FAQs
What are vinegar eels? Vinegar eel, or Turbatrix aceti, are non-parasitic nematodes which thrive in unpasteurised apple cider vinegar, feeding on the bacteria which creates the vinegar. They grow to a maximum of 2mm long, so can just be seen with the naked eye, and have a virtually transparent body.
What are some interesting facts about vinegar eels? ›
Vinegar eels are actually not eels at all, but a type of roundworm. Turbatrix aceti is a non-parasitic nematode commonly found in raw (unpasteurized) vinegar. They look like tiny worms, about 1/16 inch or 2 mm in length. FUN FACT: Vinegar eels are actually bred as a supplementary food for fish!
How to get rid of vinegar eels? ›
The chlorine or chloramine in most treated tap water will kill vinegar eels. If your tap water is not chlorinated, pipet 1 mL of household bleach (sodium hypochlorite solution) or isopropanol (rubbing alcohol) into the culture and wait 15 minutes before flushing down the sink.
What are the predators of vinegar eels? ›
Vinegar eels are free-living nematodes which inhabit the byproducts of fermentation and feed on bacteria. They are preyed upon by fish.
What is the lifespan of a vinegar eel? ›
The total life span is about 10 months. The vinegar eel is a free-living nematode which inhabits the byproducts of fermentation and feeds on bacteria. In the past, it was commonly found in commercial vinegar. It is adapted to acidic environments and can be found in acidic lakes.
What are unique facts about eels? ›
Unlike most fish, eels do not have pelvic fins, and most species do not have pectoral fins. Eels have a continuous dorsal, anal, and caudal fin that runs around the tail tip. To swim, eels generate waves that travel the length of their bodies. To swim backwards, they reverse the direction of the wave.
Do vinegar eels prefer dark or light? ›
Vinegar Eels are not picky about the light or dark, so you can pretty much store them anywhere.
Why are they called vinegar eels? ›
The animals aren't actually eels, but are tiny, two millimeter long worms called nematodes. They live in the microbial culture used to make vinegar.
Why do vinegar eels only move in a wiggling motion? ›
Turbatrix aceti, also known as vinegar eels, are millimeters-long nematodes that are able to school like fish and synchronize their swimming. This juggling act of behaviors is rare in nature. These collective undulations stirred up flows that prevented the water drop's edge from contracting as it evaporated.
What fish eat vinegar eels? ›
Breeders commonly feed them to newborn betta fish, killifish, rainbowfish, and other fry that require miniscule foods even smaller than baby brine shrimp (which hatch out at 450 microns in size). Vinegar eels have many other advantages that make them ideal for feeding fish fry.
As a breeder of both freshwater and marine fishes, I prefer them over microworms for one simple benefit: unlike microworms, vinegar eels can live in freshwater for an extended period of time (possibly up to a week) and swim in the water column where baby fish are feeding (in comparison, microworms sink and die quickly) ...
What temperature do vinegar eels like? ›
Our recommended size: Jars/bottles/cups with a lid, with holes or loosely fitting lid for air. Larger containers 500ml+ recommended, as vinegar eels do not culture as dense populations. Temperature: Room temperature. Avoid temperatures above 28C.
Can vinegar eels live in white vinegar? ›
Commercial vinegar has been pasteurized to inhibit the growth of organisms, so bulk, non-pasteurized vinegar should be used as a media source for vinegar eels. Unpasteurized apple cider or cider vinegar work best.
How to filter vinegar eels? ›
Simply grab your main container full of Vinegar Eels and funnel some of them to the second container (long neck). You want to fill the container to the bottom of the neck. Afterward, use a small amount of filtering media and make a wad so that it fits snug in the bottom of the neck.
What is the best vinegar for vinegar eels? ›
Fill the container with a solution of approximately 50% apple cider vinegar and 50% distilled or R/O water. Leave an inch or two of air space a the top of the container. You may substitute apple juice for some of the water if you wish. In fact, some people use 100% vinegar.
What are the special features of the cusk eel? ›
Cusk eels are characterized by the union of their dorsal, anal, and tail fins into a single long fin, and by the position of their feeler-like pelvic fins, which are on the throat and act as sensory devices, searching out food as the fish swims along the bottom.
What are the distinguishing features of the green moray eel? ›
The moray's muscular, scaleless body is laterally compressed (flattened side to side), and this eel is often feared and mistaken for a sea serpent. Part of their vicious reputation may come from the fact that they habitually open and close their mouths, which shows off their sharp teeth.
What are the unique features of the electric eel? ›
The electric eel has a slender, snake-like body and flattened head. Its thick, scaleless skin is generally dark gray to brown, and its underside is a yellow-orange color. Similar to other eel shaped fish, the electric eel lacks pelvic fins. It has a small, or reduced, caudal fin and also lacks dorsal fins.
How would you describe the movement of the vinegar eel? ›
Researchers observed vinegar eels swimming randomly in a water droplet before some began clustering in the middle while others moved to the outer edge—where they moved together in a wave-like motion. “This wavelike collective motion has not been seen before in any other organisms this large,” Quillen says.