I use what is know as the “green water” method. When setting up a larval tank, you’ll load up the tank with whatever live food you’ll be using. I use rotifers and copepods, a common firstfood. Then, you’ll tint the water with whatever phytoplankton you’ll be using to feed the pods and rotifers, loading them up with all The essentials that the larvae need to thrive. I use a product called RG Complete. It is concentrated phytoplankton, several species, with additional essential nutrients.
Rotifers are an ideal first food for many reasons. First, they reproduce rapidly. They can reproduce both sexually and asexually. Although not a saltwater organism, it adapts to saltwater quickly. You can load them up with whatever nutrients you need for your larvae by feeding them specialty feeds like RG Complete. Here’s a pic of a rotifer in case anyone does not know what they look like.
Copepods are an even more nutritious food for larvae. Bursting with carotenoids and essential fatty acids. Studies have shown that copepods fed to larvae will reduce mortality and even shorten the larval period. Here a pic of some Apex pods unde a microscope. You can see adult copepods, Copepodites and the Copepod nauplii....
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk