 |
|
|
(Daphnia magna)  The daphnia has both sexual and asexual phases. In most environments, the population consists entirely of females that reproduce asexually. Starting at about 4 days old, the female will produce a dozen young females every 2 or 3 days for about 3 weeks before dying off. Under optimum conditions the population doubles daily. Two or three times a week draw off 50% of the water into a brine shrimp net, feed your fish, and refill your Daphnia tank with green water. Top off your green water tub with water from one of your grow out tanks (high in nitrates) and top off your grow out tank with fresh clean aged water. Some Dechlorinators remain active if no chlorine is present and may kill daphnia, so use them sparingly in water that will eventually get to your daphnia. If the water quality is poor, Daphnia will produce male children and when they mature, the adult females will produce only eggs which will drop to the bottom and wait for next spring to hatch. As you can see, this is clearly a case of USE 'EM OR LOOSE 'EM". If you do not keep harvestimg them, they will double daily until they over populate and after laying nothing but eggs, die off. One other warning, daphnia don't like the Texas summer heat and if you keep them outside, they require a shady spot. Daphnia can be used to clear the green water of aquariums without dangerous chemicals. Add HERMIT CRAB FOOD or another source of calcium to your culturer (in order to grow their exoskeletons). Daphnia are heavy filter feeders and if you don't have green water, you can feed them a wide variety of tiny organisms such as yeast or infusorians, as well as other similar small critters. "Gut-loading" is a technique where you feed the daphnia a substance that you want your fish to receive. The Daphnia will consume water soluable baby vitamins, paprika, spirulina, and other color enhansing foods. Then they become color enhansing food for your Bettas! Remember the old saying, “YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT”. It's true for the entire food chain. |