Vinegar Eels

Vinegar Eels

Size: Very small, highly motile nematode that stays suspended in water.
Best For: newly hatched betta fry, killifish fry, rasbora fry, dwarf gourami fry, extremely small wild-caught fry species.

Culturing Instructions — Different from the other three:

1. Rinse a glass jug or bottle and fill it with a 50:50 mix of pure cider vinegar and dechlorinated water.

2. Add four or five slices of peeled apple (no skin) for nutrients.

3. Add your vinegar eel starter.

4. Loosely cover the top with cloth or filter fiber to allow airflow but keep pests out.

5. Store the jug at room temperature in a dark or shaded spot.

6. Do not add yeast to vinegar eel cultures. They rely on the vinegar bacteria and apple pieces as their food source.

7. After about four to six weeks, a thriving culture should be evident when lots of tiny eels are visible.

8. To harvest, pump some culture water through a coffee filter or sponge to separate the eels from vinegar, rinse them in tank water, and feed to fry.

Notes:

• Cultures can last for many months with minimal maintenance; occasionally swirl the jug gently to redistribute.

• Because they swim freely, vinegar eels are excellent for fry that hunt in the water column.