Better Nutrition Through Science!

The incredible advancements made by our scientists here at QM Aquaculture Labs are the result of many breakthroughs in house as well as decades of research done by aquaculture facilities around the world. In the course of one of our biggest breakthroughs, the captive culture of Zebrasoma xanthurum (better known to many of you as the Purple Tang), we experienced and overcame a multitude of challenges.

A huge victory was the development and continuous improvement of our phytoplankton laboratory where we culture multiple strains of microalgae in vast quantities. This lab was our bespoke design and developed from vials to flask to carboys into the massive photo-bioreactors that allow us to meet the demands of our hatcheries, both now and into the future.

There were many developmental steps in this journey while we pioneered new techniques in culturing many of the food items required to feed this pelagic spawner and their larvae. From choosing the correct light spectrum(s) to our utilization of the highest quality salt mixes available from Tropic Marin. State of the art treatment technology provides all the pristine water we need for one of the most vital cogs in this wheel, phytoplankton.

The next step in this chain requires foods that are very high in Highly Unsaturated Fatty Acids (commonly abbreviated as HUFAS), and this is a challenge because the larval fish we are feeding require absolutely tiny foods to fit in their miniscule mouths. Fortunately, we are able to culture an appropriately nutritious Copepod here and their larvae (called nauplii) fit this bill nicely. When these fish grow somewhat and are able to eat slightly larger prey items, they are able to start taking food items like rotifers and artemia nauplii. These items are not as naturally dense in HUFAs and thus we're required to enrich them prior to feeding to ensure optimal nutrition for our growing babies.

This is by no means the end to the headwinds we choose to fight to allow our continued production and improvement of the process and livestock we offer, but these breakthroughs in particular now allow us to offer a variety of live food products directly to our retail partners for you to buy and utilize yourselves. In addition to all of the incredible dry foods available to you through Nutramar, you can now also buy a variety of live algae products, copepods, and both adult and nauplii Artemia!

Among all the Nutramar Live Algae products, the Microalgae Phyto CRIT is the most diverse blend. It contains all our most popular microalgae and is specially formulated to provide the broadest range in cell size as well as content of omega-3s, proteins, vitamins, and other phytonutrients vital to a healthy aquarium ecosystem. Each pouch contains Chaetoceros, Rhodmonas, Isochrysis, and Tetraselmis. This is the ideal blend to target the widest range of filter feeding organisms. Whether you are kick-starting the microfauna cycle in your aquarium or target feeding clams, sponges, and coral, CRIT has you covered.

Chaetoceros is a vitally important to micro-crustaceans such as your copepods and amphipods. It's also excellent for general aquarium health by helping to create an oxygen rich ecosystem. In your aquarium, this translates to giving your pod population a boost while simultaneously controlling dissolved nutrient levels.

Rhodomonas is a red alga that contains high concentrations of the light harvesting protein, phycoerythrin, which gives it its unique red coloration. Rhodomonas is rich in the omega-3 fatty acid, EPA, as well as nutritious proteins, vitamins, and other phytonutrients.

Isochysis has a wide use and is ideal for filter-feeding bivalves like clams and scallops, in particular. It’s also consumed by micro-fauna and zooplankton which will boost the population and enhance their nutritional content.

Tetraselmis is a genus of phytoplankton with a bright green coloration that is high in lipids making it an ideal nutrition source for all your aquarium's filter feeders.

Nutramar Live Microalgae Iso is an unblended culture of the golden colored algae Isochysis. As referenced above, it contains high concentrations of the omega-3 fatty acid, DHA, as well as nutritious proteins, vitamins, and other phytonutrients necessary for the health of aquarium filter feeding inhabitants. It's also commonly used to enrich rotifers and artemia nauplii prior to feeding to larval fish and other filter feeding organisms. It also makes excellent food for Tridacna clams and other bivalves.

Nutramar Live Microalgae Rhodo is an unblended solution of Rhodomonas; red alga that contains high concentrations of the light harvesting protein, phycoerythrin. Rhodomonas is rich in the omega-3 fatty acid, EPA, as well as nutritious proteins, vitamins, and other phytonutrients. Feed to your filter feeding inhabitants such as zooplankton, sponges, and many SPS corals.

Nutramar Live Microalgae Phyto IC is a blend of our Isochrysis and Chaetoceros microalgae. Specially formulated to combine the omega-3 fatty acid DHA of Isochrysis with the omega-3 fatty acid EPA of Chaetoceros for a balanced diet.

Nutramar Live Microalgae Nanno is a green alga that contains high concentrations of the omega-3 fatty acid EPA, nutritious proteins, vitamins, and other phytonutrients necessary for the health of aquarium filter feeding inhabitants. Nanno enriches and provides a solid nutritional base to the home reef aquarium and is also for filter feeders that require a small micron size including many non-photosynthetic corals. In addition, it is a stable food source for your microfauna like copepods and amphipods. This alga is ideal for boosting zooplankton cultures. It is perfect for culturing nutrient-rich rotifers for rearing larval fish.

Nutramar Live Microalgae Phyto TC is a blend of our Tetraselmis and Chaetoceros microalgae, which is specially formulated to provide the ideal proteins, fatty acids, and other phytonutrients to boost populations of our Nutramar Tigrio copepods and can also be fed to your filter feeding inhabitants such as sponges, and many SPS corals.

Nutramar Live Artemia Adult and Artemia Nauplii are packaged in our own state-of-the-art laboratories in Los Angeles, CA. Artemia are a great wat to entice new or shy fish to begin feeding as they adapt to their new environment. Nauplii are an ideal food for the tiniest fish and fry for those of you engaged in breeding fish yourselves! Feel confident feeding your fish the same Artemia used at industry leading facilities.

Nutramar Tigrio is a packaged culture of living Tigriopus sp. Copepods is an excellent source of nutrition for your marine aquarium inhabitants as they contain protein and high levels of essential unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs). Besides being a great food for fishes and invertebrates, these copepods will inhabit the aquarium and consume detritus, helping to clean your aquariums of fish waste and uneaten food.

Our breakthroughs here at the QM Aquaculture Labs have resulted in steady availability of the most nutritious live foods and algae products and we are proud of being able to better feed all the fish and invertebrates in your care! Head to your LFS and ask them about the wide variety of foods available to you now from Nutramar!