FRESH WATER CULTURE OF ROTIFERS

Date: 3 December 1998

From: Arnulfo H. Diaz <ahdiaz@costera.melaque.udg.mx>

To: AQUA-L@killick.ifmt.nf.ca

QUESTION:

Could someone give me advice in how obtain a variety of rotifers to be cultured in fresh water?

Or can saltwater Brachionus plicatilis be acclimated and cultured in fresh water?

Arnulfo H. Diaz

Laboratoriu Acuicultura

Centro de Ecologia Costera

DERN/DDR/CUCSur/U. de G.

Gomez Farias No. 82

San Patricio Melaque

Jalisco, Mexico

C.P. 48980

Tel: 01 (335) 56330

Fax: 01 (335) 56331

e-mail: ahdiaz@costera. melaque.udg.mx

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COMMENTS 1:

We raise rotifers Brachionus plicatilis (rotundiformis) in artificially salinized brackishwater, as low as 6 ppt. The reproductive rate is reduced, but after transference for 2 ppt, which is the salinity that we keep our freshwater larvae, rotifer survive at least 24 h.

If you will raise them in 20 ppt and offer for larvae kept at 0 ppt most of the rotifer will sink and quickly die.

Fernando Andre Salles

Instituto de Pesca

Sao Paulo - Brasil

e-mail: ipescalb@eu.ansp.br

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COMMENTS 2:

You can obtain freshwater rotifer (Brachionus calyciflorus) from Aquaculture Supply (division of Florida Aqua Farms). There is another species (B. rubens) that I believe can be obtained from many biological supply houses. But the Aquaculture Supply had the best technical help I've found.

Lysmata2@aol.com

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