Oh no! Rotifer crash?

[Woodstock]

I either cleaned my rotifer culture containers too well (very possible) or there is an infestation of bad bugs in it.

With my 10x magnifying glass I can just barely see the 300+ per ml of tiny white/clear bugs.
They are a fraction of the size of a rotifer and I can just barely see them with the 10xglass.
They move in a constant zigzag movement towards one direction (down or up).
There are millions upon millions of these tiny white bugs for every 1 rotifer

Are they injuring the rotifers?

 

[bluespotjawfish]

Wish I could help. Do you have someone you could get more rotifers from just in case you need them?

 

[GSELLERS]

If you need a jumpstart i can send you a carepackage....

 

[GSELLERS]

i have plenty to get you going again

 

[Frankie]

Curious Doni. I wonder what they are. They might not be a bad thing. I would try and ID them before dumping your batch.

 

[panmanmatt]

Possibly a copepod species?

Sorry to hear of your troubles Doni. But as Frankie said, it may not be all bad.

 

[deaclauderdale]

Karma to you Doni.

 

[Woodstock]

Thankyou .

I think they are harmless ciliates.
Maybe with my 53 micron seive, I have been removing rotifers and leaving behind the ciliates... meanwhile their population has been growing fast.

 

[Woodstock]

Thanks Gsellers! I see you have plenty to spare

 

[GSELLERS]

i wont sell them to you i will suppy them to a good cause....if you want them ill send them out monday morning...ill also pick up the shipping

 

[Woodstock]

Wow! Thanks but I insist on paying for the shipping! Do you use UPS or FedEx?
2nd day with some IA for them to eat & lots of cold packs should work.

 

[Woodstock]

On second thought, I'll just order some from Reed. You're getting ready for a big hatch tonight and you may need all you have for all those babies! Trust me, they eat a lot!

Thank you so much anyway for your wonderful offer

 

[vdituri]

Wow Doni. Hope this isn't a bad setback.
Rotifer predators? Anyway to test to see if the clowns would eat them too?
Sending happy thoughts.

 

[Woodstock]

Thanks Victor. The youngest spawn (#4) are now eating powdered flake, nauplii so I'm not freaking out.
However, the soon to be #5 hatchlings will need lots of rotifers beginning Thursday morning so I will need to order a lot or rotifers for them.

I can get them overnighted from Reed-mariculture and have them by wednesday. Pretty darn expensive but to save 200-300 (or more) babies, I'll pay it.

 

[GSELLERS]

how about this...if i see i have more than i need for this batch ill send them to you

 

[Woodstock]

No, you keep yours. I REALLY appreciate your generosity but I can get some from Reed and your hatch won't be shorted.
Anyway, I'll need at LEAST 500k but I might get the 5 million bag...

 

[mps9506]

Doni, do you think the batch got contaminated somehow? I know they say it's really important not to let the phyto water to get contaminated with tank water. Not sure if the same goes for rotis.

 

[Woodstock]

I do not know Mike. If I had a microscope, the guessing would be over.

 

[panmanmatt]

I can get them overnighted from Reed-mariculture and have them by wednesday. Pretty darn expensive but to save 200-300 (or more) babies, I'll pay it.

Doni check out these guys. Not sure how they compare price wise to Reed but it may be worth calling to see what they can do for you.

Seahorse Source

 

[Woodstock]

Thanks!
I've ordered a lot of dry goods from them but I didn't realize they sold live rotifers... I see they offer smaller amounts (100k) of live rotifers. It is good to have other options. I will give them a call to see if they will ship out Monday (reed only ships Tues - Thur). That would give the rotifers a chance to populate by Thursday!