Alternate for Baby Brine Shrimp?

[dman]

but how would i know if infusoria is present already and ready to harvest?

[DefyingGravity]

In about a week you should have green water with some infusoria and in about 2 weeks it should be booming

I suppose once you have the green water, and it's booming. Hopefully someone else can help, because I've never attempted it before.

Google gave me this answer (http://www.thekrib.com/Food/infusoria.html)

>>I've heard that the best food for newly hatched fry is infusoria.
>>
>>Where do I get/grow/culture this stuff?
>
>"Infusoria" is a generic term for the microscopic and near-microscopic
>life found in water. Examples are protozoa, rotifers, etc.
>
>Many newborn fry from egg layers are so small that their mouths
>can only fit around microscopic beasties.
>
>How to get some? They are already in your tank. The problem is
>that there is probably so few that they could not support a batch
>of fry. Therefore, you must cultivate them.
>
>Take a large jar (gallon sized, if possible). Fill with water from
>your tank. Add a handful of straw or grass. Put in the sun for a
>few days. If you look closely, you'll see the water get cloudy -
>that's infusoria growing. If you look _really_ closely, you'll
>see little specks moving around.
>
>Use a turkey baster or eyedropper to feed water from your jar near
>the batch of fry.
>
>I read somewhere that the water from a vase of flowers is full of
>infusoria - however, it usually smells so bad I would hesitate to use
>it.
>
>A sponge filter in your tank will also cultivate infusoria. Fry will
>pick at it.
>
>You can order specific species of microscopic animals from
>biology lab supply houses. I'm sure they'll provide instructions for
>cultivation.
>
>Good luck
>
>Alisa

It's difficult to add to Alisa's great answer, but I must try. Once you
have the beasties in your fry tank, it is better to feed the infusoria
there and get them to sustain a population, if you can. This cuts the
chance of introducing a bad bug like hydra, cyclops, dragonfly larvae,
etc.

Oleg Kiselev gave me a pure (laboratory) strain of paramecium (slipper
bacillus?) and I have kept them going for many months in cultures and
in baby tanks by feeding them the LiquiFry for egglayers. Water
clearing? Add a couple of drops. Clouds of live stuff in hours. Just
never use a wrong eyedropper and contaminate your culture with
strangers.

Good luck from me, too, Ken Wright

[dman]

i appreciate the help! thank you!