# Live daphnia



## chrisperrins78 (Nov 2, 2011)

I have a few sharp ribbed newt larvae that need feeding and was wondering where the best place to get daphnia was and what else could I feed them?
Cheers
Chris


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## exoticsandtropics (Mar 11, 2007)

Most good aquarium shops should sell it. If not they'll sell frozen. You can also get mini bloodworm which I'm sure your larvae will love


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## SouthSidePets (Mar 22, 2013)

You can also get it online if you can not find a local fresh supplier.


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

In contrast to my usual 'grab it where it's free' advice, I would say *don't* get it from any ponds where there are native amphibians- there is a real risk of disease transmission. There is nothing to stop you buying some and using them to start your own culture in a water butt or similar, though.


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## chrisperrins78 (Nov 2, 2011)

Will they eat frozen bloodworm?


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

chrisperrins78 said:


> Will they eat frozen bloodworm?


Yes, they should do, although it may take them a little while to get the idea.


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## vukic (Apr 9, 2010)

Ron Magpie said:


> In contrast to my usual 'grab it where it's free' advice, I would say *don't* get it from any ponds where there are native amphibians- there is a real risk of disease transmission. There is nothing to stop you buying some and using them to start your own culture in a water butt or similar, though.


I have been thinking of this... I have a "water butt in my garden just sitting there.. Wondering if there's any wildlife in there I could feed off.. ;-) would I need a special net?? 







chrisperrins78 said:


> Will they eat frozen bloodworm?


Oh yes! Definitely.. Mine go into a frenzy when there's food in the tank.. Lol.

Tiger

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## Theloderma (Oct 30, 2008)

vukic said:


> I have been thinking of this... I have a "water butt in my garden just sitting there.. Wondering if there's any wildlife in there I could feed off.. ;-) would I need a special net??


I have had a culture of Daphnia in a rain-water butt for many years. However, it dies off in the winter (around now) and doesn't get going again until the spring. There's no need to introduce more Daphnia, they will just appear again. Try not to keep the water too "sterile" - a few dead leaves on the bottom seem to help. I use the same water for all my amphibians, including larvae, but it is collected from a garage which has a tiled roof that has been "matured" for many years. Also, the air where I live in is not very polluted.


Chris


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## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

Vulkic,just use a small mesh aquarium net. I'm in the same situation as Chris above,rainwater is my source of water for or darts,plus water butts provide us with some alternative live food for the tadpoles. mossi larvea primarily,but also various other midge larvea such as blood worms,even tiny baby water boatmen at the right time of year. Other than the risks Ron has stated,just be aware of dragon fly nymphs,if they are very small phib larvae will eat them ,but as they get bigger the tables will turn and our phib larvae become prey,probably best to avoid these,thinking about it this could apply to water boatmen too for you guys. We keep dart tads in single small containers/glasses for the most part,because of their canabalistic nature. So live grub has nowhere to hide and gets munched pretty quick,you guys with bigger water areas,probably need to be just abit more careful,about introducing a tiny predator that can hide and get bigger with time. 

But yeah free grub of the live wild nature, risks excepting, is, imho ,some of the best stuff out there. Plus, I just love the way my nieghbours look at me when I go plodding off down the garden waving a tiny net and little bucket and then start fishing in a water butt.:2thumb: A fine example of why phib keepers are largely the sane ones ,we're all just big kids really


Stu


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## Theloderma (Oct 30, 2008)

Just another thought - I introduced some _Asellus_ into my rain-water butt and garden pond several years ago. There are like aquatic woodlice and breed quickly. I've found that they are an excellent additional food for many species and I'm sure your _Pleurodeles_ would love them. They live on aquatic plants and the sides of the butt or pond and are quite easy to harvest with a small net. 

Someone else mentioned mosquito larvae and these arrive on their own in the summer if your butt doesn't have a lid. You just have to watch that they don't emerge before the creatures eat them, otherwise you will have them all over your house.

Chris


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## chrisperrins78 (Nov 2, 2011)

I had been using mosquito larvae from a tub in my back garden, my young yellow bellied toads and ribbed newt larvae were eating them. I opened the ribbed newt larvae tank yesterday and got a face full of mosquitos, the other half was not impressed.


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## vukic (Apr 9, 2010)

Theloderma said:


> Just another thought - I introduced some _Asellus_ into my rain-water butt and garden pond several years ago. There are like aquatic woodlice and breed quickly. I've found that they are an excellent additional food for many species and I'm sure your _Pleurodeles_ would love them. They live on aquatic plants and the sides of the butt or pond and are quite easy to harvest with a small net.
> 
> Someone else mentioned mosquito larvae and these arrive on their own in the summer if your butt doesn't have a lid. You just have to watch that they don't emerge before the creatures eat them, otherwise you will have them all over your house.
> 
> Chris


What are those?? Where do I get them?? Lol.. Sound interesting to keep them for additional food stuffs..

