Puffer Pantry Care Guide

Feeding Fry, Setup & Live Food Guide

What Are Vinegar Eels? (Beginner‑Friendly Explanation)

Vinegar eels are tiny, free‑swimming nematodes that live in a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water. They are one of the easiest live foods to maintain and are perfect for feeding small fry that are too tiny to eat baby brine shrimp.

What aquarists use vinegar eels for:

• feeding newborn fry after infusoria
• supporting species with tiny mouths (bettas, gourami, tetras, killifish)
• providing a clean, long‑lasting live food source
• bridging the gap between infusoria and baby brine shrimp

How to Use Vinegar Eels for Fry

Vinegar eels are ideal after infusoria, once fry are free‑swimming and actively hunting.

How to Feed

• Strain a small amount of eels through a coffee filter or floss
• Rinse briefly in clean water
• Add directly to the fry tank
• Feed 3–5× daily for best growth

Why Fry Love Them

• They stay suspended in the water column for hours
• They move naturally, triggering feeding instincts
• They do not foul water