Lets talk culturing copepods

[Reef Nutrition]

It's not ideal because you could contaminate your culture with other types of organisms from your tank, some of which might out-compete the Apocyclops for food (or even prey on them).

I just said the same after you did! Sorry about that. LOL Great minds...

 

[ThRoewer]

I can only speak for Apocyclops panamensis (aka, Apex-Pods).

• Ambient light is fine. I culture mine in 60L black, round tubs. Do not grow them in complete darkness.
• This species is euryhaline (tolerates a wide range of salinities from 40ppt to 15ppt), so whatever your salt is mixed at will work just fine.
• A heater is ideal if you want to speed up reproduction. I keep my cultures at 74F, but they will do fine at higher temps.
• You should always feed a culture small amounts of algae at least twice a day. Apex-Pods don't require live algae, so using a blend like our Phyto-Feast is totally acceptable. You want to add enough algae to keep the culture tinted green. This species can tolerate dirty water, but it's best to inoculate with bacteria, like Brightwell Aquatic's - Microbacter7. This is what I use to get beneficial bacteria into my cultures. Basically cycling them quickly like hobbyists do with new tanks.
• You can run a culture for 40 days without a water change, but you do need to top off for freshwater evaporation.
• Harvesting them can be done with a gravity siphon into a sieve (41 microns is a good size to catch all stages of development). You can use a 100 micron screen to separate adults and juveniles from all naupliar stages. I harvest the nauplii with a passive harvester that I built. Got the idea here: University of Florida IFAS Extension - Using Airlifts to Collect and Concentrate Copepod Nauplii1 Eric Cassiano, Matthew DiMaggio, Cortney Ohs, and John Marcellus2 http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa188

Hope this information helps.

Best,
Chad

Hi Chad, I'm just in the process of setting up a more serious Apocyclops panamensis culture with nauplii from Reed Mariculture following your guideline from 2017.

But I'm wondering if aside from algae paste, Apocyclops panamensis can also be cultured in equal density when fed with live algae? And which live algae species would be the best?
I would prefer to use live algae due to their ability to take up wast products and the fact that I wouldn't need a chiller and dosing pump and because it is in general more economical for hobby breeders than the paste which can get pricey quickly if you run 2 or 3 20-gallon cultures you will likely need to have enough larvae food.

And if live algae are not efficient enough for the larvae feed producing cultures then at least it should be feasible for the backup/starter cultures, right?

 

[ThRoewer]

the link is no longer works

Use the Way Back Machine (web.archive.org) to dig it up.
Well, I did it for you: https://web.archive.org/web/20180123094513/http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/2/breeder

 

[canadianeh]

Use the Way Back Machine (web.archive.org) to dig it up.
Well, I did it for you: https://web.archive.org/web/20180123094513/http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/2/breeder

thanks buddy

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Hi Chad, I'm just in the process of setting up a more serious Apocyclops panamensis culture with nauplii from Reed Mariculture following your guideline from 2017.

But I'm wondering if aside from algae paste, Apocyclops panamensis can also be cultured in equal density when fed with live algae? And which live algae species would be the best?
I would prefer to use live algae due to their ability to take up wast products and the fact that I wouldn't need a chiller and dosing pump and because it is in general more economical for hobby breeders than the paste which can get pricey quickly if you run 2 or 3 20-gallon cultures you will likely need to have enough larvae food.

And if live algae are not efficient enough for the larvae feed producing cultures then at least it should be feasible for the backup/starter cultures, right?

They can't be cultured at equal density since small-scale, live algae cultures pail in comparison to our biomass and microalgal variety in our products. For example, our Nanno 3600 is a 1L bag of algae that can be frozen for 2 years. It is the equivalent of 3,600 liters (950 gallons) @ 19 million cells/ml. Imagine growing that much algae to achieve the same biomass as our 1 L bag of Nanno. The more you feed this copepod, the better they do. So you will be limited from producing as many when just using live algae. With that being said, you can certainly grow this species with live algae. Some people will use our non-viable blends in addition to live algae.

Chad

 

[canadianeh]

@Reef Nutrition can the Phyto-Feast product be used to culture Apex Pods from Reef Nutrition?

Secondly, can Phyto-Feast be used as starter to culture Phytoplankton?

 

[Reef Nutrition]

@Reef Nutrition can the Phyto-Feast product be used to culture Apex Pods from Reef Nutrition?

Secondly, can Phyto-Feast be used as starter to culture Phytoplankton?

Yes; you can culture Apex-Pods with our Phyto-Feast.

It is not ideal to start a culture with Phyto-Feast Live because it contains 6 different species of algae. What happens is that the the algae compete against each other in the culture with an eventual winner or winners: usually Nannochloropsis sp. and Synechococcus sp. do the best. These are the other Genera of phytoplankton in the blend: Pavlova, Isochrysis, Thalassiosira weissflogii, Tetraselmis. Each individual species of phytoplankton in this blend also have different culture requirements. I recommend you buy a single species starter culture from a supplier like Carolina Biological (https://www.carolina.com/). You are guaranteed to have a good start to your culture with this method.

