Daphnia Starter

Daphnia Culture Instruction

Daphnia are small freshwater crustaceans that make an excellent live food for aquarium fish. They are highly nutritious and are especially useful for conditioning breeding fish and feeding growing fry.

There are many different methods for culturing daphnia. The following is the method that has given us the most consistent results after plenty of trial and error.

Setting Up Your Culture

What You'll Need

• A clean, wide container
• Dechlorinated water
• Daphnia starter culture
• Yeast
• Spirulina powder (optional)

Method

1. Choose a clean container with a large surface area. The container does not need to be deep, but a wide surface allows better oxygen exchange, which helps the daphnia thrive.
2. Fill the container with dechlorinated water. If using tap water, allow it to stand for 24–48 hours before adding the daphnia.
3. Add the daphnia starter culture.
4. Place the culture in a sheltered outdoor location where it is protected from direct sunlight. Daphnia prefer cooler temperatures and generally do not perform well in hot conditions or full sun.

Feeding Your Daphnia

We have had the best results using a simple homemade food made from:

• Baker's yeast
• Spirulina powder

Mix these with water to create a rich green suspension. The exact concentration is not critical, and one batch can usually be used over several days.

Alternatively, a very small amount of milk can also be used as a food source.

When feeding:

• Add enough food to make the water appear lightly cloudy or "foggy."
• Avoid making the water completely opaque, as overfeeding can foul the culture.
• Feed the culture again only after the water has cleared, indicating the daphnia have consumed the available food.