Cladocera

When water fleas in the broader sense is colloquially a number of small crabs from different families and genera respectively. These crustaceans do not form closely related group, but are called so in the water because of their small size and the hopping locomotion. However, the mode of transportation is in the different groups, which are referred to as water fleas, different.

When water fleas in the narrow sense was summarized earlier, the group of Cladocera within the claws tails ( Onychura ). This group includes the type Common Water flea ( Daphnia pulex ). The closely related species water flea (Daphnia magna) is used for water quality monitoring. The Daphnia belong to the Kiemenfußkrebsen and live mainly in the plankton. They move on through the beating of their bifurcated per second antennas, in which fan out at each swimming motion long bristles. A similar way of life also shows the Flathead water flea ( Simocephalus vetulus ), which is also one of the Kiemenfußkrebsen and occurring in swarms within the water column Polyphemus pediculus

The genus Bosmina is one of the claws tails. Bosmina longirostris in the world live on the ground or in the mud of the shore areas of lakes and ponds. Bosmina may also use their antennae move floating over short distances.

The hop Lingen is caused by the spasmodic rowing with their first antennae also the impression of a flea -like hopping. These small crustaceans are among the copepods, many species also live in the zooplankton.

The amphipods are many common species such as the Common amphipod, Gammarus and the flow of freshwater shrimp. These amphipods live on the bottom of the lake, often under stones or wood, where they feed on leaves and plant parts.

Water fleas are found in nature depending on the season often present in large numbers and are an important food source for fish. Most species can also be easily grown and used as live food for aquarium fish. Your own breed of water fleas is easily possible in large buckets or a rain barrel. As food is suitable, for example, dissolved in water, yeast or algae growing on its own in the buckets. It is important to cover the water tank with nets, otherwise settle mosquito larvae.