Culturing Rotifers in Garage

dnh828 · 03/19/2014, 09:50 AM

Hello all,

I have some maroon clownfish that have been laying a while and wanted to try raising the clownfish fry. What sort of temperature swings can Rotifers tolerate? I live in Houston, and believe we are past the frosts we might otherwise get. I was hoping that the following solution would be sufficient:

2 5 gallon buckets filled about 4 gallons full.
2 Sponge filters, one in each bucket.
Cheapy clip on light on 16 hours a day - enough to give the rotifers light to hunt by.
RG Complete fed twice a day.

Harvesting daily, going to have to use my judgement here but something like 1/5 of the total water volume? And I was imagining water changes every 2 days.

Can rotifers handle big temperature swings? Is my water change/harvesting routine sufficient?

shifty51008 · 03/19/2014, 10:21 AM

I can tell you now you don't need light or the sponge filters in the rotifer tanks, stick to just a ridged airline for air movement.

feeding sounds good, water changes should be done every day about 25%.

but I can't say for certain what temp swings rotifers can handle, I always keep mine at 77-78 degrees

dnh828 · 03/19/2014, 11:35 AM

First, thanks for the response shifty!

From the reading I have done, I know the sponge filters aren't at all required. I am using them as part of an experiment: they work quite well for preventing ammonia spikes in quarantine and hospital tanks in my experience and I wanted to test them out for rotifers. I know some are going to get caught in the sponge, but assuming I'm going in every day I think I can shake most of them loose.

I was hoping that by providing the biological filter I can help prevent a crash while decreasing my water change requirements, but if you're suggesting a 25% a day water change then I probably won't be able to make that up with just a sponge filter.

So no light required at all? That will certainly make this easier. I was also thinking of covering this tank to prevent dust and slow down evaporation, since the air pump will ensure the surface tension is broken and air mixes in.

Does the amount of rotifers I'm raising seem excessive? I kind of wanted two batches in case one crashes, but would a single 5 gallon bucket be sufficient for a clutch of maroon clownfish eggs?

grmpfish17 · 03/19/2014, 12:31 PM

I'm using the AP breeder bucket that they sell and it stays alot cleaner than just a 5gal bucket I have both going as we speak. Ck out Reeds website good info there. But one bucket should be good enough just keep up with it and get the big bottle of RG complete Rotifer eat alot.

shifty51008 · 03/19/2014, 06:44 PM

There is nothing wrong with experimenting, thats how we learn new things.

The way i used to run my rotifers was like you, 2-5 gal buckets filled with 4 gal each and it worked out great. If you dont need as many rotifers then just feed less

Now i have it fairly automated. I use a 10 gal tank that is painted black on all sides and white on the bottom, feeding is done with a dosing pump and timer, all i do is every morning i will change out around 3-4 gal of water and wipe down the sides, takes me less than 5 min. To get nsw in the tank i just turn a valve and it pumps nsw in from my holding tank.

dnh828 · 03/20/2014, 08:25 AM

Interesting, so your dosing greenwater continously. I was actually thinking of moving that direction long term.

One question I have, what is your salinity at? 3-4 gallons of water a day seems like it could amount up to some money (thats 7 buckets of salt a year JUST for rotifers at ocean salinity!).

What specific gravity are you using? I've considered having my rotifers at a different SG than my display tank, but if its too much I worry that the rotifers will be shocked and not be as stimulating to the clownfish to feed.

Not directly related to thread, but my clownfish just about DOUBLED their clutch size right before I'm getting ready to get them fed on rotifers! I've actually been cheating while raising my rotifers, I've been using Yeast with FANTASTIC results!

I had seen yeast mentioned as a way to grow out rotifers and since my greenwater culture was crappy, I wanted to try this. I have some selcon and have been dosing about .25-.5 ml a day along with one packet of active dry yeast a day. My main goal was to keep the rotifers stable and growing until my RG Complete arrived, but they have been thriving! Rotifer density is still low, but without RG Complete here I frankly prefer that. I need to find a better way to count them, but when I fill up a small test tube with water and hold it to the light the water was packed with rotifers. I split the culture and am letting them grow out further.

Anyone else used yeast? The culture may crash using it alone, but from water tests it doesn't seem to be fouling the water much yet.

shifty51008 · 03/20/2014, 08:48 AM

I dose 2.2 ml 8 times a day so not really continuous but it is better for them when feed is spread out. the RGcomple sits inside a small fridge and it goes through a small hole on the side into the rotifer container.

my rotifer sg is at 1.021. it does add to the cost changeing so much water, but I am always useing the rotifers for my fry tank and DT and it's better than having them crash and having to pay for more rotifers and shipping all the time witch ends up costing more than the salt would.

I have never used yeast but if it is working then thats good, the thing you will want to do before feeding them to the fry though is to gut load them with a good high protien food, like the selcon or RGcomplete. the other thing I would worry about is the ammonia levels, RGcomplete has an ammonia detox with it to control ammonia levels.

reefstew · 03/21/2014, 02:09 PM

The temperature is important if you want high yields. I find 75 - 78 is ideal. They can go to the high 60's to high 80 's but will not reproduce as well.

