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Some suggestions

hey Andrew Ternay 
<Hi; I am looking for live foods that I can culture
which will be of
suitable size to feed to basic community fish (tetras,
barbs, dwarf
cichlids).  I have been culturing daphnia and buying
blackworms, but
recently moved to Dallas and cannot find an lfs
carrying blackworms.  
My
greenwater cultures have crashed down here twice,
something that I had 
been
able to avoid in my former home of Colorado.>

Are vinegar eels a suitable size to feed to community
fish?
Yes but the trick is to get them out of the medium. 
Use a long necked bottle with a little filter floss to
plug at the vinegar and fill about another inch or so
with clear cold water that you have let sit out for an
hour or more.  Put a light above the bottle and the
eels will migrate to the top in the clean water so
little or none of the actaul growing medium gets into
your tank!! Use a baster to suck out fresh water.
Temp shoud not matter.

Might also try micro worms.  They are about the same
size and do not mind the heat.  Also easier to
harvest.

<The temp in my home will reach above 80 degrees F
occasionally during 
the
summer--will this preclude culturing white worms and
red worms?>

Have you thought about a shoe box size container that
you can keep in you fridge?  White worms will thrive
at the lower temps!!

<Any secrets to keeping green water going in Texas?  I
have been keeping 
the
greenwater going by using water from a cichlid tank,
harvesting half 
the
culture each week to refill the daphnia tanks, and
adding a tiny amount 
of
Pond Flourish by Seachem to the green water culture
(mostly for iron).>

I think the secret to green water is  PHOSPHATE!!  The
next bloom you have gather a gallon for your starter
cultures.  Put a small amount of regular everyday fert
in there (mind you I am talking drops of 30-30-30 or
15-15-15 or the like) Insert airstone on high for good
circulation (do not want it to settle) and add light.
When you are ready for a new culture get out you 5 gal
bucket or what ever you use and drop a baster full of
the mixture above add some light (sun is great) and in
a day or so you have a perfect bloom of green water.

If this will not work for you you might also try fresh
manure and lettuce.  Throw a couple of leaves(crush
them in your hand first) of any lettuce but iceberg. 
Aquire some manure and put into a nylon stocking or
cheese cloth or the like and hang into the tank. 
Works great (especially if outside).  Remember the
larger the volume of water the less the smell. 
Another point you might want to take note of is the
the manure, as it decays throws off heat (the fresher
the more heat).  Use a small amount at first and
gradually increse as you feel out you limits.
The great part about this method is the daphnia will
ted to gather near the food, which makes them
incredibly easy to harvest them as they bloom.
Lance




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