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Re: little critters







> From: J Miller <jkmiller at gpu_srv.ualberta.ca>

> I was just looking in my fifteen gal. with half dozen pygmy corys and as
> many young bristlenose plecos.  There is a large bunch of java moss and a
> few large bunches of java fern floating in the tank, also duckweed and
> other floating plants. I noticed a plethora of small organisms swimming
> around, including small worms (planaria?), 

More likely paramecia, one of the common free-swimming "infusoria"
forms.

> shrimp-like critter (look like
> bbs), and the most abundant are what I think to be copepods.  I was
> wondering if I could culture these critters to feed to my other fish fry?

You bet, with one proviso...

I have been warned that cyclops are dangerous to smaller fry, but
haven't known them to harm mine.

> 
> Copepods look like this   -
>                          ( )
>                           -
>                         () ()

Yeah. Cyclops. Good ascii art!

> 
> Any advice would be great as my apistos look like they're getting ready to
> spawn.

Sounds like you have a good start on baby food in there, but the
cats/pl*ckos will probably eat the eggs/babies while the parents sleep.
They are basically nocturnal and cichlids are often sound sleepers.
Hopefully they are in a different tank. :-)

Transfer some to the breeding tank. Put a drop or two of Liquifry #1 in
to increase the infusorian population as hatching time nears. Best live
baby food for Apistos known.

Wright

-- 
Wright Huntley, Fremont CA, USA, 510 494-8679  huntley1 at home dot com
          *********   Eschew obfuscation   **********