> From: Adrian Tappin <atappin at ecn.net.au>
> Reply-To: rainbowfish at pcug.org.au
> Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2000 07:04:50 +1000
> To: rainbowfish at pcug.org.au
> Subject: Re: [RML] Rainbowfish CD-ROM
>
> An extract from RAINBOWFISHES ~ Their Care and Keeping in Captivity
> Orders can be placed at http://www.angfa.org.au/ANGFA_CD.htm
>
> Orders being accepted NOW :-)
>
>
> "...Rotifers are microscopic animals ranging in size from 100 to 2500 µm
> and found in aquatic habitats worldwide. They inhabit freshwater streams,
> lakes and ponds, brackish water and, to a lesser extent, salt water but
> they are predominantly freshwater inhabitants.
>
> Brachionus plicatilis is a euryhaline species being found in both brackish
> and saltwater environments. It is about one third the size of a newly
> hatched brine shrimp making it an attractive food source for baby
> rainbowfishes, still too small to feed on brine shrimp. They have been
> found in saline lakes in Australia with salinity levels almost twice that
> of seawater. This species has also been collected at a salinity of less
> than 1% of seawater. Brachionus plicatilis will survive for several hours
> after transfer to fresh water, and are comparable to brine shrimp. The
> freshwater rotifer Brachionus rubens, in contrast to Brachionus plicatilis
> will stay alive in freshwater and do not sink to the bottom but stay in the
> water column until eaten.
>
> Rotifer starter cultures may be obtained from aquaculture or live food
> suppliers. They are an excellent first feed for larval fish because of
> their small size, slow swimming speed, and habit of staying suspended in
> the water column. They can also be cultured at high densities due to a high
> reproductive rate. There are many recognised techniques for culturing
> rotifers and are easily enriched with fatty acids to transfer these
> substances to fish larvae.
>
> Rotifers can be cultured using microalgae, bakers' yeast, or proprietary
> products as a food source. In fish hatcheries, rotifers are usually reared
> on baker's yeast, which lacks some specific essential fatty acids (EFAs).
> The rotifers are subsequently fed algae or a dietary supplement containing
> EFAs before being fed to larval fish. Microalgae usually contain higher
> levels of EFAs than yeast..."
>
> plus a lot more ....
>
> Adrian.
>
> Adrian R. Tappin
> Brisbane, Australia.
> atappin at ecn.net.au
> "Home of the Rainbowfish"
> http://www.ecn.net.au/~atappin/home.htm
>
>