The Daphnia (Daphnia Pulex)

Live Daphnia are small freshwater crustaceans that may also be known as water fleas. They are called this because of their short jerky hopping movement through the water. There are many species of Daphniidae and their distribution is worldwide. Daphnia feeds on phytoplankton and algae.

Of all the species, the genera of Daphnia and Moina are the most diverse and are a major food source for both young and adult freshwater pond and lake fish. Stocking daphnia will build your pond's ecosystem from the bottom up, increase productivity and decrease mortality of fry.  Daphnia is also used in aquariums and by schools for educational purposes.

How To Buy Live Daphnia

Smith Creek Fish Farm is centrally located in Western New York about an hour's drive from Buffalo and Rochester.  The hatchery and retail pond supply outlet have seasonal hours for fish pickup and walk-in customers. Our expert fish packers will oxygen bag your fish for easy, safe, and stress-free transport. 

We do suggest bringing coolers or totes to hold your bagged fish.  Truck delivery of trout, game fish, and forage is available in the WNY area when orders meet our delivery minimums. We also safely ship, by UPS Next Day Air, many of our fish species including triploid grass carp and crayfish. 

Unfortunately, we ONLY ship fish to New York addresses.  All of our fish are 2024 NY DEC certified disease-free and have been for more than 10 years.

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