Infusoria Culture | | Carnivorous Plant Nursery

Infusoria Culture

$9.95

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Infusoria is a collective term for freshwater microorganisms, including protists and micro-crustacea.This includes such critters as: paramecia, euglena, cyclops, rotifers, and daphnia. Fish hobbyists know this as fry food. CP enthusiasts know this as food for aldrovanda and bladderworts. In addition they feed on algae, and reduce nutrients in the water, which is essential for the healthy culture of Aldrovanda and aquatic Utricularia.

Each portion is 1/2 cup full (4 oz.), and includes a variety of micro-fauna/flora in dormant or active stages, and pond sediment from our own Aldrovanda and Utricularia pools. Simply add this to your own set-up to "seed" the right stuff for growing your aquatic carnivorous plants.

Culturing Infusoria:
Infusoria grows best in the tank or pool used to grow your aquatic carnivorous plants. Two essential ingredients are peat moss and leaf litter. Create a bottom substrate of peat, keeping in mind fresh dried peat moss can take several weeks to sink to the bottom. A nylon stocking stuffed with peat, to the size of a baseball, can be added to a fresh set-up. It will sink to the bottom and keep the floating matter contained The water should be acidic and dark tea-colored. Add a few emergent plants such as water lilies, pickerel weed or reeds, potted in peat. The leaves that drop into the water will provide decaying organic matter for the infusoria, and cover for the carnivores. Keep the surface about 1/2 open and free of plants. Keep in full to partial sun outdoors, or bright indirect lighting indoors.

More Trouble Than It’s Worth

I was excited to find this culture for sale to seed my aldrovanda/utricularia aquarium with infusoria. However, after about a month or so, I must say it’s more trouble than it’s worth due to extremely poor quality control. My culture arrived with lots of tadpoles, which are most likely invasive if you don’t live in the same state as this nursery. They’re also too big for carnivorous plants to eat and will nibble on any companion plants you might have. Such a pain to filter out. After a month or so, I also noticed dragonfly nymphs! These things will decimate the infusoria population. Unfortunately, this is not a product I can recommend. I’ve spent hours cleaning my aquarium from these hitchhikers.

More Trouble Than It’s Worth!

Pond water

Great stuff. My Utricularia love it.

I got tadpoles!

Got this culture alongside a bladderwort, and was surprised to find three little tadpoles hiding in the bag. No complaints whatsoever, I love frogs and had an unpopulated fish tank ready, so I moved them into there. Infusoria and bladderwort look great too.

Update: one of the tadpoles is now a lil frog. Time to buy a terrarium!

Little world in a jar

Was a little worried buying this during winter, but shipping was quick and thoughtful of the weather.

Gave it a week and I'm seeing some very small Infusoria/Biofilm growing. Several ounces were provided and it came light on copepods / daphnia, but that might just be due to the temperature. I did get a good helping of mulm, several aquatic utricularia sprigs, and an unidentified case carrying worm. Pretty happy to see these grow and use them to seed other jars / biome aquariums.

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Infusoria Culture

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