Vinegar eels (Turbatrix aceti): Ideal live food for fry
What are Vinegar eels?
Vinegar eels are tiny nematodes that live in acidic environments (water + vinegar mixture) and feed on bacteria. They do not reproduce in aquariums but survive very well there. They therefore constitute perfect live food for very small fry: as fine as infusoria, finer than brine shrimp nauplii, they easily pass through the smallest mouths.
Why use Vinegar eels in natural aquaristics?
- Prey living in fresh water: not salty like brine shrimp nauplii, they survive indefinitely in fresh water among the fry.
- Rich live food: as rich in protein as micro worms but microscopic, they are an excellent base to feed growing fry.
- Attractive swimming: fry are attracted to small moving prey. Vinegar eels swim by undulating strongly, which is very stimulating for fry constantly searching for food.
- Surviving indefinitely in fresh water, they can be given in large quantities so that fry can eat throughout the day. No need for multiple feedings.
- Ultra-easy culture: apple cider vinegar diluted with water, some apple pieces, and a bit of time!
Who are the vinegar eels intended for?
- Fry of all species, livebearers as well as egg-layers, from their hatching.
- They replace brine shrimp nauplii, with the advantage that they live and swim in fresh water.
- Consider our ready-to-use Vinegar eels, ideal for feeding fry immediately, without waiting to have a culture established.
Installation tips
- Prepare a mixture of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar and dechlorinated water.
- Pour this mixture into a jar of at least 500 ml.
- Dip apple fragments into the mixture.
- Pour in the strain, then close the jar non-hermetically (air must pass): lid not screwed on, stretched tulle...
- Let the vinegar eels multiply, which can take several weeks or even a few months.
FAQ - Vinegar eels (Turbatrix aceti)
Can I pour the culture directly into the tank?
No. You must first separate the vinegar eels from the vinegar. The cotton method is common but slow. Aquazolla offers ready-to-use doses if you wish.
How long does a culture last before needing to be restarted?
Months, even years.
How often should fry be fed?
The advantage of these worms is that they remain alive and active in the water as long as they are not eaten. So you can feed them every morning and only renew if there are not enough left.
Do they replace infusoria?
Yes, they are longer but very thin. The smallest fry can feed on them. They can even replace Artemia nauplii, since viviparous fry can be raised with vinegar eels, then micro worms, without going through Artemia nauplii.
Is heating necessary?
No. A cool, dark room is sufficient: cellar, garage, basement. Otherwise, the ambient temperature of a house is fine.
Do the vinegar eels reproduce in the aquarium?
No. They survive perfectly in water but cannot reproduce there.
Additional information
- Scientific name: Turbatrix aceti
- Size: 1 mm long maximum, only a few microns thick
- Packaging: live strain to start a culture: several hundred individuals in their nourishing liquid with microbiota.
- Guarantee: our Vinegar eels are a species completely harmless to humans. We cultivate them in an untreated and natural environment. Harvested the very morning of shipment.
