I’ve been culturing infusoria for many years and was told a very simple way of keeping the cultures producing infusoria for weeks if not months. Simply buy some gram flour (most Asian shops stock it or you can buy it online). Put a v small amount into a test tube, or similar, and mix it with water to make a milky solution. Add a small amount of the solution to the infusoria culture - just enough to turn the culture slightly cloudy. Repeat when the culture clears or when you harvest it and the reproduction rate is very impressive. I keep six 1 litre cultures going at a time and can harvest a pint of infusoria a day. Try it you’ll be surprised how easy and quick this method produces infusoria. 🤓👍
@@MakeMoreFish it works with many types of infusoria. I’ve also heard that it works cultivating daphnia but I’ve never tried it. An acquaintance of mine actually uses liquid fry food to culture/feed his infusoria cultures.
@@PaulsFishroom interesting, thanks! Did you say you can harvest a PINT per day? Do you just use micron mesh to fish them out or what should I purchase for that
I was surprised how quick these guys grew in my large jar. I wanted to know exactly what different types of creatures made up Infusoria. And they are: Ciliates, euglenoids, protozoa, unicellular algae and small invertebrates. Hard to imagine they are obviously air born. I'm using three jars I grow from. As I dump one jar out, I restart it and work from the oldest. These Zebra Danios are super small. I already have a culture of Brine Shrimp and Micro worms, (Disgusting things). Thanks for all your videos, I've learned a lot. By the way, have you ever bred Kuhli Loaches? I heard they are very difficult. I have the black ones, which I think are the most active.
I haven't tried Kuhli loaches yet. There a number of species that are not commonly bred in captivity that I would like to try but only at a time when I have a surplus of tanks that aren't needed for something else.
As far as I understand it you use the grain as food for the yeast and the yeast feeds the paramecia right? In Germany most instructions I've seen use coffee milk. Both approaches have their advantages I guess. With the milk it's easier to have a feeding solution for fry that doesn't contain much else (yeast, bacteria etc). With grain+yeast you don't have to resupply the culture as often.
May I ask if I could use a different starchy grain like oat instead of wheat? I've got oat grass seeds on hand for making greens for the cat. Also steel cut oats for ourselves for breakfast porridge. If they won't work can you tell me where you sourced your wheat berries? what about whole grain rice?
I got the caudatum, it's a little larger than others if I remember and I like that. They're visible without magnification so it's easy to monitor the culture.
I hope you don't get sick of seeing me comment on so many videos, but, you mention that these paramecium eat bacteria, do you think they will deplete the nitrifying bacteria in a 2.5g fry tank if some don't get consumed?
I think paramecia are more filter feeders and wouldn't go after beneficial bacteria colonizing surfaces. That's my assumption. Either way it shouldn't be of any concern.
In a planted tank, infusoria will feed on decaying vegetation. You don't necessarily have to add something gross to feed them. Without a predator, they can really boom in population. I have a planted tank deliberately without shrimp or snails but with small fish. The small fish eat predators like cyclops so there are infusoria everywhere. Large free floating paramecium all throughout the water column. The fish don't eat them unless they go a while without being fed.
That would not be a paramecium culture, it would be a culture of whatever happens to be in that sample of aquarium water. That has its own value, but is not the topic of this video
I think the sterileness isn't as important. Paremcium already outcompetes almost anything. If there is anything in there that would eat the paramecia or outcompete them, that might actually make for a better fish food...
Find yourself paramecium culture??? $20?? OK: wash a leaf of lettuce, chop it, but not tiny peaces. Put it in a glass jar. Put a boiled water in the jar, less than half. Leave it 2-3 hours to cool down . Fill the rest of the jar with aquarium water. Stir the content 8-10 times a day. After 3-5 days you have your infusoria/micro organisms for your fry. Thank me later.
I'll thank you now. When I want a broad infusoria culture, I'll try that. This video discusses a method to obtain and culture paramecium in isolation, should anyone want to do so.
They are easy to see to judge density of a culture, easy for small fry to see and eat, and can be cultured in a stable environment that is inexpensive and very quick to reproduce. After initial investment, creating a new culture is as simple as adding more softened wheat to a clean container of water. No cooling, little delay, more paramecium in a few days. Cultures can be split off and continued into perpetuity. It's a matter of preference. DIY always has a place.
@@MakeMoreFish thank you for the explanation. I do only infusoria for my fry. When magnified, the organisms all look the same. Maybe they are only paramecium, maybe they are something else. My fry love it. I have managed to keep producing the organisms by putting a new leaf of lettuce and change half water with aquarium water when I see the density of organisms comes down. Works greatly.
I’ve been culturing infusoria for many years and was told a very simple way of keeping the cultures producing infusoria for weeks if not months. Simply buy some gram flour (most Asian shops stock it or you can buy it online). Put a v small amount into a test tube, or similar, and mix it with water to make a milky solution. Add a small amount of the solution to the infusoria culture - just enough to turn the culture slightly cloudy. Repeat when the culture clears or when you harvest it and the reproduction rate is very impressive. I keep six 1 litre cultures going at a time and can harvest a pint of infusoria a day. Try it you’ll be surprised how easy and quick this method produces infusoria. 🤓👍
I like it. Any particular species you're culturing that way or is it broadly applicable?
@@MakeMoreFish it works with many types of infusoria. I’ve also heard that it works cultivating daphnia but I’ve never tried it. An acquaintance of mine actually uses liquid fry food to culture/feed his infusoria cultures.
Thanks, Going to try this. Do you know if the paramecium live off the gram flour itself or if it grows bacteria that they eat?
