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Daphnia FAQ

BioBus Daphnia and students

Q: What is Daphnia?
A: Daphnia is a very small crustacean, which means its related to animals like lobster, crab and shrimp.

Q: Where do Daphnia live?
A: Daphnia are fresh water crustaceans. They can be found in lakes, rivers, ponds, streams – even puddles!

Q: What do they eat?
A: They eat lots of things you’d find in a lake or river, like algae, bacteria, and detritus.

Q: How big is a Daphnia?
A: Adult Daphnia usually measure 2 -5 millimeters long. That’s smaller than your pinky nail!

Q: How long do Daphnia live?
A: On average, about 3 months.

Have more questions about Daphnia? Email us at learning@biobus.org

Daphnia Videos

Daphnia giving birth under BioBus microscopes

Daphnia heart beat

Other resources to learn about Daphnia:

Daphnia Images and Information at MBL Aquaculture

Daphnia – Wikipedia

Daphnia: An Aquarist’s Guide

For teachers: Order Daphnia for your classroom