Amphioods and Copepods ? Keep?

[Ceri720]

Hi all - new tank 7 weeks old at end of cycling. I just noticed what I assume are Amphioods or Copepods swimming in tank. I have a CUC so I assume to allow them to remain and feed my hermit crabs or peppermint shrimp.

Good, bad or ugly? Advice please.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Hi all - new tank 7 weeks old at end of cycling. I just noticed what I assume are Amphioods or Copepods swimming in tank. I have a CUC so I assume to allow them to remain and feed my hermit crabs or peppermint shrimp.

Good, bad or ugly? Advice please.

Good - larger pods will eat smaller pods and perhaps even be part of CUC (until eaten). IF your CUC can't keep up with eating them, a single fish is likely to wipe them out down to not noticeable. You must have used live rock if you're surprised by them. I'm not a fan of being surprised by things in my tank. My slice of ecosystem is too small (only 180g) so prefer only what I purposely introduce.

Pods are something I (re)introduce multiple times each month as my LFSs and AlgaeBarn carry pods. If they perhaps came in on coral frags, then perhaps improve your dip process to multi-step before something undesirable gets in.

Enjoy & good luck

 

[T-J]

Hi all - new tank 7 weeks old at end of cycling. I just noticed what I assume are Amphioods or Copepods swimming in tank. I have a CUC so I assume to allow them to remain and feed my hermit crabs or peppermint shrimp.

Good, bad or ugly? Advice please.

Generally pods don't free-swim in open water. You'll see them crawling on your rocks/glass/sand.
Pods are a great part of the CUC, and tasty fish food.

 

[littlebeard]

Copepods - good and pretty impossible to not have.

Amphipods - there's literally thousands of different types so it's hard to say. Generally they're considered safe. I did have an issue where I had a huge population and they attacked my new coral frags. I solved it with a red lined wrasse. Again probably impossible to keep out of your tank.

 

[themericks]

Both are good, I specifically made sure to keep some when I tore down my old tank and turned it into a QT system. They really help as CUC and to feed larger organisms.