@@lucash7012 I believe that it’s the bacteria caused as the gram flour breaks down that provides the food for the infusoria. But I’m no expert…
@@PaulsFishroom interesting, thanks! Did you say you can harvest a PINT per day? Do you just use micron mesh to fish them out or what should I purchase for that
Great video's , thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.😊
Me: wonder where I can get a starter...
My snail tank: lady.. right here. To your right!
thank you , simple neat and very easy and clean work ,
GREAT EXPLAINING VIDEO :)
THANK YOU FOR SHARING :)
THANK YOU FROM ISRAEL :)
Thanks for destroying The West
I was surprised how quick these guys grew in my large jar. I wanted to know exactly what different types of creatures made up Infusoria. And they are: Ciliates, euglenoids, protozoa, unicellular algae and small invertebrates. Hard to imagine they are obviously air born. I'm using three jars I grow from. As I dump one jar out, I restart it and work from the oldest. These Zebra Danios are super small. I already have a culture of Brine Shrimp and Micro worms, (Disgusting things). Thanks for all your videos, I've learned a lot. By the way, have you ever bred Kuhli Loaches? I heard they are very difficult. I have the black ones, which I think are the most active.
I haven't tried Kuhli loaches yet. There a number of species that are not commonly bred in captivity that I would like to try but only at a time when I have a surplus of tanks that aren't needed for something else.
As far as I understand it you use the grain as food for the yeast and the yeast feeds the paramecia right? In Germany most instructions I've seen use coffee milk. Both approaches have their advantages I guess. With the milk it's easier to have a feeding solution for fry that doesn't contain much else (yeast, bacteria etc). With grain+yeast you don't have to resupply the culture as often.
Nice
is there any way you can give the website to carolin biological supply I need the culture
www.carolina.com/protozoa/paramecium-caudatum-living/131554.pr
May I ask if I could use a different starchy grain like oat instead of wheat? I've got oat grass seeds on hand for making greens for the cat. Also steel cut oats for ourselves for breakfast porridge. If they won't work can you tell me where you sourced your wheat berries? what about whole grain rice?
I have not personally tried other starches. I bet you could, but they may be less stable in water.
Which strain of paramecium did you get from Carolina Biological? There seem to be several. Does it matter?
Paramecium caudatum
Caralina has multiple "paramecium" cultures. Which one are you using?
I got the caudatum, it's a little larger than others if I remember and I like that. They're visible without magnification so it's easy to monitor the culture.
can this live food also be good for adult fish?
Maybe for some exceptionally small species but in most cases I don't think so
Very nice video thanks I just found your channel an subbed 👍😊
Thank you! And welcome
Can I use Oatmeal instead of the whole grain?
Thanks,
I've never tried oatmeal but I think that is very likely to work
I hope you don't get sick of seeing me comment on so many videos, but, you mention that these paramecium eat bacteria, do you think they will deplete the nitrifying bacteria in a 2.5g fry tank if some don't get consumed?
I think paramecia are more filter feeders and wouldn't go after beneficial bacteria colonizing surfaces. That's my assumption. Either way it shouldn't be of any concern.
Can i just make infusoria/paramecium inside my tank?
Put them in my planted/populated tank. feed them uh, wheat, or veggies etc?
Is that doable?
In a planted tank, infusoria will feed on decaying vegetation. You don't necessarily have to add something gross to feed them. Without a predator, they can really boom in population. I have a planted tank deliberately without shrimp or snails but with small fish. The small fish eat predators like cyclops so there are infusoria everywhere. Large free floating paramecium all throughout the water column. The fish don't eat them unless they go a while without being fed.
So if the culture only lasts a month… do you just take 50 individuals out of a current culture to start a new one?
Pretty much, though I've found that with a larger water volume the cultures can go for months as long as they are periodically given new grain
any harm to having a population of paramecium living in the aquarium?
No harm that I'm aware of. Free fry food.
എവിടെ നിന്നു വന്നു ഞാൻ
No need of starter culture. Just use your aquarium water or if you can get green algae water that should suffice.
That would not be a paramecium culture, it would be a culture of whatever happens to be in that sample of aquarium water. That has its own value, but is not the topic of this video
@@MakeMoreFish Okay thanks. Got it. I was thinking infusoria culture.
I think the sterileness isn't as important. Paremcium already outcompetes almost anything. If there is anything in there that would eat the paramecia or outcompete them, that might actually make for a better fish food...
Find yourself paramecium culture??? $20?? OK: wash a leaf of lettuce, chop it, but not tiny peaces. Put it in a glass jar. Put a boiled water in the jar, less than half. Leave it 2-3 hours to cool down . Fill the rest of the jar with aquarium water. Stir the content 8-10 times a day. After 3-5 days you have your infusoria/micro organisms for your fry. Thank me later.
I'll thank you now. When I want a broad infusoria culture, I'll try that. This video discusses a method to obtain and culture paramecium in isolation, should anyone want to do so.
@@MakeMoreFish why exactly you wold want only paramecium?
They are easy to see to judge density of a culture, easy for small fry to see and eat, and can be cultured in a stable environment that is inexpensive and very quick to reproduce. After initial investment, creating a new culture is as simple as adding more softened wheat to a clean container of water. No cooling, little delay, more paramecium in a few days. Cultures can be split off and continued into perpetuity. It's a matter of preference. DIY always has a place.
@@MakeMoreFish thank you for the explanation. I do only infusoria for my fry. When magnified, the organisms all look the same. Maybe they are only paramecium, maybe they are something else. My fry love it. I have managed to keep producing the organisms by putting a new leaf of lettuce and change half water with aquarium water when I see the density of organisms comes down. Works greatly.