How to Culture Vinegar Eels (Turbatrix aceti)

Vinegar eels (Turbatrix aceti) are easy to maintain and are often used as a food source for small fish fry due to their small size and ease of culture.  Here’s how to keep them alive and thriving:

Setting Up the Culture

1. Container: Use a clean glass or plastic jar or bottle. A one-liter container is typically sufficient.
2. Vinegar Solution: Mix equal parts of apple cider vinegar and dechlorinated water. This diluted vinegar solution is ideal for vinegar eels.
3. Starter Culture: Obtain a starter culture of vinegar eels from a reputable source.

Adding the Eels

1. Introduce Eels: Add the starter culture of vinegar eels to the prepared vinegar solution in the container.
2. Apple Slices: Add a few small slices of apple to the container. The apple slices serve as a food source for the eels.

Environment

1. Temperature: Maintain the culture at room temperature, ideally between 20-25°C (68-77°F). Vinegar eels are hardy and can tolerate a range of temperatures but will thrive best in this range.
2. Light: Keep the culture in a place with indirect light. Direct sunlight can cause the temperature to rise too much and harm the eels.

Maintenance

1. Feeding: The apple slices should be replaced every few weeks as they break down. Fresh apple slices ensure the eels have a consistent food source.
2. Aeration: Stir the culture gently every few days to aerate it and prevent the buildup of gases.
3. Cleaning: Occasionally, transfer the vinegar eels to a fresh vinegar solution. This can be done every 3-6 months to prevent the culture from becoming too acidic or depleted of nutrients.

Harvesting

1. Collection: To harvest vinegar eels, use a fine mesh or coffee filter to strain them out of the solution. Alternatively, you can use a pipette or turkey baster to collect eels from the top of the culture.
2. Rinsing: Rinse the harvested eels with dechlorinated water before feeding them to fish fry or other small aquatic organisms.

Troubleshooting

1. Foul Smell: If the culture starts to smell foul or looks cloudy, it may be contaminated. Transfer the eels to a fresh vinegar solution.
2. Mould: If mould appears on the apple slices, replace them with fresh slices and transfer the eels to a new container if necessary.

By following these guidelines, you can maintain a healthy and productive culture of vinegar eels.  They are low-maintenance and provide a consistent source of live food for small fish and fry.