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Please Click Here for a print version of the handling notes for copepods.

Handling notes for Acartia and Tisbe copepods

On arrival measure water quality parameters and record observations on condition of stock on our datasheet / delivery note.

• Allow bottles to equilibrate to room temperature naturally over 1-2 hours.

The bottles were chilled to 10oC prior to despatch and should  arrive cool.

• Pour into open topped containers and reduce the density to less than 100 per litre by adding filtered seawater(1).
• Arrange gentle aeration ( or other mechanical mixing method )

This is simply achieved with a glass tube fed from an 'aquarium type' pump to give single bubbles of air. 

• If keeping for more than 24 hours feed with algae.  We can supply an algae mix of Tetraselmis suecica and Pavlova lutheri.  As a rule of thumb inoculate copepod cultures with 5% algae: 1000 Acartia in 10 litres seawater should be fed with 500mls algae mix.
• Always check condition of algae under microscope before use.
• When handling (eg. for water changes or for removing test specimens) do not allow to rest on a mesh.  Concentrate (with a fine submerged mesh) and transfer by pouring, siphoning or wide mouth pipette.
• The condition of the culture is usually obvious by the swimming activity of adults. The rate at which the algae is cleared is also a good indicator.  If well maintained, cultures should last until their age is about 20 days which is the maximum age recommended for testing.

NOTES.
(1)  If you have any doubt about the quality of your seawater, consider ordering some from us.  This will not necessarily be better quality but at least it is the same as the animals have been cultured and transported in.
(2)  To maintain algae culture for up to 48 hours pour into glass flask and aerate vigorously and keep at 15-20oC. 

REFERENCES

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