Marine Copepods/Marine Rotifers

[dennysfishroom]

Has anybody had any experience raising marine copepods or marine rotifers , and can they be fed easily to freshwater fish? I was wondering if it might be a problem with osmotic pressure. Denny

[etheonut]

Marine copepods may live a couple minutes in freshwater, marine rotifers would probably die in seconds.

Freshwater copepods and freshwater rotifers are easy enough to culture, why bother with marine ones if you are just going to throw them in fresh water?

Kevin

[dennysfishroom]

What I saw for sale was for saltwater. The only advantage I can think of would be the possible safety aspects of not introducing any pathogens from freshwater into the freshwater aquarium. Not sure how important that would be. Also not aware of culture requirements of either type. Would these be any easier or desirable than other types of live foods? I really don't know. Denny

[etheonut]

They are more difficult than their freshwater equivalents because you would have to obtain and feed "marine" foods. You would also have to maintain salinity levels, they will be more susceptible to trace polluntants also because of the difference in osmotic regulation strategies between fresh and saltwater organisms.

Kevin