Growth Conditions
Temperature: 22.0°C
Duration: grown with mixed flora and fauna
Protocol: ATCCNO: 30727 SPEC: This strain is distributed as a frozen stabilate. See general instructions for thawing and storage of frozen material before proceeding. Remove the frozen ampoule from the dry ice and transfer directly to a 35C water bath. The food source for this strain is Paramecium tetraurelia ATCC 30303 (other strains will probably work equally well), not supplied. Empty the thawed contents of the vial into a petri dish and, if necessary, add distilled water to cover the bottom of the dish. Allow Heliophrya cells to attach to the bottom of the dish (overnight). Feed with a culture of paramecia every 7-21 days. New cultures may be established by: 1) adding a coverslip to the petri dish, allowing larvae to attach, then transferring the coverslip to another petri dish; or 2) transferring adult Heliophrya floating in surface film to a new dish by means of a wire loop.
