PENEJANE Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Can anyone tell me a good way to start a culture. I hear that adding a banana skin to the bottom of a jar of water usually starts it but I don't know how sucessful it is so would like to know your guys input on it. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faran Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Shredded lettuce in a jar of previously boiled water in the cupboard. "T" found this useful site - http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/i ... #Infusoria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted December 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 yeah I have been to that site a number of times. But it keeps mentioning to add a culture so since I don't have one to add (I think they got theirs from a pond or something). So yeah thats why I was asking cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 You could use a culture from the pet shop (liquifry) if you don't want one from the oxidation ponds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted December 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2005 how would that work? Do I just put that in a jar with a banana skin or something or just always buy that liquidfry stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted December 3, 2005 Report Share Posted December 3, 2005 The bacteria will come from the atmosphere. Liquifry is not an infusoria culture, but it may cause or be food for infusorians to grow. Alan NZKA 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted December 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2005 Ok I have done a little bit of searching and have found the easiest one for me to do. Apparently you get a banana skin an put it in the bottom of a jar with cooled boiled water. You leave it for a few days and the water will go foggy. After that the water will clear up again and this is apparently the sign that infusoria are present. Has anyone tried this method? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Hi Guys, I don't mean to sound dumb, but I have been seeing this word "Infusoria" could somebody please enlighten me as to what this is and what it is used for? Lynda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 It is a mixture of various microorganisms which are small enough for small fish fry to feed on before they grow big enough to eat microworm,baby brine shrimp etc. They are generally single celled animals and algae and are a living culture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Infusoria are any small, microscopic critters that appear in any rich culture medium. They are used to feed very tiny fry. You can make one by boiling anything from crushed leaves, dead flowers, banana skins or potato peelings in water for a few minutes then leave to cool. A fistful per 40 litres is about right, according to Axelrod's Atlas. Leave the culture uncovered and let it ripen, aerating it and keeping it about 15 - 20C. If it is too bright you will get algae more than infusoria. In a few days the infusoria should be visible under a microscope or hand lens. To look at, the culture will look slightly cloudy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 It is basically a a group of microorganisms typically found in decaying organic matter. I think more correctly animalcule which covers all the micro animals including Paramecium, Amobeba, Rotifers and even Ichthyophthirius. They are (with the exception of Ich which you wont grow in a bucket anyway) good food for very small fry like Betta because they a cannot eat anything as big as BBS usually for a wekk or 2. I make cultures with boiled water in a jar or bowl. Add a handfull of scrunched up lettuce. Within a couple of days there will be tons of life in there from, as Alan says, the atmosphere. Amazing how water and vegetables (or fruit) can make small animals :-) Some say you can speed up the process by mixing in a small amount of the muck from a filter also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted December 7, 2005 Report Share Posted December 7, 2005 How amazing, and these little micro-organisms just grow from that, incredible, thanks guys for the info at least now I no what I am reading about. Lynda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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