8 replies to this topic

[chocky]

Noticed these little swimming bugs in my tank outside. I only keep my duckweed in there and let algae grow on the sides.

Just wondering what they are?


The little round buggers

[Tarpon]

Daphnia

Great live food

[chocky]

Ah I was hoping it was!
How did they get there?
Do they just eat the algae?

[Tarpon]

Apparently their eggs can be transported by other aquatic insects  

www.newscientist.com/article/dn14332-water-fleas-mail-their-eggs-from-pond-to-pond/

[bigjohnnofish]

close up pic 

 

 

and another pic

 

[chocky]

Mine don't look as big though. Maybe 0.5mm in length?
I doubt my fish will eat it though cos it too small.
I'm gonna grow them for fry?

[shayne]

they will get a little bigger,  2 to 3 mm. These creatures can reproduce very rapidly [bloom]  and can crash very quickly. Your fish will LOVE!! them, those critters are fish crack i reckon.

[chocky]

they will get a little bigger,  2 to 3 mm. These creatures can reproduce very rapidly [bloom]  and can crash very quickly. Your fish will LOVE!! them, those critters are fish crack i reckon.

 

do they eat anything in particular? 

should i put an air stone?

 

they are literally just sitting in an old 30L tank that i top up now and then with dirty fish water (for the duck weed) and i've let the algae grow on the walls. 

[shayne]

they eat algae,bacteria, yeast ex cetra. Hit google/u tube mate, heaps of info on there. I am a bit casual about it, so am pretty hit or miss.Have huge blooms and some big crashes.Great food, gets harder to keep in summer