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Re: Daphnia vs. air diffusers: a myth?

Non-member submission from [walter at flashmag_com (Walter Jeffries)]   

From: walter at flashmag_com (Walter Jeffries)

I have daphnia cultures with no air flow, some with a air tube and
some with a course diffuser. I've not noticed any problem in any of
them of daphnia dying due to trapped bubbles. All three tank types
work. The ones with air flow support higher populations. I to have
read about the problem of diffusers and daphnia trapping the bubbles
under their 'shells'. I suspect that this is caused by very fine
bubbles which is probably why I, and you, have not had a problem.

I would suggest airating the daphnia culture to maximize the
population and help prevent crashing. I have only gotten die off,
crashes, in the unairated cultures.

BTW, I recently rinsed out an empyt milk jug into one culture which
was airated. The population exploded upward (and didn't crash). So,
they like dillute milk... I harvested the adults a couple of days
later and that culture continues to do fine. They cleared the water
in about 36 hours. I harvest just the adults by using a cooking
strainer that has the right sized mesh to let the smaller daphnia
slip through and just wave it through the culture, trapping the
largest daphnia.

Cheers,

-Walter