Understanding Live Rotifers

Live Rotifers, scientifically known as Brachionus plicatilis, are minuscule organisms ranging from 150 to 360 micrometres in size. Due to their size, these creatures are frequently cultivated as nourishment for live corals and fish larvae, making them the ideal initial food for tiny fish species like the clownfish fry.

The Significance of Enrichment

Enrichment indicates feeding the rotifers a high-quality diet comprising fatty acids (particularly ARA, EPA, and DHA), carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins. Between 12 to 24 hours before shipping out our rotifers, we enrich them—a "gut loading" procedure. This process involves gradually incorporating the chosen feed into the rotifer's gut and tissues, ensuring optimal nutrition.

Beneficiaries of Live Rotifers

Just about any marine aquarium can reap the benefits of introducing rotifers. Their size and superior nutritional value (comprising 50% to 65% protein) make them the perfect live food choice for freshwater and marine fry, anemones, sponges, and more.

How to Introduce Live Rotifers into Your Aquarium

Adding rotifers to your aquarium is straightforward—pour the bottle directly into the aquarium or use a sieve to filter them. You can store rotifers in the fridge for up to 5 days and feed them as required. Given their rapid multiplication and optimal size, rotifers are the perfect food source for almost all filter feeders and clownfish fry.

Our Range of Rotifers

At Reefphyto, we stock the "L" strain of Brachionus plicatilis, which ranges in size from 150 to 360 microns. We cultivate our live rotifers in saltwater with a specific gravity of 1.019, usually maintaining a population density of 200 to 300 rotifers per ml of water.

Rotifer Sieve and Enrichment

Although our rotifers are enriched before dispatch, we recommend our rotifer enrichment feed if you plan on cultivating your own rotifers or need additional enrichment. This high-quality feed is crucial in improving the nutritional value of rotifer stomach contents and eggs. We advise straining your rotifers through a 54-micron sieve, especially for small quantities.

Rotifer Enrichment Product

We provide a rotifer enrichment product that contains a high concentration of Nannochloropsis and Isochrysis phytoplankton. Add 1 - 5 drops of our rotifer enrichment to your live rotifers 6-12 hours before feeding to your fry or corals to further enrich your rotifers. This will ensure a nutritional boost vital for larval development, making maintaining long-term rotifers cultures much more straightforward.