LPS, SPS and NPS corals
Slow, 200–300 µm swimmers that stay suspended in the water column and match the capture range of most polyps. Target-feed NPS corals directly.
Cultured in Arizona • Live zooplankton
Live rotifers for corals and larval fish
L-type Brachionus plicatilis, the 130–340 µm zooplankton that feeds LPS, SPS and NPS corals, filter feeders and first-feeding fish larvae. Gut-load with live phytoplankton, dose after lights-out, re-dose as needed.
Hatchery-grade L-typeThe cooler-water morphotype used as the standard marine first feed
Cultured in-houseDirect oversight from culture through packing
Insulated live shippingShips Monday–Wednesday by 2-day service
Receiving supportClear care guidance and a documented live-arrival policy
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Marine Rotifers L-Type (Brachionus plicatilis) – Live Zooplankton Feed for Reef Tanks
Regular price From $20.00Regular price
Where rotifers fit
The live feed between phytoplankton and copepods
Rotifers feed the mouths copepods cannot reach yet. They do not establish in a reef tank the way copepods do, so plan on dosing them as a food rather than seeding them as a population.
Feeding guidance
Feather dusters, clams and sponges
A live particle that does not settle like frozen food, so it stays available to sessile filter feeders longer.
First feed for fish larvae
The standard first food for clownfish, dottyback, goby and blenny larvae before the move to copepod nauplii.
Gut-load with live phytoplankton
A rotifer delivers whatever it ate in the last hour. Add Nannochloropsis for EPA or Isochrysis for DHA to the bottle before dosing.
Rotifers vs copepods
Four differences that decide which live feed you need
Most reef systems use both: rotifers to feed corals and the smallest mouths now, copepods to build a long-term population in rock and sand.
Size
L-type rotifers run 130–340 µm. Live phytoplankton is 2–20 µm; copepod nauplii start near 50–100 µm; adult Tisbe reach 500–900 µm.
Movement
Slow, steady ciliary swimming that polyps and larvae capture easily. Copepods move in fast bursts and live on surfaces.
Persistence
Rotifers are eaten or filtered out within a day or two and must be re-dosed. Copepods can establish a self-sustaining population.
Nutrition
Value depends on gut content. Always gut-load with live phytoplankton in the hour before feeding.
From bottle to tank
Four steps to feeding rotifers well
Rotifers are simple to use when you treat them as a fresh food, not a one-time introduction.
01
Receive and inspect
Open the package promptly and check the bottle under a light for a fine, slowly swirling haze.
02
Gut-load
Add a splash of live phytoplankton to the bottle 30–60 minutes before dosing.
03
Dose after lights-out
Reduce flow for 15–30 minutes and feed when polyps are extended. Start around 10–20 mL per 25 gallons, two or three times a week.
04
Store cold between feedings
Keep the bottle refrigerated, loosely capped, and invert it gently once a day. Do not freeze.
PodDrop Knowledge Hub
Read the full rotifer species sheet
Biology, L-type vs S-type, salinity and temperature ranges, gut-loading, reef and hatchery applications, and a complete home culture method.