Vinegar eels

[Stuart Willis]

Anyone used these as food ? or cultivated them ? Or had any use for them at all ?

 

[Waters]

I have never even heard of them lol.

 

[Mikedawg]

Anyone used these as food ? or cultivated them ? Or had any use for them at all ?

I've used for freshwater bettas, anglefish, etc. Easy to grow source of live food. https://www.amazon.com/Vinegar-Eels...8&qid=1495022913&sr=8-1&keywords=vinegar+eels

 

[Stuart Willis]

Yeah just wondered if they have a place in saltwater tanks

 

[Mikedawg]

Yeah just wondered if they have a place in saltwater tanks

Two for one; feed small fish and inverts while reducing nitrates and phosphates, lol

 

[Stuart Willis]

Guess that's a good reason lol

 

[Fortier’s Fish]

Two for one; feed small fish and inverts while reducing nitrates and phosphates, lol

Vinegar eels will reduce nitrates and phosphate?

 

[Mikedawg]

As nematodes they consume detritus which, in turn, reduces no3/po4. Of course their contribution is small (pun intended, lol) and they are not a serious treatment for elevated levels. Just more diversity I think.

 

[Fortier’s Fish]

As nematodes they consume detritus which, in turn, reduces no3/po4. Of course their contribution is small (pun intended, lol) and they are not a serious treatment for elevated levels. Just more diversity I think.

So it’s perfectly healthy to add to a reef tank? My lfs wasn’t sure when I asked.

 

[HomebroodExotics]

I've fed them in my tank. Couldn't tell you how much it hurt or help. But the corals seemed to feed on it. Technically you can reduce nitrates and phosphates with the vinegar the worms live in. But Im not sure how good it is to over do it.

 

[Mikedawg]

So it’s perfectly healthy to add to a reef tank? My lfs wasn’t sure when I asked.

Amazon product

They probably don't have a lot of nutrition value, but I think it is a good idea to feed live food if you can.

 

[brandon429]

Fascinating read

it says they ‘show up’ in vinegar

but try and find online how they actually get into it?? Worms dont just ride in on the air / they have to be vectored into the solution and where in the world do they actually come from

nematodes live in water and in dirt


for example, apples sitting around rotting or actual vinegar can take in bacteria from the air and from prep methods, but nematode worms don’t just appear out of the air they have to ride in…not one place on the web says where they originate

 

[Peace River]

I've been maintaining a vinegar eel culture for many years to feed to freshwater fry. IME once a small amount is introduced into a blend of apple cider vinegar and water with a small bit of peeled apple the culture is pretty close to bullet proof.

 

[Mikedawg]

Fascinating read

it says they ‘show up’ in vinegar

but try and find online how they actually get into it?? Worms dont just ride in on the air / they have to be vectored into the solution and where in the world do they actually come from

nematodes live in water and in dirt


for example, apples sitting around rotting or actual vinegar can take in bacteria from the air and from prep methods, but nematode worms don’t just appear out of the air they have to ride in…not one place on the web says where they originate

Ha ha, they are a special type of "hitchhiker"

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

As nematodes they consume detritus which, in turn, reduces no3/po4. Of course their contribution is small (pun intended, lol) and they are not a serious treatment for elevated levels. Just more diversity I think.

I know it was meant as a joke, but in general, does consuming detritus reduce nitrate and phosphate?

I actually think it would boost nitrate and phosphate by accelerating the breakdown of the detritus, and releasing the excess N and P back to the water (most of what all organisms eat in terms of N and P is released back to the water).

 

[Soren]

I've been maintaining a vinegar eel culture for many years to feed to freshwater fry. IME once a small amount is introduced into a blend of apple cider vinegar and water with a small bit of peeled apple the culture is pretty close to bullet proof.

