Rotifers,Brine Shrimp.... Copepods

[Marcom12]

Im fairly new to reef tanks and am curious about these. i have heard they are a good food source.... then i hear they are mainly for breeding and feeding the fry.... which is it? both? neither?

Should i bother? i think it would be nice to grow some food for the animals i will get in the future. ...

thoughts? ideas?

 

[Old Fritz]

I mean it depends on what youre using them for. Most people here agree brine has little nutrients and is more of a treat and most people use mysis. Copepods generally are a food source for diet specific fish like mandarin gobies however other canivourous fish will eat them. Rotifers are super popular for feeding babies and coral

 

[Marcom12]

I plan on having corals and fish. just kinda exploring what would be good food sources.... i understand it wouldnt or couldnt be the only source.... but if its beneficial id enjoy doing it... and if it is beneficial.... in what ways?

 

[DangerDave]

If you’re feeding newly hatched brine, they’re very nutritious. I hatch 2-3 times a week and broadcast feed to the fish and corals.

 

[biophilia]

I also hatch brine a few times per week to broadcast feed my tank and like that it gives me the ability to feed my fish and corals a lot without having to worry about decaying food settling in dead zones in the rock or on the sand-bed. Rotifers are a great food source for corals with smaller mouths (especially stony corals) but maintaining stable rotifer cultures can be a lot of work and may not be worth it. Frozen or refrigerated liquid rotifers are much less of a hassle if you're just starting out IMO.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Im fairly new to reef tanks and am curious about these. i have heard they are a good food source.... then i hear they are mainly for breeding and feeding the fry.... which is it? both? neither?

Should i bother? i think it would be nice to grow some food for the animals i will get in the future. ...

thoughts? ideas?

When I culture rotifers
I use this

 

[Marcom12]

thanks for the replies... i may try it at some point

 

[fastgoby]

Hey Marcom12, I'm headed in the same route... I've been using baby brine shrimp as it's cheap and super nutritional, and it's been working out pretty well, I but was curious what you ended up picking?

 

[ectoaesthetics]

Big fan of live foods. Also check out PaulBs stuff on white worms. Baby brine is super easy to hatch. Rotifers can also be very easy. If you crash the culture just drain it to 3-4 inches from the bottom and refill. It will just start again. Pods are a bit more effort to use as a consistent food source. If you live along the pacific coast (north of central ca) tigger pods (T cali) are easy to raise in your yard in a bucket. Heat can wipe them out.

 

[lostcause]

@Jomama what's the thing in the center of the bucket?

 

[Gareth elliott]

I have used something like this making pond filters out of buckets. https://www.plasticscreenmesh.com/product/plastic-filter-netting.html

 

[Peace River]

@Jomama what's the thing in the center of the bucket?

Check out this link from @Reef Nutrition for details. This rotifer culturing system made the process a lot easier for me than it used to be.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

@Jomama what's the thing in the center of the bucket?

Plastic strainer tube with a very thin cloth on it. Reef Nutrition sells.

 

[lostcause]

Plastic strainer tube with a very thin cloth on it. Reef Nutrition sells.

Thank you.