 

[canadianeh]

Yes; you can culture Apex-Pods with our Phyto-Feast.

It is not ideal to start a culture with Phyto-Feast Live because it contains 6 different species of algae. What happens is that the the algae compete against each other in the culture with an eventual winner or winners: usually Nannochloropsis sp. and Synechococcus sp. do the best. These are the other Genera of phytoplankton in the blend: Pavlova, Isochrysis, Thalassiosira weissflogii, Tetraselmis. Each individual species of phytoplankton in this blend also have different culture requirements. I recommend you buy a single species starter culture from a supplier like Carolina Biological (https://www.carolina.com/). You are guaranteed to have a good start to your culture with this method.

Thank you but do they ship to Canada?

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Thank you but do they ship to Canada?

I don't know. You should reach out to them.

 

[ThRoewer]

They can't be cultured at equal density since small-scale, live algae cultures pail in comparison to our biomass and microalgal variety in our products. For example, our Nanno 3600 is a 1L bag of algae that can be frozen for 2 years. It is the equivalent of 3,600 liters (950 gallons) @ 19 million cells/ml. Imagine growing that much algae to achieve the same biomass as our 1 L bag of Nanno. The more you feed this copepod, the better they do. So you will be limited from producing as many when just using live algae. With that being said, you can certainly grow this species with live algae. Some people will use our non-viable blends in addition to live algae.

Chad

Makes sense.
Which algae does Apocyclops panamanensis prefer?
It seems they are not particularly fond of Nannochloropsis as the algae in my cultures multiply faster than the pods can consume them.
Which live algae would be better suited?
Also, how fast can a culture be scaled up when being kept alive with suitable live algae and then switched to your algae paste? This would be key to keeping things economical during periods without new larvae where nauplii demand is low.

On another pod, Tigriopus californicus.
What is the best way to culture those in significant numbers?
I currently maintain several permanent outdoors cultures which produce enough for acclimating new Pipefish and other finicky new arrivals during acclimatization but by far not enough to feed several clutches of hungry Amphiprion or Calloplesiops babies.
I was thinking to set up a rack with 8 of these Polyethylene Plastic Bus Tubs:

What would be the ideal feed?
I currently use flake food and finely ground adult rat food pellets.

Is aeration beneficial or detrimental?
I tried both and, at least with outdoor cultures, no aeration seems to give better yields.

Is it beneficial to harvest nauplii in order to get the adult population up?

Thanks!

 

[canadianeh]

So I got my Apex pods and phyto feast live today.

@Reef Nutrition how often I need to go to my fridge to shake the phyto feast bottle so it doesn’t die?

I bought chaeto from LFS and it came with lots of bigger copepods much bigger than the apex pods in the bottle. If I add some apex pods into the chaeto, will the bigger copepods kill them?

 

[canadianeh]

how long do we need to leave light on everyday when culturing apex pod?

 

[ThRoewer]

how long do we need to leave light on everyday when culturing apex pod?

I have mine at the same schedule as the tanks due to the fact that the culture is in the fish room but I don't have any dedicated light source on the culture bucket, just the ambient light from the tanks.
As for the light/dark period, I think anything from 12/12 to 16/8 will work.

This is my culture bucket with aeration temporarily turned off to allow the nauplii to rise to the surface:

 

[Reef Nutrition]

So I got my Apex pods and phyto feast live today.

@Reef Nutrition how often I need to go to my fridge to shake the phyto feast bottle so it doesn’t die?

I bought chaeto from LFS and it came with lots of bigger copepods much bigger than the apex pods in the bottle. If I add some apex pods into the chaeto, will the bigger copepods kill them?

You just need to invert the bottle a few times before using. You don't need to shake it, otherwise. Thanks for asking.

@ThRoewer is correct about lighting.

Chad

 

[User]

They can't be cultured at equal density since small-scale, live algae cultures pail in comparison to our biomass and microalgal variety in our products. For example, our Nanno 3600 is a 1L bag of algae that can be frozen for 2 years. It is the equivalent of 3,600 liters (950 gallons) @ 19 million cells/ml. Imagine growing that much algae to achieve the same biomass as our 1 L bag of Nanno. The more you feed this copepod, the better they do. So you will be limited from producing as many when just using live algae. With that being said, you can certainly grow this species with live algae. Some people will use our non-viable blends in addition to live algae.

Chad

That’s a crazy concentration factor. Thanks for the info

It’s interesting that your cell density prior to concentration is 1.9 E6 cells/ml— this ties in almost precisely with possible at home under good conditions (I typically manage 1.7E6/ml for my nanno culture).

