Who Gives A Fish Forums

I haven't updated my betta's photos in months, but he's doing alright.

I've been feeding my Betta splendens live adult brine shrimp every weekend, which I've been successfully culturing since March. Occasionally, I substitute them with tiny black soldier fly larvae from my compost cultures.

Recently, I built a small mosquito trap in an attempt to catch bloodworms. Instead, I caught several aquatic larvae that are likely Megaselia sp. I've also been noticing common worms in my tank, probably Dero sp., which my betta seems to enjoy eating, although I'm unsure of their nutritional value.

The larvae I caught resemble those from another homemade experiment I conducted on 11/03/2023.

Does anyone know if these larvae are safe for my betta to eat?

I'm not familiar with the larvae you're referring to, but I'm curious about your brine shrimp culture - I've had trouble getting mine to grow past a certain size. I've been using baby brine shrimp eggs, and while they hatch just fine, they never seem to reach a decent size. How did you manage to get your culture thriving?

I'm still figuring out the optimal formula, as it seems to be a trial-and-error process - and I did experience some setbacks this year. However, my current setup appears to be working well for now. I use dechlorinated tap water and aragonite as a substrate, maintaining a salinity of 30 g/L, although I've found that higher salinity levels can also support the culture. The size of my bucket is approximately 10 liters, but I've noticed that the shrimp can adapt to fluctuations in water level due to evaporation.

In terms of feeding, I've had success with dried Spirulina powder and dried yeast, dissolving them in freshwater before adding them to the culture. It's essential to distribute the food particles evenly, and I've found that using an air pump can help achieve this. I also utilize a sponge filter, which seems to work well for keeping the water clean and the shrimp healthy.