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Daphnia, Scuds,


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#1 Guest_Elijah_*

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Posted 16 January 2010 - 03:09 PM

So from what I understand, having read many posts, I can put some scuds or daphnia in my cannister filter and they will reproduce? I only have two chambers in use in my three chamber filter. Should I put them in the empty chamber? Should I put some ceramic filter media in the empty space to give them something to hold on to?
Where can I get daphnia?
I need scuds, but can get them myself in the spring.
What would be a good food to feed Ellesoma fry that I can grow myself?
Could I also do this in HOB filters or would the water flow be too much?
Thanks!

Edited by Elijah, 16 January 2010 - 03:10 PM.


#2 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 19 January 2010 - 08:35 PM

I have had scuds living in my Aquaclear HOB sponges, though I do not think they were reproducing. I know others have had colonies form in filters. They need some kind of structure- coarse pads, sponges, maybe even ceramic media.

Daphnia cannot handle much flow. You could raise them in a sump refugium with gentle or intermittent current, but I do not think they would do well in a power filter. It would be easier to raise them in a separate container (or preferably containers).

Any pond should have daphnia, copepods, and other microcrustacea. Shallow, fish-free, high nutrient waters such as livestock ponds, leaf-filled forest pools, or temporarily flooded fields (as on some waterfowl reserves) tend to have the highest populations. You should be able to get some even now, but populations are higher in early spring, after algae and plankton populations start to boom but before predatory invert and salamander populations catch up. Any reasonably fine fishnet will work, or make your own with pantyhose.

I have not bred Elassoma, but I expect the fry could handle young daphnia. If not, try an "infusoria" culture. Just crush a small amount grass clippings or lettuce in a container of water and set it out; bacteria will soon colonize it, followed by paramecia, rotifers, and other microorganisms that are a good size for tiny fish. This is also a good way to get mosquito larvae, which adult Elassoma love.

By the way, it will be easier for everyone if you put down your real location. For example, if you live in the Great Lakes area, I would warn you about the possibility of collecting spiny water fleas, an invasive cladoceran that can take over your daphnia colony and which is difficult or unpleasant for small fishes to eat.

#3 Guest_Elijah_*

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Posted 20 January 2010 - 03:30 PM

I think I will try scuds in my cannister filter and fill the chamber with hollow ceramic media.
My situation is limited space. I think the wife is pretty sick of my containers full of water all over the place. Would a one gallon jar be big enough to sustain a decent colony of Daphnia? I am in VT right now, so I suspect that it would be hard to find any- cold weather- ice and snow. I'm not sure what they actually look like either. I get frozen ones, but they just look like little white dots stuck together. Could you describe what to look for?
To get infusoria going do I need to wait for warm weather? I assume I would need to put the container of crushed greens and water outside, or would this process work indoors? What does infusoria look like?
Thanks for the info!

#4 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 20 January 2010 - 03:55 PM

You can raise daphnia in gallon jars, or even quart jars. Plastic freezer containers work well. You would probably want several batches- colonies, especially small ones, are prone to crashing.

Daphnia look like small, brown, translucent seeds. When in the water they move with a stop-and-start motion. You can see them moving about in the water from two or three feet away if there is good lighting. Here's my method: take a jar down to the pond, partly fill it with water, then scull the net back and forth several times through the water. Evert the net and push it into the jar to shake any daphnia and copepods free. If you don't see anything moving in the jar after a few good sweeps, move to another part of the pond.

Infusoria don't need to be raised outdoors, though I prefer to as the colonies can smell a bit. There will be enough microorganisms on the greens or drifting through the air to get you started. You won't be able to see them without a microscope. Just know that when the water starts to get funky, it's probably teeming with critters.

#5 Guest_Elijah_*

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Posted 20 January 2010 - 07:04 PM

You can raise daphnia in gallon jars, or even quart jars. Plastic freezer containers work well. You would probably want several batches- colonies, especially small ones, are prone to crashing.

Daphnia look like small, brown, translucent seeds. When in the water they move with a stop-and-start motion. You can see them moving about in the water from two or three feet away if there is good lighting. Here's my method: take a jar down to the pond, partly fill it with water, then scull the net back and forth several times through the water. Evert the net and push it into the jar to shake any daphnia and copepods free. If you don't see anything moving in the jar after a few good sweeps, move to another part of the pond.

Infusoria don't need to be raised outdoors, though I prefer to as the colonies can smell a bit. There will be enough microorganisms on the greens or drifting through the air to get you started. You won't be able to see them without a microscope. Just know that when the water starts to get funky, it's probably teeming with critters.

What do you think is the best thing to feed daphnia?

#6 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 20 January 2010 - 07:19 PM

I give mine yeast, ground-up fish food, green water, filter rinsings, and small amounts of bread, vegetable scraps, and plant trimmings. They feed on some of this stuff directly, and also feed on the microorganisms that feed on the organic matter. They aren't that picky, but I like to give a varied diet, as I expect it improves the daphnia's nutritional profile. Just be careful not to add so much food that you foul the water.

#7 Guest_Elijah_*

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Posted 08 August 2010 - 04:19 PM

Would it work to keep daphnia and scuds together?

#8 Guest_gzeiger_*

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Posted 08 August 2010 - 04:45 PM

Maybe in a larger setup, but scuds can be predatory and probably would eat all daphnia in a gallon jar.

#9 Guest_Elijah_*

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Posted 12 August 2010 - 06:36 PM

OK, how about keeping blackworms with daphnia outdoors in a 20 gallon container pond?

#10 Guest_gzeiger_*

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Posted 13 August 2010 - 11:22 PM

I don't see any reason they wouldn't get along. Where is "outdoors" though? The answer may be different depending on the climate. I do think you'll have difficulty harvesting worms in useful quantities from a pond setup, but it certainly could have its uses.

#11 Guest_Elijah_*

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Posted 20 August 2010 - 11:57 PM

Outdoors is in a 29 gallon tub full of green water in VT.




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