03/19/2014, 09:50 AM	#1
dnh828 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 70	Culturing Rotifers in Garage Hello all, I have some maroon clownfish that have been laying a while and wanted to try raising the clownfish fry. What sort of temperature swings can Rotifers tolerate? I live in Houston, and believe we are past the frosts we might otherwise get. I was hoping that the following solution would be sufficient: 2 5 gallon buckets filled about 4 gallons full. 2 Sponge filters, one in each bucket. Cheapy clip on light on 16 hours a day - enough to give the rotifers light to hunt by. RG Complete fed twice a day. Harvesting daily, going to have to use my judgement here but something like 1/5 of the total water volume? And I was imagining water changes every 2 days. Can rotifers handle big temperature swings? Is my water change/harvesting routine sufficient?

03/19/2014, 10:21 AM	#2
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	I can tell you now you don't need light or the sponge filters in the rotifer tanks, stick to just a ridged airline for air movement. feeding sounds good, water changes should be done every day about 25%. but I can't say for certain what temp swings rotifers can handle, I always keep mine at 77-78 degrees __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

03/19/2014, 06:44 PM	#5
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	There is nothing wrong with experimenting, thats how we learn new things. The way i used to run my rotifers was like you, 2-5 gal buckets filled with 4 gal each and it worked out great. If you dont need as many rotifers then just feed less Now i have it fairly automated. I use a 10 gal tank that is painted black on all sides and white on the bottom, feeding is done with a dosing pump and timer, all i do is every morning i will change out around 3-4 gal of water and wipe down the sides, takes me less than 5 min. To get nsw in the tank i just turn a valve and it pumps nsw in from my holding tank. __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

03/20/2014, 08:48 AM	#7
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	I dose 2.2 ml 8 times a day so not really continuous but it is better for them when feed is spread out. the RGcomple sits inside a small fridge and it goes through a small hole on the side into the rotifer container. my rotifer sg is at 1.021. it does add to the cost changeing so much water, but I am always useing the rotifers for my fry tank and DT and it's better than having them crash and having to pay for more rotifers and shipping all the time witch ends up costing more than the salt would. I have never used yeast but if it is working then thats good, the thing you will want to do before feeding them to the fry though is to gut load them with a good high protien food, like the selcon or RGcomplete. the other thing I would worry about is the ammonia levels, RGcomplete has an ammonia detox with it to control ammonia levels. __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

03/19/2014, 11:35 AM	#3
dnh828 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 70	First, thanks for the response shifty! From the reading I have done, I know the sponge filters aren't at all required. I am using them as part of an experiment: they work quite well for preventing ammonia spikes in quarantine and hospital tanks in my experience and I wanted to test them out for rotifers. I know some are going to get caught in the sponge, but assuming I'm going in every day I think I can shake most of them loose. I was hoping that by providing the biological filter I can help prevent a crash while decreasing my water change requirements, but if you're suggesting a 25% a day water change then I probably won't be able to make that up with just a sponge filter. So no light required at all? That will certainly make this easier. I was also thinking of covering this tank to prevent dust and slow down evaporation, since the air pump will ensure the surface tension is broken and air mixes in. Does the amount of rotifers I'm raising seem excessive? I kind of wanted two batches in case one crashes, but would a single 5 gallon bucket be sufficient for a clutch of maroon clownfish eggs?

03/19/2014, 12:31 PM	#4
grmpfish17 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: osteen Fl Posts: 33	I'm using the AP breeder bucket that they sell and it stays alot cleaner than just a 5gal bucket I have both going as we speak. Ck out Reeds website good info there. But one bucket should be good enough just keep up with it and get the big bottle of RG complete Rotifer eat alot.

03/20/2014, 08:25 AM	#6
dnh828 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 70	Interesting, so your dosing greenwater continously. I was actually thinking of moving that direction long term. One question I have, what is your salinity at? 3-4 gallons of water a day seems like it could amount up to some money (thats 7 buckets of salt a year JUST for rotifers at ocean salinity!). What specific gravity are you using? I've considered having my rotifers at a different SG than my display tank, but if its too much I worry that the rotifers will be shocked and not be as stimulating to the clownfish to feed. Not directly related to thread, but my clownfish just about DOUBLED their clutch size right before I'm getting ready to get them fed on rotifers! I've actually been cheating while raising my rotifers, I've been using Yeast with FANTASTIC results! I had seen yeast mentioned as a way to grow out rotifers and since my greenwater culture was crappy, I wanted to try this. I have some selcon and have been dosing about .25-.5 ml a day along with one packet of active dry yeast a day. My main goal was to keep the rotifers stable and growing until my RG Complete arrived, but they have been thriving! Rotifer density is still low, but without RG Complete here I frankly prefer that. I need to find a better way to count them, but when I fill up a small test tube with water and hold it to the light the water was packed with rotifers. I split the culture and am letting them grow out further. Anyone else used yeast? The culture may crash using it alone, but from water tests it doesn't seem to be fouling the water much yet.

03/21/2014, 02:09 PM	#8
reefstew Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Phoenix ,Az Posts: 1,608	The temperature is important if you want high yields. I find 75 - 78 is ideal. They can go to the high 60's to high 80 's but will not reproduce as well.