Turbatrix aceti, a free-living, non-parasitic nematode about 1-2 mm long and about 50 microns wide that lives in fermenting vinegar or cider. Smaller than microworms and much smaller than baby brine shrimp. Swims in the water column and survives for days in fresh water.
For: Tiny first-feeding fry (e.g. betta, killifish, rainbowfish) until they can take baby brine shrimp.
How to feed: Separate the eels from the vinegar before feeding (filter-floss plug in a bottle neck with fresh water on top, or filter paper), then rinse them into clean water and feed with a pipette. Avoid adding culture vinegar, which can lower tank pH; do not add too many at once.
Careful: Low risk: harmless, non-parasitic. Main risks are carrying acidic vinegar into small fry tanks and overfeeding.
Examples you may see in shops: Vinegar eel (Turbatrix aceti) starter culture. Not endorsements.
0 species
5 facts checked with sources