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		Culture Techniques of Moina: The Ideal Daphnia for Feeding Freshwater Fish Fry
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		Feeding or Fertilizing Listed below are some common fertilizer materials and application rates. Try several of these culture media to determine which one works best in your situation. The initial fertilization rates provided are only a starting point and will probably need to be adjusted depending on individual culture conditions. The following quantity of fertilizer materials should be added initially for each 100 gallons (379 L) of water. Additional feed or fertilizer, approximately 50­100% of the initial amount, should be added about 5 days later. Yeast: 0.3­0.5 ounces (8.5­14.2 g) of baker's yeast. Yeast and mineral fertilizer: 0.3­0.5 ounces (8.5­14.2 g) of yeast, and 0.5 ounces (14.2 g) of ammonium nitrate. Alfalfa, bran and yeast: 1.5 ounces (42.5 g) of alfalfa pellets or meal, 1.5 ounces (42.5 g) of wheat or rice bran, and 0.3 ounces (8.5 g) of yeast. Cow manure or sewage sludge, bran and yeast: 5 ounces (142 g) of dried manure or sewage sludge, 1.5 ounces (42.5 g) of wheat or rice bran, and 0.3 ounces (8.5 g) of yeast. Cow manure or sewage sludge, cotton seed meal and yeast: Use 5 ounces (142 g) of dried manure or sewage sludge, 1.5 ounces (42.5 g) of cotton seed meal and 0.3 ounces (8.5 g) of yeast. Horse or cow manure or sewage sludge: Combine 20 ounces (567 g) of dried manure or sewage sludge. Chicken or hog manure: Combine 6 ounces (170 g) of dried manure. Yeast and spirulina powder: 0.2 ounces (6 g) bakers yeast , 0.1 ounces (3 g) spirulina powder. Add this amount for the first two days, and then every other day until culture is harvested. Note: Add warm water to yeast and spirulina powder and let sit for 30 minutes. Stir and pour contents through a brine shrimp net into the Moina culture. The net will catch un-dissolved yeast and extend the life of the culture. Organic fertilizers are usually preferred to mineral fertilizers because organic fertilizers provide bacterial and fungal cells and detritus as well as phytoplankton as food for the Moina. This variety of food items more completely meets their nutritional needs, resulting in maximum production. Mineral fertilizers may be used alone, however, they work better in earthen ponds than in tanks or vats. Fresh manures are preferred because they are richer in organic matter and bacteria. However, some farm animals are given feed additives that control fly larvae in their manure and these may inhibit the production of Moina. Although not absolutely necessary, the manure is frequently dried before use. Commercially available organic fertilizers, such as dehydrated cow manure and sewage sludge, may be used for Moina cultures. Although manure is widely used to culture Moina, yeast, alfalfa and bran are less objectionable to use and they work well. Activated yeast (baker's yeast) is readily available from wholesale food distributors in 2-pound (0.9-kg) bags. Bran and alfalfa meal or pellets can be purchased in 50-pound (22.7-kg) bags from livestock feed stores. Coarse organic materials, such as manure, sewage sludge, hay, bran and oil seed meals, are usually suspended in the water column in mesh bags. Cheese cloth, burlap, muslin, nylon or other relatively loose weave fabrics may be used. Nylon and other synthetic fabrics, however, do not deteriorate in water as do cotton or burlap. For smaller culture containers, nylon stockings work well for this purpose, are inexpensive and readily available. The use of a bag prevents large particles from being a problem when the Moina are harvested and allows greater control of fertilization. Over-feeding can quickly cause problems in water quality. Regardless of the type of media used, start with small amounts of feed or fertilizer added at frequent intervals and slowly increase the amount used as you gain experience. If fungus occurs in the culture container due to over-fertilization, the bag containing the organic material should be removed from the culture. If fungus persists in large quantities the culture should be discarded and restarted. Excessively high pH (greater than 9.5), due to a heavy algae bloom and the resulting increase in the proportion of the toxic form of ammonia (un-ionized), may inhibit the production of Moina. The pH of the culture can be adjusted to 7­8 with vinegar (acetic acid). more...

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