Phyto&Rotifers arrived frozen---alive?

[howman]

I ordered some phyto and rotifers from a vendor. He sent them out last night via FedExand they arrived at my office today---frozen. It is very cold in the Northeast.

I was hoping to start some cultures from both of these. However, not sure if they are alive as they arrived frozen ---not rock solid but nevertheless.

greg hiller knows the answer.


Any suggestions

Howard

 

[Greg Hiller]

They are dead. Howard email me if you are coming to the meeting and I'll bring you some rotifers and a phyto culture.

 

[Greg Hiller]

Actually, let me rephrase. I have a bucket outside that usually freezes every winter, though I'm not sure if it freezes to the bottom. Each year without any effort on my part a very small density of rotifers will show in the water column in the summer. Rotifers are known to have a spore stage in which they can survive in dried form for many years. I would imagine they could be frozen in this form also. However....the spore stage might take some time to occur, meaning that the rotifers might need to sense a slow change in the environment, realize winter was coming on and then form the spore stage. In that case YOUR culture which was frozen very quickly, and was likely a thriving culture just prior to freezing quite likely did not form spores. And....sorry to belabor this, but you know it's my style! ......even if you do have spores now, it defeats the whole purpose of having the live ones sent to you to start a culture quickly.

I have frozen live rotifers in ice-cube trays in a standard freezer, and I can tell you they are quick dead afterward.

 

[Moe_K]

Remind me not to use ice cubes at the Hiller homestead.

 

[howman]

thanks greg
sent you an email

 

[Aquadiva]

Remind me not to use ice cubes at the Hiller homestead.

ROTFLMAO

 

[Greg Hiller]

Hey Moe, remember that fish pate at the tank move party....remember that large angel that died way back when I had the overflow accident...jk