters do not like turbulence.
Feed with some live micro algae, (tetraselmis, Nannochloropsis, Isochrysis) or with our ROTI-FOOD that we sell in our store. One type of algae is OK in the short term, but the more types you feed, the better off your rotifers & copepods will be. Like a person eating a balanced diet as opposed to eating the same food on a daily basis. Innoculate enough algae to lightly tint the water, then wait until the critters consume most of the algae. When your water clears, add some more algae.
This culture method is straight forward. Easy to accomplish in the short term, say 1 to 2 months. Then you will eventually start to have water quality issues.
Salinity: 1.014 – 1.022
Temp: 74 – 85 deg. F