Boatloads of Daphnia

Here at Big Fish Farms, we hatch and grow out 10-50,000 paddlefish every year. The first six to 8 weeks of their lives they feed entirely on daphnia. Where to get the tons of water fleas necessary to get these guys growing? Our local water treatment plant!

Daphnia are a natural byproduct of the clarifier portion of the treatment process. In the spring they turn the water a bright orange there are so many. We harvest 500 pounds of daphnia twice a day with a collection net and cup and haul them to our hatchery via an oxygenated fish hauler on the back of our pickup. Each pull of the net produces about a basketball-sized clump of assorted daphnia. It's not pretty but it works and the price is right. After our fish start to take pellets, we bring a big BBQ supper to the guys at the plant and they look forward to us coming the next year.

Wish someone would hook me up like that.

when you say water plant are you referring to waste water plant? if so my mom is the lab manager at our local water treatment plant . i need to ask her

ramiro its nice to see another active member from mass. do you go out and collect much?

Edited by bumpylemon, 05 April 2010 - 04:42 PM.

i just confirmed with her. and she said yup that its a byproduct. thanks for posting this!!!!!

Edited by bumpylemon, 05 April 2010 - 04:57 PM.

when you say water plant are you referring to waste water plant? if so my mom is the lab manager at our local water treatment plant . i need to ask her

ramiro its nice to see another active member from mass. do you go out and collect much?

I've been out a few times, but I've been unable to find my main targets like sticklebacks and blackbanded sunfish. Maybe this will be the year.

I've been out a few times, but I've been unable to find my main targets like sticklebacks and blackbanded sunfish. Maybe this will be the year.

im actually after those 2 species as well. are you targeting the freshwater stickles? we catch those when we take trips out to NY with other NANFA members. I tried ging for blackbandeds as well last year at the cape. those sunfish were this years goal for me as well! if you ever wanna go out and seine or dipnet maybe we can plan something.

im actually after those 2 species as well. are you targeting the freshwater stickles? we catch those when we take trips out to NY with other NANFA members. I tried ging for blackbandeds as well last year at the cape. those sunfish were this years goal for me as well! if you ever wanna go out and seine or dipnet maybe we can plan something.

I'm just trying to catch any sticklebacks, freshwater or not. I would prefer a freshwater strain, though. I'm game for another outing.

Where to get the tons of water fleas necessary to get these guys growing? Our local water treatment plant!
[...]
Daphnia are a natural byproduct of the clarifier portion of the treatment process. In the spring they turn the water a bright orange there are so many. We harvest 500 pounds of daphnia twice a day with a collection net and cup and haul them to our hatchery via an oxygenated fish hauler on the back of our pickup. Each pull of the net produces about a basketball-sized clump of assorted daphnia. It's not pretty but it works and the price is right.

Cool, but does sound rather gross. Do you need to take any biohazard precautions during the harvest or use of the daphnia?

Cool, but does sound rather gross. Do you need to take any biohazard precautions during the harvest or use of the daphnia?

That is a good question, I'd like to see the answer so I'll bump this to see if anyone knows. Our local plant is close to where I live, the smell is obvious when you drive by, lol

That is a good question, I'd like to see the answer so I'll bump this to see if anyone knows. Our local plant is close to where I live, the smell is obvious when you drive by, lol

Sorry I haven't been here in a while. We just hatched 100,000 with hopes of keeping 60,000. This year we have an extra tank and will hatch and raise hybrid striped bass. Man, they are small, just a flea speck. My first time with rotifers too, I could use some help if anyone has rotifer raising experience.

Back to the question: Common sense prevails while capturing daphnia in a water clarifier. Wear gloves, goggles, breathe through your nose and keep your mouth closed (the most important part, trust me). Wash your clothes in bleach after use. We have found that if you ask nicely, the managers and employees of the treatment plant look at you as a pleasant distraction and help in any way they can.

Go Here> http://www.thefishsi...er-sewage-tanks <for more information.