5. General Culture Procedures
5.8 High Density Rearing
Japanese scientists have developed intensive ultra-high density rotifer culture techniques. The latest, ultra-high density rotifer mass culture (maximum density from 20,000 up to 40,000 rotifers. ml-1) has been developed based on concentrated freshwater Chlorella as food (Yoshimura et al., 1994a, 1997a; Fu et al., 1997). Since in these systems water quality is the limiting factor (high ammonium concentrations) special equipment is used to lower the pH and reduce free ammonia toxicity (Yoshimura, 1995).
In order to solve the problem on water quality, new culture methods in rotifer production have been developed enabling high-density populations in continuous culture (Aburezq et al., 1997; Fu et al., 1997; Yoshimura et al., 1997). The last progress in this area has been achieved with the use of a highly performant artificial diet in a closed recirculation system (Suantika et al., 1999).
It is this rotifer recirculation culture system that we invite you to learn through this electronic practical exercise. In the exercise you will construct your own rotifer production system and learn the basic knowledge about water treatment before you will actually perform the rotifer rearing. Before starting the exercise you should have assimilated the previous information that will help you to bring the exercise to a good end.
Good luck and enjoy your virtual rotifer rearing!
1. Introduction
2. Morphology
3. Biology and Life History
4. Strain Differences
5. General Culture Procedures