Can we talk about Rotifers?

[cabrego]

OK, I might be a bit dramatic but for hte life of me poor percula fry I can not maintain a Rotifer culture for longer than 2-4 weeks. The sad part is my perc's laid the biggest clutch I have seen, I have my laravasnagger working great, and now I have no ROTS (culture just crashed again!) and the fry will hatch in about 3 days!

 

I was hoping some of the experts can share their routine on how they go about avoiding rotifer crashes!

 

My routine WAS working....rots are in a 5 gallon bucket:

 

1. Temp 78

2. Salinity 1.018

3. Feed nano in the morning with a drop of Prime

4. Feed fry in the morning when applicable.

5. Harvest close about a third every other day.

6. View rots under microscope at least once a week.

 

I did best when I did not do water changes or much topping off.

 

Should I be doing water changes everyday or something, ROTs are harder than the fry for me!

[dbartco]

With 1/3 changes, you may be changing conditions too fast? Maybe slow drip the new water into the mix?

[cabrego]

When I harvest I am straining the water back into the bucket so, I am not actually putting fresh water back in...do you actually do water changes?

[Jon Lazar]

The first thing I would check is the ammonia level in the culture. A single drop of prime may not be enough.

[ctenophore]

When I harvest I am straining the water back into the bucket so, I am not actually putting fresh water back in...do you actually do water changes?

In the past I have done the 5gal bucket system by pouring the old water out (or into my system) then using tank water run through a paper coffee filter to refill the bucket.

 

You might get some ammonia disks to keep track of ammonia levels.

[dbartco]

I would do water chanes about once a week. about 1/5 or so with fresh, dripped.