Any tips for boosting pod population?

Daniel@R2R · Nov 28, 2016

Hey guys! I've got the tank running and fish are in QT. I've added a bottle of Tisbe pods to the DT so they could start proliferating in there, but I'm curious about what (if anything) I should do to help that process along. Should I feed the tank at all?

reeefer · Nov 28, 2016

Yes! Pods will only grow populations that the nutrients in your tank can sustain, the way I see it for pods, the dirtier the better to a certain point. You don't want your display looking like crap either. This is just what I've red in the past few days as I'm looking to get a mandarin and also want to grow my population of pods. I noticed too when I had neglected my tank in a while there seemed to be more of them crawling on rock and glass

Tahoe61 · Nov 28, 2016

They like Phytoplankton and marco/algae to live in.

Desmond · Nov 28, 2016

My fuge is full of them. Unfortunately my mandrin jumped out onto glass baffel a few weeks back but planning another. He was very fat and happy. The fuge would be an advantage for letting them multiply [emoji3] also has other benefits. By using the light at night when main display lights are out it helps to keep the ph more stable.

reeftanker17 · Nov 28, 2016

Desmond said:
My fuge is full of them. Unfortunately my mandrin jumped out onto glass baffel a few weeks back but planning another. He was very fat and happy. The fuge would be an advantage for letting them multiply [emoji3] also has other benefits. By using the light at night when main display lights are out it helps to keep the ph more stable.

I had one that ate dry pellets which was awesome because I was scared I didn't have a no ugh pods to continually sustain him

Desmond · Nov 28, 2016

reeftanker17 said:
I had one that ate dry pellets which was awesome because I was scared I didn't have a no ugh pods to continually sustain him

Mi e ate everything frozen pellets flake and pods was a pig [emoji23]

Daniel@R2R · Nov 28, 2016

Thanks guys! I know a fuge would help, but unfortunately I've not got any room for a fuge on this tank. I'm planning to add one of those shower sponge things to work as a pod hotel in the sump. I'll feed the tank a little to give them something to eat on while population grows. I'm not planning any pod-dependent fish at present, so pods will just be help as CC and providing additional food for the fish and corals.

143MPCo · Nov 28, 2016

Tahoe61 said:
They like Phytoplankton and marco/algae to live in.

This and a lot of it... I dose about 30-ml every two days, and only at night when they are out and actively feeding.

revhtree · Nov 28, 2016

I have always had great success using Chaeto.

Mushroom Boy · Nov 28, 2016

mdbannister said:
I'm planning to add one of those shower sponge things to work as a pod hotel in the sump.

Can you elaborate on what you're going to be using? Is this just one of those synthetic sponge thingys?

runzwithscissors · Nov 28, 2016

To help propagation, I would wait a couple of weeks later and add another bottle of pods. After a while even feeding phyto they'll slowly decrease (other than consumption) due to inbreeeding. Adding a another bottle from a different lot will help in the long term.

Daniel@R2R · Nov 28, 2016

Mushroom Boy said:
Can you elaborate on what you're going to be using? Is this just one of those synthetic sponge thingys?

Yep. Something like this.

Salty1962 · Nov 28, 2016

I setup a rock pile in an area of low flow and fed algae sheets on it.

jason2459 · Nov 28, 2016

A reversed undergravel filter is the single best thing I've ever done for pod population growth. Thank you PaulB!

Mushroom Boy · Nov 28, 2016

Thanks mdbannister, that's exactly what I was picturing. Is there any concern associated with putting one of those in your aquarium? Are there any that are infused with soaps or perfumes? Seems like a great habitat!

saltyfilmfolks · Nov 28, 2016

The only thing I get from these guys. VERY generous portions so far.
https://aquariumdepot.com/live-food Pod blend and ITS ON SALE GUYS!!

Actually I used to order their macro and pod mix cuz the shipping was free. the macros were micro but it was $20 free shipping for a half pound a pods and a few twigs

.

fwiw I also use the aquaclear sponge and put a slit in it and put some pellets or flake in. then pass it back and forth between the dt and the fuge.

CastAway · Nov 28, 2016

Ive seen a dramatic increase in my amphipod population (Gammarus) since starting to feed them. I use pellet food. They love anything they can cling to, be it a sponge or chaeto.

I personally wonder if copepod cultures, like parvocalanus, might be best kept separate given the amount of phyto it seems to take to raise them. Not sure they cling to anything, but are more pelagic.

Tisbe, to me, seem to love micro algae covered glass and may not need as much phyto, if any, with such hospitable substrate - perhaps more demersal.

$0.02

sundog101 · Nov 28, 2016

jason2459 said:
A reversed undergravel filter is the single best thing I've ever done for pod population growth. Thank you PaulB!

I've thought about using one in my fuge. Would it just increase the surface area for pods to live on?

CastAway · Nov 29, 2016

sundog101 said:
I've thought about using one in my fuge. Would it just increase the surface area for pods to live on?

...and what kind of "pods" exactly @jason2459/@Paul B?

jason2459 · Nov 29, 2016

sundog101 said:
I've thought about using one in my fuge. Would it just increase the surface area for pods to live on?

It helps create a safe cryptic like zone for them to reproduce in. I have one in my sump but when I had my 55 gallon I had no sump but had 2 plates covering the entire bottom with dolomite on top. This sustained a breeding pair of mandarins and several other fish that were competing for pods.