Culture Green Water, Indoors 7-30-23

creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)
green water (phytoplankton)
seed shrimp (ostracods)

[@Gilsfishroom]

G'day E.J, I know from personal experience that black neon tetras will eat ostracods. Good luck with the Creeping Jenny.

[@ejbrinegar]

Dear Gil: Oh my, that would be terrific! I do have Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi in my, 75-gallon tank and hope to breed them. As there are other fish, in the tank, eggs and fry are unlikely to last. But, I might be able to set something up, in future, to facilitate breeding. Thank you, so much, for this information. All my best, Sincerely, Brinegar

[@jlathem56]

I had similar results when I used tank water. I had to start using fresh but aged (a few days to a week) water. I had 30+ tanks in my room and a desk lamp didn't seem to bother any of my other fish as long as the light wasn't shining directly on their tanks. If you think about it, fish usually get a little light even in the wild from the moonlight. It's what they get use to that matters Another tip I figured out is that if I had to start out without a starter of green water, it helped me is I used a pinch of fast active yeast along with the fertilizer. Also I kept my culture around 82°F. Cyanobacteria does require a LOT of light. I kept mine in full but not direct sunlight. Hope this helps you.

[@ejbrinegar]

Dear J. Lathem: Thank you, for providing this information. I appreciate it, very much. All my best, Sincerely, Brinegar

[@LushSaltyAquariums]

I think it's the shell on seed shrimps that make them super hard to eat. I gotta believe SOME fish eat them but which ones???

[@ejbrinegar]

Dear Steffan: A few of my, female Endler’s swallowed seed shrimp, but most spit them out. Most of the floating particles in the tank are brine shrimp cyst shells. I try to avoid adding adding cyst shells, by allowing brine shrimp cultures to sit in a room, with one, bright light source, before collecting them, with a turkey baster. But, inevitably, some shells make it into the tank. I do believe I will strain my, green water cultures, before adding green water, to my daphnia cultures. I’m going to try to avoid culturing seed shrimp. Thank you for your, continued interest and assistance. All my best, Sincerely, Brinegar

[@evalikesred]

My Bettas eat them, no problem.

[@Sinserg]

Thanks for sharing I didn't know about the seed shrimps, I've haven't seen them in my tank.

[@ejbrinegar]

Dear Sergio S.: These ostracods may be endemic to North America, but I doubt it. You should encounter them, at some point, in the hobby, especially if you culture green water, outside. I haven’t found a use, for them, so I try to avoid culturing seed shrimp. I hope you have good success with green water and daphnia. All my best, Sincerely, Brinegar

[@Sinserg]

@@ejbrinegar Yeah maybe I got them at some point but didn't noticed. 🙂

[@jlathem56]

for me, most of the time the fish or other critters I kept would eat them before they became an issue.