Jump to content


Photo

Copepods from the quarry?


  • Please log in to reply
4 replies to this topic

#1 Fleendar the Magnificent

Fleendar the Magnificent
  • NANFA Guest
  • Ohio

Posted 30 March 2019 - 02:35 PM

I always get my tank water from the quarry down by the river and I picked up two-5 gallon buckets yesterday. When I did a partial water change in the tank with my pumpkinseed I discovered a million and 1 of these tiny white critters with 2 micro thin legs at their head. They haven't been there all winter until now as it warms up. They're a micron bigger than live baby brine shrimp. Are these copepods? I am assuming that they are and that natural foods are the best.

Sorry for the poor photo, they do not stand still, but the fish seem to really like them.

Attached Files



#2 swampfish

swampfish
  • NANFA Member

Posted 30 March 2019 - 04:53 PM

From their shape, they appear to be Cyclops, a common genus freshwater copepods that make great live fish food. 

 

Every year when I turn over my stock tanks and fill them, I get "blooms" of Daphnia., a genus of cladoceran. Another great live fish food.

 

Both copepods and cladocerans are groups of microcrustaceans. They tend to more numerous in colder water in the spring.

 

Phil Nixon



#3 Matt DeLaVega

Matt DeLaVega
  • Forum Staff
  • Ohio

Posted 30 March 2019 - 05:42 PM

I find keeping live food cultures to be every bit as rewarding as keeping the intended consumers.


The member formerly known as Skipjack


#4 gerald

gerald
  • Global Moderator
  • Wake Forest, North Carolina

Posted 31 March 2019 - 10:50 AM

Or maybe Diaptomus, another copepod that swarms in mid-water.  I find Cyclops to be more assocaited with surfaces; not so much in mid-water.


Gerald Pottern
-----------------------
Hangin' on the Neuse
"Taxonomy is the diaper used to organize the mess of evolution into discrete packages" - M.Sandel


#5 Fleendar the Magnificent

Fleendar the Magnificent
  • NANFA Guest
  • Ohio

Posted 31 March 2019 - 11:15 AM

These are surface critters. It's a stone quarry that I get them from and the water is about 4 feet deep where I bucket from. Looking closely at them I see what looks like egg sacs on either side of the tail. I was thinking Cyclops but wasn't sure. Massive bloom and the water is kind of murky because there's so many. Kept the punky occupied all night.
Wish I had a way to breed them and keep the food source going.




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users