Now- is the paste cryoprotected using glycerol (proprietary info is an acceptable answer too) or are you relying on the cell density to prevent complete freezing in a residential freezer? Just curious, thanks

 

[User]

I have mine at the same schedule as the tanks due to the fact that the culture is in the fish room but I don't have any dedicated light source on the culture bucket, just the ambient light from the tanks.
As for the light/dark period, I think anything from 12/12 to 16/8 will work.

This is my culture bucket with aeration temporarily turned off to allow the nauplii to rise to the surface:

What’s your regular aeration level?

 

[Reef Nutrition]

That’s a crazy concentration factor. Thanks for the info

It’s interesting that your cell density prior to concentration is 1.9 E6 cells/ml— this ties in almost precisely with possible at home under good conditions (I typically manage 1.7E6/ml for my nanno culture).

Now- is the paste cryoprotected using glycerol (proprietary info is an acceptable answer too) or are you relying on the cell density to prevent complete freezing in a residential freezer? Just curious, thanks

The concentrated algae is not cryopreserved with glycerol. Depending on the species, it can either be frozen for years or refrigerated for months. Nannochloropsis, Thalassiosira weissfloggii, Thalassiosira pseudonana, and Tetraselmis have durable cell walls, so any of our blends that contain a combination of these species, can be frozen for years. The remainder of our offerings need to be refrigerated due to the delicate nature of the cells walls. We are able to maintain algal cell integrity due to our proprietary harvesting and processing techniques.

Thanks for asking.

Chad

 

[User]

The concentrated algae is not cryopreserved with glycerol. Depending on the species, it can either be frozen for years or refrigerated for months. Nannochloropsis, Thalassiosira weissfloggii, Thalassiosira pseudonana, and Tetraselmis have durable cell walls, so any of our blends that contain a combination of these species, can be frozen for years. The remainder of our offerings need to be refrigerated due to the delicate nature of the cells walls. We are able to maintain algal cell integrity due to our proprietary harvesting and processing techniques.

Thanks for asking.

Chad

Good to know.

most any species can be frozen for one time, if you aren’t worried about cell wall integrity and viability. It’s repeated freeze/thaw cycles that really compromise the cell walls and kills the vast majority of the culture.

Its kinda moot anyway- dead phyto cells from one round of freezing likely have micro- fissures in their cell walls that don’t fully compromise retention of contents. They aren’t viable for continued culture, but they are just as nutritious as a healthy specimen. I’m assuming you are clear with customers that the ‘2 year use ability’ for freezing is one time, right? And they can’t constantly thaw and refereeze the bag every week for 2 years?

compared to a customer that does that, growing and dosing your own phyto, despite it being less concentrated, *would* be better, since they are adding intact cells instead of a nutrient soup with degraded cell walls floating around.

appreciate the clarification.

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Good to know.

most any species can be frozen for one time, if you aren’t worried about cell wall integrity and viability. It’s repeated freeze/thaw cycles that really compromise the cell walls and kills the vast majority of the culture.

Its kinda moot anyway- dead phyto cells from one round of freezing likely have micro- fissures in their cell walls that don’t fully compromise retention of contents. They aren’t viable for continued culture, but they are just as nutritious as a healthy specimen. I’m assuming you are clear with customers that the ‘2 year use ability’ for freezing is one time, right? And they can’t constantly thaw and refereeze the bag every week for 2 years?

compared to a customer that does that, growing and dosing your own phyto, despite it being less concentrated, *would* be better, since they are adding intact cells instead of a nutrient soup with degraded cell walls floating around.

appreciate the clarification.

We have thorough explanations on our website regarding multiple freeze-thaw events and how that can damage the cells. Because of this, we recommend that users make aliquots. After 25 years of research and development, we've worked out a lot of the kinks. The cells are intact and the nutrition inside is readily available for many applications. This isn't a "nutrient soup with degraded cells walls floating around". Our products provide fish, bivalve and shrimp hatcheries with clean, convenient, long shelf-life feeds that are superior choices to replace or supplement live microalgae.

Thanks for your questions and I'm happy to provide clarification.

Chad

 

[User]

We have thorough explanations on our website regarding multiple freeze-thaw events and how that can damage the cells. Because of this, we recommend that users make aliquots. After 25 years of research and development, we've worked out a lot of the kinks. The cells are intact and the nutrition inside is readily available for many applications. This isn't a "nutrient soup with degraded cells walls floating around". Our products provide fish, bivalve and shrimp hatcheries with clean, convenient, long shelf-life feeds that are superior choices to replace or supplement live microalgae.

Thanks for your questions and I'm happy to provide clarification.

Chad

That’s great that you explain that in detail to customers. The aliquots thing is a nice detail

I was referring to “nutrient soup” Only in a situation where a customer isnt familiar with your guidelines and doesn’t make aliquots- and instead, re-freezes the whole thing after thawing it out twice a week.