Not to change the direction of this thread, but it is at least related:
Can you explain a bit more about this? I have some freshwater tanks that may produce fry at some point, and I would like to have an established food source prepared in case.
Do you just keep the culture of vinegar and water with peeled apple in a closed jar after introducing the "eels" to the culture? How fast does culture get used up? How do you feed the nematodes to the fry? Is there risk of acidification of the tank due to the vinegar? Do the eels ever start to grow/reproduce in your aquariums?

I also am interested to hear of experiences using them in saltwater aquariums.

 

[Karen00]

I have cultured these guys for freshwater. They are the critters that turn things into vinegar (wine, apples ,etc). I'm assuming at some point in history someone accidentally polluted their wine or preserves with these guys and vinegar was born. I feed mine with apples and started with apple cider vinegar. I needed a starter culture to get going. To the best of my knowledge they don't survive in the water column so are not a self sustaining population lime pods. They sit on the surface of the vinegar solution. Added to that they aren't high in nutritional value so I wouldn't rely on them as a single food source.

 

[Peace River]

Not to change the direction of this thread, but it is at least related:
Can you explain a bit more about this? I have some freshwater tanks that may produce fry at some point, and I would like to have an established food source prepared in case.
Do you just keep the culture of vinegar and water with peeled apple in a closed jar after introducing the "eels" to the culture? How fast does culture get used up? How do you feed the nematodes to the fry? Is there risk of acidification of the tank due to the vinegar? Do the eels ever start to grow/reproduce in your aquariums?

I also am interested to hear of experiences using them in saltwater aquariums.

This is essentially the process that I use for vinegar eels:

How to Culture Vinegar Eels to Feed Tiny Aquarium Fish Fry

Vinegar eels are great for feeding fry that are too small to eat regular fry food. This live food is easy to culture & survives in fresh water for a while.

www.aquariumcoop.com

The freshwater at the top of the long-necked bottles can be refilled a few times before pouring the contents out or back into the main container. If it is left too long below the floss and freshwater the culture in the long neck bottle will foul. You can continue to split the culture and add water and (very occasionally) more apple so I have a friend that has had his culture for over 20 years - he claims that it is an heirloom item that he plans to pass on to his children.

Green water, infusoria that lives on sponge filters and in floating plants, microworms, baby brine shrimp (BBS), powered foods, and many other first fry freshwater foods are readily available. Even when I feed vinegar eels they are only one of the food offerings to try to hit the right size and motion for the fry I am working with at the time. Of course, the fry food may vary depending on the species of fish that you are working with.

I am curious to know the results if anyone decides to experiment with vinegar eels in SW, but I don't see this as a best option for SW fry.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

They are the critters that turn things into vinegar (wine, apples ,etc).

I have no idea what role vinegar eels play, if any, in making vinegar, but the normal way to make vinegar is with bacteria fermenting juice. :)

 

[Soren]

This is essentially the process that I use for vinegar eels:

How to Culture Vinegar Eels to Feed Tiny Aquarium Fish Fry

Vinegar eels are great for feeding fry that are too small to eat regular fry food. This live food is easy to culture & survives in fresh water for a while.

www.aquariumcoop.com

The freshwater at the top of the long-necked bottles can be refilled a few times before pouring the contents out or back into the main container. If it is left too long below the floss and freshwater the culture in the long neck bottle will foul. You can continue to split the culture and add water and (very occasionally) more apple so I have a friend that has had his culture for over 20 years - he claims that it is an heirloom item that he plans to pass on to his children.

Green water, infusoria that lives on sponge filters and in floating plants, microworms, baby brine shrimp (BBS), powered foods, and many other first fry freshwater foods are readily available. Even when I feed vinegar eels they are only one of the food offerings to try to hit the right size and motion for the fry I am working with at the time. Of course, the fry food may vary depending on the species of fish that you are working with.

I am curious to know the results if anyone decides to experiment with vinegar eels in SW, but I don't see this as a best option for SW fry.

Thanks for the advice! I should have thought to check out Aquarium Co-op for information!