500 - 1Kµm Zooplankton Suspension for Fishes, Stony Corals, Clams, and Other Filter-FeedersOverview:
- Provides zooplankton ranging in size from 500 - 1,000µm (1mm).
- Ideally-sized for many stony corals, clams, tube worms, larval
crustaceans, juvenile fishes, and adult planktivorous and
microinvertebrate-predatory fishes.
- Does not require refrigeration.
- Supplemented with a proprietary amino acid to aid in coloration of invertebrates and fishes.
- Formulated by a marine scientist.
Technical Background:Brightwell Aquatics
Zooplanktos-M is a concentrated suspension of copepods, a group of
zooplankton heavily preyed upon by various aquatic organisms because of
their size. The specific variety of copepods present in Zooplanktos-M
are extremely rich in amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and
numerous carotenoid pigments, making them of exceptional nutritional
value to the organisms that they are consumed by. These copepods fall
within the mesoplankton (200.0 - 2,000.0µm) class of plankton. They are
the proper size for feeding many species of stony corals (large- and
small-polyp), as well as clams and other bivalves, plumed worms
(Christmas tree worms, feather dusters, etc.), larval crustaceans and
bivalves, juvenile fishes, and the adults of planktivorous fishes (such
as anthias, basslets, pseudochromids, dartfishes, chromis, etc.) and
microinvertebrate-predators (such as mandarinfishes, some gobies, dwarf
wrasses, etc.).
Though Zooplanktos-M provides a number of amino
acids, one that is not naturally present has been added; this
proprietary amino acid has been shown in studies to increase coloration
of corals and other marine invertebrates. Additionally, a small
percentage of vitamin-C is present to increase the benefits of
Zooplanktos-M, particularly to corals and their allies that have
recently undergone fragmenting or propagation.
Zooplanktos-M may
be used in conjunction with other planktonic suspensions to provide a
complete range of sizes to filter-feeding and planktivorous organisms.
Zooplanktos-M does not require refrigeration, however storage in a cool,
shaded area will prolong the activity of the vitamins. Refrigeration
will maximize the shelf-life of the product.
Instructions and Guidelines:Shake
product well before using. Turn protein skimmer and other forms of
mechanical filtration off prior to adding food suspensions to aquaria,
and allow 10 - 15 minutes after feeding before resuming operation of
filtration.
Target Feeding (recommended):Target
feeding may be carried out with a lengthy piece of rigid air tubing,
plastic syringe, pipette, dropper, or similar device; pour 5 ml (1
capful) into a small container and suck a portion of this into the
feeding device, then slowly discharge the contents of the device 2 - 4”
upstream of the target organism(s). Repeat these steps as deemed
necessary. Rinse the portion (inside and outside) of the feeder that was
placed into aquarium water before placing it into this bottle (if
feeding directly from the bottle rather than from a separate container);
failure to do so will contaminate the product and encourage it to
decompose.
Broadcast Feeding:Add up to 5 ml
per 50 gallons of water in the entire aquarium system in an area of
rapid water movement daily for the first four weeks of use; thereafter,
the dosage may be increased as desired.
Notes:Add
no more than 5 ml total of liquid food suspensions per 50 gallons of
water in the entire aquarium system daily for the first four weeks of
use; thereafter, the dosage may be gradually increased as desired.
Starting out at a low dosage and gradually increasing it with time will
allow the biological filtration in the aquarium to adjust to the
increase in nutrients and prevent water quality from deteriorating.
Planktonic
food suspensions (such as this one) are best utilized by target feeding
specific invertebrates in an aquarium; in doing so, the majority of the
food may be consumed by the intended organisms rather than ending up in
filtration media or indirectly impacting water quality (as often occurs
when indescriminately “broadcast feeding” by adding liquid food
suspensions to a stream of water and allowing the contents to disperse
randomly throughout the aquarium system).
Guaranteed Analysis: Moisture (max) 99.30%, crude protein (min) 0.34%, crude fat (min) 0.35%, crude fiber (min) 0.12%.
Ingredients: Purified water, copepods of the order Cyclopoida (zooplankton), proprietary amino acids, Ascorbic acid, Citric acid
Size: 2 Liters