Living Glass Live Phytoplankton - Reef Genetics

Chaetoceros muelleri is one of the most widely used phytoplankton species in commercial marine aquaculture, and for good reason. It reproduces quickly, carries a dense nutritional profile anchored by EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), and its silica-based diatom cell wall structure makes it highly digestible and nutritious for a broad range of filter feeders. Reef Genetics cultures this strain in-house under controlled conditions and harvests it fresh, so what arrives at your door is a living product rather than a preserved or reconstituted one.

The primary use case is fueling copepod and rotifer cultures. Chaetoceros muelleri is a standard food organism in larval fish and zooplankton production, and it translates directly to the home refugium. Dosing your pod culture with a living, EPA-rich diatom accelerates reproduction and improves the nutritional value of the pods themselves before they make it into your display tank. It can also be dosed directly into the display to feed corals, tridacnid clams, feather dusters, sponges, and other sessile invertebrates that benefit from particulate organic matter.

For dosing, Reef Genetics recommends shutting off return pumps, protein skimmers, and UV sterilizers for approximately 20 minutes after each feeding to allow cells to remain in the water column long enough to be consumed. The product can be broadcast fed, drip fed, or target fed depending on your setup and the organisms you are trying to reach. It pairs well with frozen or powdered coral foods when a more complete nutritional approach is desired.

One important consideration: Chaetoceros muelleri is a diatom, meaning it requires silicate as part of its cellular structure. Dosing this phytoplankton will raise silicate levels in your aquarium. Hobbyists managing silicate-sensitive setups or running silicate-reactive diatom blooms should factor this into their dosing schedule. The 8oz bottle is sized for tanks up to 20–40 gallons or to start cultures up to 10 gallons; the 32oz bottle is appropriate for 50–100 gallon systems or cultures up to 40 gallons.