Receiving your Rotifers and setting up your Rotifer Culture

Once you receive your shipment of rotifers use the following protocols to make sure you get the best survival rates:

  1. Open the box and store the bags of rotifers in a refrigerator (39-46 °F, 4-8 °C) until you are ready to put them in the rotifer tank.
  2. These rotifers can be cultured at pH 6.5 - 8.5, optimally at 7.0 - 8.0 and 60 - 86 °F (15-30 °C), optimally at 79 °F (26 °C)

  3. The rotifers will arrive at a salinity of about 30 ppt (1.015).  Your water does NOT need to be adjusted to this salinity - they will adjust into water from 5 to 40 ppt (1.023), although a gradual transition to a much higher or lower salinity is less stressful.

  4. Add the recommend amount of ClorAm-X® to the tank to remove any ammonia in the water and anticipated as the result of rotifer metabolism . ClorAm-X® dosage rates can be found here.

  5. Take the bag of rotifers from the refrigerator and put it in the rotifer tank for 10-15 minutes to allow it to gradually warm up.  Then cut the bag open and release the rotifers into the tank.
  6. Add enough rotifer feed (see  Rotigrow; for hobbyist culture see RGcomplete) to the water to establish a green background.

  7. Check the rotifer tank in a few hours to confirm that the rotifers are feeding actively and thus clearing the water.

Click here for information about the shelf life of the rotifers during transit and refrigeration.