Tiger

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## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

Theloderma said:


> Just another thought - I introduced some _Asellus_ into my rain-water butt and garden pond several years ago. There are like aquatic woodlice and breed quickly. I've found that they are an excellent additional food for many species and I'm sure your _Pleurodeles_ would love them. They live on aquatic plants and the sides of the butt or pond and are quite easy to harvest with a small net.
> 
> Someone else mentioned mosquito larvae and these arrive on their own in the summer if your butt doesn't have a lid. You just have to watch that they don't emerge before the creatures eat them, otherwise you will have them all over your house.
> 
> Chris


How big are these Chris?
Is that your article on mossies on PRK,if so great read ,plus awesome pics
Mossy larvea for us(dart keepers) in a ff proof viv present fewer problems,another suppliment for the adults,to give more chance of avaoiding fliers and time to be eaten ,avaoid the pupea stage,it's very evident


Stu


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

Asellus vary in size according to age, but are pretty muich the same as Euro woodlice. I can't believe I never thought of culturing them!


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## Chris taylor (Dec 14, 2009)

Theloderma said:


> Just another thought - I introduced some _Asellus_ into my rain-water butt and garden pond several years ago. There are like aquatic woodlice and breed quickly. I've found that they are an excellent additional food for many species and I'm sure your _Pleurodeles_ would love them. They live on aquatic plants and the sides of the butt or pond and are quite easy to harvest with a small net.
> 
> Someone else mentioned mosquito larvae and these arrive on their own in the summer if your butt doesn't have a lid. You just have to watch that they don't emerge before the creatures eat them, otherwise you will have them all over your house.
> 
> Chris


Chicken manure pellets increase the daphnia to biblical proportions


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## Theloderma (Oct 30, 2008)

soundstounite said:


> How big are these Chris?
> Is that your article on mossies on PRK,if so great read ,plus awesome pics
> Mossy larvea for us(dart keepers) in a ff proof viv present fewer problems,another suppliment for the adults,to give more chance of avaoiding fliers and time to be eaten ,avaoid the pupea stage,it's very evident
> 
> ...


_Asellus_ size: as Ron says, about the same length as common woodlice although you will get all sizes in a pond. _Pleurodeles_ will take them easily.

Thanks for your kind words about the article. :smile:

Chris


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

vukic said:


> What are those?? Where do I get them?? Lol.. Sound interesting to keep them for additional food stuffs..
> 
> Tiger
> 
> Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk 2


Asellus aquaticus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



Chris taylor said:


> Chicken manure pellets increase the daphnia to biblical proportions


I've seen horse manure used before as well.


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## Theloderma (Oct 30, 2008)

Using manure and other "fertilisers" to encourage the Daphnia works very well, but if you also use the rain water for the tadpoles as well, as I do, it's probably not such a great idea. 

Chris


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## vukic (Apr 9, 2010)

Ron Magpie said:


> Asellus aquaticus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> 
> 
> I've seen horse manure used before as well.


Thanks Ron, was just.about.to look.it up.. Are they worth culturing then?? How would one start?? 

Tiger

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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

Theloderma said:


> Using manure and other "fertilisers" to encourage the Daphnia works very well, but if you also use the rain water for the tadpoles as well, as I do, it's probably not such a great idea.
> 
> Chris


Yeah, I think we are talking seperate water butts! :lol2:


EDIT: @Vulky: I'm gessing, since they are omnivorous, pond pellets in moderation would do for food. According to the Wiki entry, they breed all year round, unless it's actually freezing. I wish I'd checked this out before my split and grabbed some form the ponds at the exes place, actually; they'd be a great supplimentary food for my clawed frogs!


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## vukic (Apr 9, 2010)

Ron Magpie said:


> Yeah, I think we are talking seperate water butts! :lol2:
> 
> 
> EDIT: @Vulky: I'm gessing, since they are omnivorous, pond pellets in moderation would do for food. According to the Wiki entry, they breed all year round, unless it's actually freezing. I wish I'd checked this out before my split and grabbed some form the ponds at the exes place, actually; they'd be a great supplimentary food for my clawed frogs!


Why not do a midnight raid?? ;-) where can you get them?? I want some.. May even keep a tank in the shed breeding them.. So it stays warmer.. 

Tiger

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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

vukic said:


> Why not do a midnight raid?? ;-) *where can you get them?? I want some.. *May even keep a tank in the shed breeding them.. So it stays warmer..
> 
> Tiger
> 
> Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk 2


Practically any garden pond.


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## vukic (Apr 9, 2010)

My have to raid a few gardens.. Especially since the neighbors just filled theirs in.. :-(

Tiger

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