Dapnia anyone (Question about Daphnia aka Water fleas)

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!

Mr Fish

AC Members
Sep 14, 2005
41
0
0
I've had some problems w/ green water latetly... can't see more than 6" in my tank and it sucks!

I've decided to try natural methods of solving this problem.

I'm going to put in some hornwort into my tank to help my planted aquarium out-compete the algae from here on out. I have some plants in my aquarium (moderately planted) but many are slow-growing low-light plants like Java Fern.

Now, in order to take care of the green water that is there currently, I'm going to try and put in some Daphnia to eat the stuff.

Anyone ever make a daphnia cage in their tank?

I was thinking of this: Getting some wire mesh and some pipes. Make the pipes lay across the top of the tank and have the wire build a cage, and then weigh it all down with some lead fishing things.

Will the lead bother the Daphnia? I hear they are sensitive to heavy metals found in tap water... is lead one of them? Will this set-up work?

HELP!
 

Tom.E

AC Members
Jan 6, 2000
136
0
16
New York, USA
Daphnia will pass through mesh wire so hopefully you got some of the larger daphnia like D. Magna. Ideally you’d want to section off a part of the tank with foam or cloth and add the daphnia there.

I presume you tried blackouts with no success. A diatom filter is basically a very large mechanical daphnid :) and is worth considering. I’ve always used one with 100% success plus it has other uses to boot.


Tom
 

Mr Fish

AC Members
Sep 14, 2005
41
0
0
I haven't done the blackout yet, I wanted that as a last resort.

My Daphnia arrived today.

I bought a plant-holder from Home Depot, medium sized. I bought a tarp-like mesh which I sewed together and placed on the inside of the plant-holder. Around the sides of the plant-holder I wrapped a tube and closed it together, allowing the in-tank refugium to float.

So far, it does not seem like any Daphnia can escape. I will keep monitoring it.

When they've done their job - I'll dump them in for food for my danios, guppies and other hungry little guys.
 

Mr Fish

AC Members
Sep 14, 2005
41
0
0
Captain Hook said:
Very interesting idea! Where did you get the daphnia from? I feed frozen ones to my fish occasionaly, they are quite small though.
I ordered them on-line.

http://www.dallasdiscus.com/daphnia.htm

Quick shipping. Seems like these guys breed quickly, too... overnight it *seems* like there are many more in the medium sized plant holder/refugium.

I may have to take a cupfull of the critters and release them into the wild (the main tank, where they will be eaten in due order)
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store