DOSING ROTIFERS

✅ Benefits of Adding Rotifers

1. Excellent Live Food Source

   • Ideal for larval fish, small-mouthed coral, mandarins, pipefish, and other micro-predators.
   • Provides continuous feeding due to their slow swimming and small size (great for finicky eaters).

2. Supports Coral Health

   • Many LPS and SPS corals can capture and feed on rotifers, especially during night cycles.

3. Improves Microfauna Diversity

   • Can contribute to a more balanced micro-ecosystem, particularly in reef tanks.

4. Aids in Larval Rearing

   • Crucial for breeding setups, especially marine fish larvae (e.g., clownfish).

⚠️ Potential Issues of Adding Too Many

1. Oxygen Depletion

   • Heavy rotifer biomass can consume significant dissolved oxygen, especially at night.

2. Ammonia/Nutrient Spike

   • Rotifers produce waste, and uneaten ones will die off, spiking ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate levels.
   • Risk increases if you feed them heavily before adding.

3. Cloudy Water

   • A large bloom can lead to turbid or milky water.

4. Competition

   • May compete with other zooplankton or filter-feeders in your tank.

5. Short Lifespan

   • Without ongoing phytoplankton, rotifers quickly die off in a day or two.

🧪 Best Practices When Adding Rotifers

• Acclimate slowly if you're adding a large amount.
• Rinse them with clean saltwater to reduce nutrient input from culture water.
• Add at lights-out to maximize coral capture.
• Pair with phytoplankton dosing to keep them alive longer and maintain water quality.