small scale rotifer culture methods

[clearsky57]

I was reading through the manual Chad had posted on here about culture methods for rotifers and other micro organizms for larval feeding, and while I have

 

grown fresh water rotifers, I wondered if someone had a sort of "tried and true" method for making a salt water rotifer culture on a small scale?

 

does one need to have a starter colony, or can it be done from "scratch" sort of thing?? While I have been able to keep my fresh water juveniles alive, my marine

 

knowledge in this area is limited, so any help would be

 

greatful... surely someone has an easy method for keeping those babie alive......

[tightline]

I havn't used these guys yet but seem to have verry good prices.

 

http://www.aquaculturestore.com/swinverts.html

[Jon Lazar]

I've started a culture from resting cysts as well as from live rotifers. Cysts took longer but were much more resistant to dying from shock IME.

[marinap]

Live culture is faster. Rotifer.com (ReedMariculture) has everything you need in terms of info and products. I use 2 5G buckets for 2 colonies.

[Fazio92]

Live culture is faster. Rotifer.com (ReedMariculture) has everything you need in terms of info and products. I use 2 5G buckets for 2 colonies.

 

Agreed, I use them for my breeding. They are definitly not cheap though initially, but larvae and corals love them!

 

-Anthony

[Matt LeBaron]

Coral magazine had an article on this an issue or two ago. I tried it out using the method they outlined in the article using three mason jars. It works and eventually I ended up with green water too, which was cool. Having said that thought I have actually found that I had much better breeding and growth in my 2 gallon bucket I use to keep adult brine shrimp in.

 

I wasn't overly worried about contamination into my brine shrimp bucket so they eventually made it in and now they've REALLY taken off. I see as many or more adult rotifers than adult brine shrimp whenever I pull a small cup out, so there are probably tons more younger ones in there too. I feed my brine shrimp with phyto, I just keep the water green and have a strong bubbler in there. I've been considering trying to do a 2 gallon bucket using the same method but keeping it rotifers only.