Can green water and Daphnia co-culture?
To answer J. Miller’s question in a word, “No.” Daphnia reproduce faster than Euglena or single celled algae, so the result is one or the other, usually Daphnia, which then runs out of food. There are algae which Daphnia will not eat, or which coat the shell of the Daphnia impeding their movement and eventually killing out the Daphnia. By co-culturing Daphnia and green water, it’s possible to inadvertently be selecting for these undesireable algae and end up with a pestulent algal culture that can end up in fish tanks and be an all-around (fillinyourfavoriteterm). I have tried dry powdered milk, yeast, clam juice, and other things which all work, but not as a single food, and not without problems of over-feeding, close time-consuming monitoring and quick remedial action. A discus breeding friend had success with dried cow blood from the garden center and with dried cow manure. He also had great success by putting 5 gallon plastic pails of daphnia seeded water under his bird cages and a
