Urgent Syphon Ideas Needed

[coolie]

Any idea how to syphon without sucking up any little critters? I need to half empty my daphnia tank for the first time.

The official guide says use water changes to take the crop out for feeding fish, but I haven't established enough of a colony yet?

Some maybe small enough to go through a net.

 

[betta fish]

You could use an airline, though it will take a while, another option is to just leave them outside in tubs, they seem to fair better with the rain clearing them out. I have seeded various buckets and water butts with them, not sure how they will fair in winter but hoping some eggs may survive in the mulm ready to hatch next year, had a bumper crop of them this year, they need green water to survive.

 

[Plecc]

Are they attracted to light like brine shrimp?
If so, you could put a torch outside one corner of the tank and dim the lights in the room.
This may get them to move to one side for you, but not too sure!
Otherwise I would find some fine nylon or cotton fabric to use as a gauze over your regular syphon.

 

[coolie]

Mine are yeast fed. I was going to supplement once a week with alage for a varied diet although my bottle in the window is crystal clear!

 

[coolie]

In the end I used 8mm syphon but as expected it took up many tiny daphnia which are like white spots, and once in the bucket they can't be seen.
I'll need to come up with some kind of muslin syphon end before next week!