Moina, Magna, or Pulex?

[Bill Smith]

Hey all:

I've dabbled unsuccessfully with daphnia in the past, and I'm looking forward to trying again pretty soon. But I'm getting into a little "analysis paralysis" while trying to pick a strain.

What is your experience with regard to ideal sizes for breeding? My biggest fish are full-sized congo tetras and my smallest are juvenile multies, rummy-nose tetras, and pea puffers.

What's your thinking on the most optimal all-around daphnia strain for these circumstances? If hardiness is a factor, that would make a difference for me too. 🙂

Thanks!

Edited July 31, 2020 by Bill Smith

[Daniel]

No matter what kind of Daphnia you get, more than half the population are little ones anyway. So even if you get magna, more than half the magna population is going to be tiny anyway. I'm like you @Bill Smith much of my Daphnia dabbling has been unsuccessful because the population wanes and waxes and it really helps to feed them at the right time and I always screw that part up. It is kinda hard to see in the photo, but half of the daphnia I collected this morning are tiny.

The only thing that has saved my bacon in the past is running six trash cans at the same time. At least one of them always had some Daphnia in it.

Here's a challenge. Find some local, native, wild Daphnia. It is everywhere where there is water but no fish. I have found it in seasonal pools in Duke Forest, in farm ponds, and in the ditch in front of my house. I don't even think there has to be any water. If you can get some dirt from a place that sometimes has water but no fish, take a scoop of dirt and put that in a 5 gallon bucket. My guess is Daphnia would magically appear, it works just like brine shrimp eggs.

And that would solve your analysis problem. Whatever Daphnia you could find would be the kind you would grow. What could hardier than your local wild caught strain? 🙂

Edited July 31, 2020 by Daniel
verb conjugation issues

[Cory]

Getting it from a local hobbyist is nice. I may try to collect some locally at some point, as I'm hoping they'd be more in line with the local temps than something shipped in?

[Bill Smith]

Thanks guys, just the reality check I needed. 🙂

Edited July 31, 2020 by Bill Smith

[Green Thumb Aquariums]

I've been told that baby daphnia moina are a good alternative to BBS i.e. good for raising fry. I've yet to try moina myself, but I'm looking for them. I find that daphnia magna are good for a variety of juvenile to adult-sized fish including pseudomugils, rams, and angel fish.