Re: [Killietalk] Anyone using commercial red crumb food (Tim Addis)

["Richard Pierce" <rwpierce at att_net>]

Hi Lee and others,

There seems to be some confusion about what Cyclop-eeze is.  This confusion
seems to be purposeful by Argent Labs.  It is not a genetically modified
salt water species.  On their web site, Argent Labs refers to Cyclop-eeze as
a "a selectively bred, biologically engineered microorganism which are
cultured in a pristine arctic lake".  I am not sure what this means exactly,
but I believe that the phrase is highly misleading.  It gives the
implication that humans have engineered and selectively bred the organism,
and introduced them into the lake.  They do not mention genetic
modification.  However, note the following statements from Argent Lab's web
site:

"CYCLOP-EEZER: An Arctic Micro-Crustacean with Amazing Aquaculture
Applications
In the far north of the Canadian Arctic a project of very large proportions
is entering its seventh year. Scientists from Argent Laboratories have
succeeded in commercializing a unique Arctic copepod measuring about 800
microns, just a little larger than freshly hatched Artemia nauplii. Because
of its nutritional profile it can be prepared in a number of ways, and the
products used for several purposes, such as the rearing of larval shrimps
and marine fishes, as a colour enhancer, for augmenting brood stock
condition, and in general for enhanced survival of cultivated species. It
can substitute for costly Artemia, where its performance exceeds that of
even nutrient-enhanced Artemia nauplii. Its commercial name is
CYCLOP-EEZER."

Note that Cyclop-eeze is a registered trademark.  If it was a human modified
organism it would be patented.


All this implies that cyclop-eeze is a natural organism that was discovered,
not created.  In other words it was naturally selectively bred and naturally
biologically engineered to live in this particular lake.


Also from Argent Lab's web site:
"SCIENTIFIC HIGHLITE
Recently, scientists at Argent Laboratories research center have discovered
an amazing fact! Apparently, not all eggs from a given years deposition
hatch. In fact, there appears to be an "egg bank" extending from the bottom
of the lake into the sediment. Further, there is evidence to support the
conclusion that eggs from different autumn depositions may hatch during any
given summer. This fact is of fundamental importance because it allows for
an incredible mixing of the gene pool. The results of this are far reaching,
as it allows the CYCLOP-EEZER to further evolve to take advantage of their
unique habitat while enhancing their proliferation."


Egg banks in the sediments are a common phenomenon for costal copepods such
as Acartia species. See the following link for a sample abstract:
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0024-3590(199401)39%3A1%3C154%3AAVAVDO%3E2.
0.CO%3B2-%23#abstract



Copepods are a major component of high arctic lakes and naturally produce
hufa's given the proper diet.  In a lake without a lot of predators or
competitors high density copepod blooms can occur.  High densities of
copepods occur naturally in both marine and freshwater environments given
the proper conditions.


Here are a couple of links about the use of various copepods in aquaculture.

http://www.educacion.uanl.mx/publicaciones/maricultura/viii/pdf/6Schipp.pdf

http://www.educacion.uanl.mx/publicaciones/maricultura/viii/pdf/4Kraul.pdf



An interesting dissertation by Adelaide Rhodes:

"POPULATION GROWTH, FATTY ACID CONTENT AND CAROTENOID CONCENTRATION OF THE
HARPACTICOID COPEPOD Nitokra lacustris GROWN WITH FORMULATED AND LIVE FEEDS

Nitokra lacustris Shmankevich, an epibenthic coastal harpacticoid copepod
species, may provide several advantages as a live feed for larval marine
fish. This study addressed culture methods, population growth, fatty acid
composition and carotenoid content of N. lacustris grown using diverse batch
culture methods. This research has established that: (1) N. lacustris can be
grown at large densities for periods in excess of three years in laboratory
batch cultures on either live algae (Tetraselmis suecica) or a feed
formulated from flaxseed oil, yeast and vitamins, (2) copepods grown in
trays and fed the formulated feed reached the highest densities (43 copepods
mL -1), and (3) copepod populations had growth rates which could be
predicted from initial population stage structure.

The nutritional content of N. lacustris populations grown using diverse
batch culture methods was found to be suitable for marine fish larviculture.
It was determined that: (1) N. lacustris fatty acids contain a consistently
high percentage (21%) of the highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs), which
include docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) (8%) and eicosapentaenoic acid
(EPA, 20:5n-3) (3%), (2) copepods fed diets which were deficient in EPA and
DHA were able to synthesize them from linolenic acid (LNA, 18:3n-3), and (3)
copepods fed astaxanthin deficient diets were able to bioconvert the pigment
from dietary carotenoids. Interestingly, copepods fed a formulated diet
containing pure marine fish oil instead of flaxseed oil showed some signs of
mutation, which may be the result of harmful breakdown products (e.g.
aldehydes) from highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs).

Nitokra lacustris contains higher amounts of the HUFAs DHA and EPA as well
as the essential carotenoid pigment astaxanthin when compared to other live
feeds (rotifers and Artemia). N. lacustris is also able to convert HUFA and
astaxanthin from a diet that is deficient in these nutrients. The ability of
N. lacustris to bioconvert essential fatty acids and carotenoid pigments
represents a potential new source of HUFA and astaxanthin for the
aquaculture industry."

She demonstrated that copepods can synthesize HUFAs and astataxin naturally,
and that no "biological engineering" is needed.


I think the whole thing about selectively bred, biological engineered is
marketing double speak.  No doubt the harvesting method is a trade secret,
but they appear to be harvesting and managing a unique natural resource.

That being said, I use frozen Cyclop-eeze extensively as a staple for
raising killie fry.  I have seen with my own eyes how it really brings out
the red and yellow colors.

Cheers,
Rich Pierce


-----Original Message-----
From: killietalk-bounces at aka_org [mailto:killietalk-bounces at aka_org]On
Behalf Of lee Van Hyfte
Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2007 10:21 AM
To: killietalk at aka_org
Subject: Re: [Killietalk] Anyone using commercial red crumb food (Tim
Addis)


Hi Earl and others,

Fred,  Cyclop-eeze is not necessarily cyclops as you and I typically know
it.  These are a genetically modified salt water species.   Not sure much
more about it.  Certainly not what we find in any of our ponds.   Cyclops
the naturally occuring forms can eat baby fish.  However seem to be fairly
appreciated by Diapteron.

On the Crumb foods.  The only one I have tried is the Golden Pearles from
Brineshrimpdirect.com  I assume they are nearly identical.   many fish ate
these well.  ESPECIALLY RIVS.  I think the color is hard to resist.  I
always wanted to order Tim's stuff but have yet to get around to it.  Maybe
this fall with the new fishroom.

On the Angels and cyclop-eeze WAFERS.  Mine are eating it like machines.
But the wafers are essentially freeze dried and pressed into a flake form.
There is no fillers in the wafer form so it is just as good as FD and maybe
the frozen for quality.  NO FISH MEAL! (unidentified cod body parts).

They do add ethoxyquin which I am not to keen on using but pretty much all
flakes have this as a preservative.   Pretty tough on the kidneys.  Shortens
your dogs life span but maybe not as bad as spoiled feed.

The cyclopeeze are being used HEAVILY in the salt industries.  Good thing
too as it probably keeps the demand high enough that we can still get it for
killies.  My friends use it to feed live corals and clown fish fry.
greatly improves growth rates and viability in clowns.  I know that much.

God Bless, Lee <><

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