I do not have Paramecia right now, but wish I did. Pure cultures are hard to come by, as most hobbyists are a bit careless and usually contaminate their culture.
I kept a pure one going for a number of years, in Fremont. I used about a 1L jar that had a large glass lid with polyethylene gasket that made a good seal by just setting the lid on the jar.
Some folks use dried corn husks, but, as I recall, I just had a bare jar that was fed a drop or two of Liquifry No. 1 every day or two when I was actively using the culture, and about every week when it wasn't needed.
I had a baby medicine dropper in an unusual color that was the only thing in my fishroom to ever touch the culture water. Top-up water, to replace that used for feeding, was from a carbon-filtered storage barrel that was well covered and kept very clean. Since this was the prime potential for contamination, it was used very infrequently. I was careful to be sure no tank water containing other larger-than-bacteria organisms ever contacted the culture.
That original strain was obtained from a fellow BAKA member, who probably got his starter from Carolina Biologicals. It lasted for years without anything growing in it but the original strain of 2-300 micron Paramecia. They were big enough to see as individuals in a bright back light, and the jar was definitely cloudy when being fed enough to be useful as food.
I usually put a dropper of culture on a wad of Java Moss in a baby container and then one or two drops of Liquifry No. 1. In a day, a cloud of critters could be seen near the moss, and enough were scattered around to be in the face of new babies needing to develop that snapping reflex. The filter-feeding Paramecia kept the water ultra clear, except for the cloud they formed with their own bodies.
Bottom line: Paramecia are easy to keep and use, but watchful care is needed to avoid contaminating them from a critter source like tank water. Rotifers and other animals will quickly out compete them and you will not have a good culture if you are not very careful.
Wright
PS. If your culture gets contaminated, as quickly as possible start a new one by selecting a few individuals under a microscope with a good pipette, and transferring them to a new jug. One drop of Liquifry and you'll have a new culture in a week or less.
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