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Thank you, Bernd. When googling, I found a company in England that sells them, but because of your post, I’ll use the ones I have.
Jonette
It is not possible for me to travel. I’m delighted to hear of the success of this meeting, but I am also GREEN with envy of those who could attend. 🙂
Andrzej: WOW! That looks like a section of jungle, and also looks like it’s at least two meters long! How big is it? Is this in your home, or are you creating a project for a zoo or some kind of educational facility?
I’m as curious as Dorothee about the inhabitants.
I especially love the way the water is recycled. It looks like rain or just the general wetness in the jungle. (I briefly lived in a jungle in the 1960’s). It is just amazing looking!
How are your fry doing? Did you manage to breed your own live food or did you have it catered? 😛
TA-DAH! At last, I have mosquito larvae — both kinds, black and red, in the same tub! :cheer:
My biggest problem in fishing them out: They try to hide at the bottom (that’s where the red ones are), but I use my net to scoop them up. I lift them out and rinse the net with clean water, but I’m still left with debris in the net, which then goes into my aquarium! How do others deal with this?
Hello again, Dorothee. 🙂
I have no problem acquiring inexpensive catappa leaves, which I buy here all the time. There are different brands.
I was just curious to know whether anyone had tried the rolled-up catappa bark. It looks like it would make good hiding places for the paros. If no one else has tried these, I will be the pioneer here and buy a package. I will report back whether it is a success or not!
It is very interesting that on this site (at the left, under “The Aquarium” and then food), it states that “red mosquito larvae and tubifex should be avoided, because they can carry diseases”.
I know about tubifex. But here in Holland, they sell live red and white mosquito larvae, but black mosquito larvae is only sold frozen because live ones can carry diseases.
AHA! Now I understand the conflict about the mosquitoes and disease.
I’ve been able to find out through Google that the full grown mosquitoes from white larvae and also from red larvae don’t bite, the black ones bite and can theoretically carry disease to warm-blooded humans and animals.
But now I understand the warning on this site. The red larvae thrive in polluted water (just like tubifex)and therefore can make our fish sick.
Mystery solved!
Cheers,
JonetteI am learning so many new things here!
It is quite amusing to me that in my youth, I wanted to become an entomologist and was always conducting experiments with insects and collecting them in jars, where I made little habitats for them. My life seems to have come full circle! 😛
Jonette
Thank you, Dorothee. 🙂 I need to be extra cautious with my health because I have a serious chronic auto-immune illness which makes me especially vulnerable to everything! It is all too easy to get swept up in journalistic hysteria, but I try to be logical. It’s just that the sale of black mosquito larvae is not legally permitted because of the possibility of contagious diseases.
I am going to try to breed my own black mosquito larvae. Stay tuned! 😛
Now for something completely different: I was about to order more catappa leaves and saw that hollow catappa “logs” are being sold. Has anyone used these(in addition to the leaves? They look like they would make good hiding places/breeding caves. I googled and discovered that they are actually rolled up pieces of bark held in position by elastic. In the US, they are ridiculously expensive, but I’m posting a link which has the clearest photo:
http://www.substratesource.com/?p=item&c=h&i=258Here in the Netherlands, the package with two “logs” costs € 6,80.
Ah, now I understand you wanting to know where the fish were caught. :blink: I just received Peter and Martin’s book, and see that Bintan are not listed by Paro’s from Borneo. I think in that case that Borneo is the shipping point? Perhaps you can contact Ruinemans and ask.
When are you collecting your fish?
Cheers,
JonetteThank you, Bernd. I just want to be sure there is no misunderstanding. Nettles? Those are stinging nettles (brandnetel in Dutch)? I don’t have them in my lovely garden! Hahaha! But I can get them from the nearby wood. Do you mean that dragonflies will not lay eggs in water that has nettles in it?
I put the nettles into a container and weigh them down with a rock? Then I make sure that no rain can wash the larvae away.
I will need to be very vigilant, as I don’t want mosquitoes! I have read that black mosquitoes can carry dangerous human diseases.
Jonette
Good morning, Dorothee 🙂
I regularly see “waterjuffers” (smaller libelles/dragonflies) by the tiny ponds in my back garden, so I am at more risk than you are for getting them if I collect mosquito larvae. 🙁
I am aware of the risks of overfeeding Grindal worms (Enchytraeus buchholzi). Microaaltjes are a kind of nematode:
http://www.livefoodcultures.com/microworms_printversion.html
While searching for information, I found this helpful site:
http://www.waterwereld.nu/microaaltjes.phpAfter looking at the chart on that site, I learned that microaaltjes have an even higher ratio of fat to protein than grindal worms! So my previous questions are now answered. :blush:
Kind regards,
JonetteHello Dorothee,
Only frozen black mosquito larvae is permitted to be sold here (because they can carry human diseases). I have no desire to attempt culturing or collecting them myself from my garden, especially since my dragonfly experience!I have read all the posts about feeding (following your link and a link in your thread. I see that the microaaltjes are called micro worms and have been used to feed paros. Are they only suitable for feeding to fry, or do adults also eat them? The same question applies to vinegar eels.
Cheers,
Jonette
