# Infusoria in algae



## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

in the end, it depends on how big a "large" patch is, how many there are, and the number of fry.

just buy liquifry. it doesnt feed the fry (well, some fry may try to eat it), it feeds infusoria, and then the infusoria feed the fry.

what kind of fry are you trying to raise anyway?
there are a bunch of things you can feed fry that you have much more control over (its hard to work with microscopic things you cant see).
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## Characins (Feb 4, 2008)

@[email protected] said:


> in the end, it depends on how big a "large" patch is, how many there are, and the number of fry.
> 
> just buy liquifry. it doesnt feed the fry (well, some fry may try to eat it), it feeds infusoria, and then the infusoria feed the fry.
> 
> ...


 
Trying to raise GBR fry, but possibly also cherry barb fry or corydora fry. I'm worried that if the fry won't take rotifers or bbs right away they can take the algae growing off of the driftwood I have lying around that my otos always miss. Its a little 1/2cm patch or green algae, about 2" square. I could of course just put them in a seperate tank though and feed liquifry like you said.....will the infusoria grow even if there is no algae or moss or plants in the tank?


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

infusoria is not A creature.
infusoria is a name for a BUNCH of creatures.
if there is a food source, the infusorians will eat it and grow.
but you need to get the infusoria from somewhere, and adding plants is the easiest way. just dump clippings in said rearing tank. or you could always order a paramecia culture. but they fry should have cover and hide spots anyway just to reduce stress.


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## Characins (Feb 4, 2008)

Ah, that is true.

Got it, thanks!


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

this what i do.
Throw in lettuce, grass clippings, dried leaves in a small bucket or jar with aquarium water.. Let this rot for a few weeks.. It'll stink. Keep this in the basement or something. This is your bacteria culture.

In a separate jar add 1/4 of the stink juice and the rest aquarium water... If there's bio-film in your aquarium, skim that and throw it in the jar.. It's full of paramecium etc...
The infusoria will feed on the bacteria water for a week and multiply.. You'll see specs the size of dust swimming around the jar. More importantly, the water doesn't stink anymore... This is when it's time to feed this to the fry.

Save a little of your culture for the next batch... You can have several jars going at the same time so you'll have a steady supply.


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## Characins (Feb 4, 2008)

How long do I wait for the bacteria culture to sit before putting it in the seperate infusoria jar?


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

you'll know.. the bacteria culture will stink.. THat's the bacteria doing their work. Usually 2 weeks, depending on the temperature.

The reason for a separate jar for the infusoria is the bacteria culture has too much ammonia and little O2 for the infusoria to survive & thrive. When your stink juice runs low, just add more aquarium water.

If you want more variety of infusoria, put your jars by the window for the ones that photosynthesis.. Or, you can do it in the dark and you'll get mostly paramecium.


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## Characins (Feb 4, 2008)

Sounds like a great idea!

I think a combination of the liquifry and that will be great!

Thanks again!


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

gl.. this method is best to culture the most protozoans in a small amount of space...
Get yourself a toy microscope from toys r us to see all the little critters.


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## Characins (Feb 4, 2008)

My corydoras just laid about 100 eggs, so I think I may be needing this sooner than I thought!!!

Any *super* fast way to get infusoria?


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

oh, this is for cories?
You an try to get microworms.. they sink to the bottom where the cories hang out. I have a few cultures if you need it. But it'll take a few weeks for the microworm's population to get going.

No, no quick solution... You can try cook egg yolk dissolve in water.


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## [email protected] (Jul 17, 2008)

For a lot of fry, Hard boil - really hard boil - an egg and feed tiny pinches of yolk to the fry. 

Most species of Corys have been tank raised long enough that they will take finely ground flake food.


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## Characins (Feb 4, 2008)

mistergreen said:


> oh, this is for cories?
> You an try to get microworms.. they sink to the bottom where the cories hang out. I have a few cultures if you need it. But it'll take a few weeks for the microworm's population to get going.


Well this is for every fry I ever have really.


I'll try the egg thing, the fry haven't hatched yet.


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