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Vinegar Eels – Live Fish Food Culture
 
Vinegar eels (Turbatrix aceti) are an easy, reliable live food ideal for feeding fry and small fish. These tiny, free-swimming nematodes stay suspended in the water column, making them perfect for species that don’t naturally feed from the bottom. They are incredibly hardy, simple to maintain, and provide a nutritious boost that supports fast, healthy growth in young fish.
 
Why Vinegar Eels?
  • Perfect for Fry: Their small size and constant movement trigger a strong feeding response.
  • Long-lasting in Water: Vinegar eels can survive in freshwater for many days, giving fry plenty of time to graze.
  • Easy to Keep: Cultures require minimal space, very little maintenance, and produce continuously for months.
  • Nutritious: High in proteins and lipids
  •  
What You’ll Receive
  • A 300 ml starter culture of live vinegar eels
  • Enough to easily expand into multiple long-term cultures
  • Care and feeding instructions
Great For
  • Betta, guppy, tetra, killifish, and rainbowfish fry
  • Breeders looking for dependable, low-maintenance live food
  • Hobbyists who want to add natural, enriching feeding behavior to their tanks

Vinegar Eel Starter Culture (300 ml)

$19.99Price
Quantity

  • 1. Vinegar Eel Starter Culture – Care & Maintenance Guide

    This guide explains how to turn your small starter culture into a long-lasting, productive vinegar eel colony.

    What You Need (Not Included)

    • Clean glass jar or bottle (16 oz / 500 mL or larger)

    • Apple cider vinegar (unflavored, with or without “mother”)

    • Dechlorinated water or aged tank water

    • A cut up peeled apple 

    • Coffee filter or paper towel and rubber band (for a breathable lid)

    Step 1 – Prepare the Culture Jar

    • Clean the container

      • Rinse your jar or bottle with hot water (no soap residue).

    • Mix vinegar and water

      • Add roughly 50% apple cider vinegar and 50% dechlorinated water.

      • Example: 1 cup vinegar + 1 cup water.

    • Add a food source

      • Drop in a peeled sliced up apple 

      • This slowly breaks down and feeds the vinegar eels and their associated microorganisms.

    Step 2 – Add the Starter Culture

    • Pour in the starter

      • Add the entire vinegar eel starter culture into your prepared jar.

    • Use a breathable cover

      • Cover the top with a coffee filter or paper towel, then secure with a rubber band.

      • This allows gas exchange but keeps out dust and pests.

    Step 3 – Let the Culture Grow

    • Choose a good location

      • Store at room temperature, away from direct sunlight and temperature extremes.

    • Wait for the population to build

      • The culture may be ready to harvest in 2–4 weeks, depending on temperature and density.

    • How to check if it’s ready

      • Hold the jar up to the light.

      • Look for tiny, wiggling threads near the surface and along the glass – those are vinegar eels!

    Step 5 – Ongoing Maintenance

    • Feeding the culture

    • Replace the piece of apple when it starts to disintegrate heavily.

    • You can remove old fruit with a spoon and add a fresh small piece.

    • Topping up the liquid

    • If the level drops from evaporation, top up with the same 50/50 vinegar and water mix.

    • Splitting the culture (optional but recommended)

    • Once it’s dense and thriving, start a backup jar using some of the culture plus fresh vinegar/water and fruit.

    • This protects you in case one jar crashes.

    Step 6 – Troubleshooting

    • Strong rotten smell / visible mold on top

      • Remove mold carefully; if it’s heavy or the smell is foul (not just “vinegar-y”), discard and start a fresh culture.

    • No visible eels after a few weeks

      • Check temperature (too cold slows reproduction).

      • Start a backup culture if you still have any eels visible.

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