Copapods in a main display

[bamaborn81]

I have a few questions about pods in my tank. First, When to add them to a new tank? Second, What food supply would be best to them to consume in my tank? I read about floating algae but that doesn't seem like a good option. My goal is to have a nice supply to eventually add a mandarin. My tank is a week old. Thanks!

 

[808jaymakoa]

After your tank is completely cycled you can add them in. As for food for them I use phytoplankton

its about 1-20 microns in size. Keep them fed and they should reproduce pretty fast.

 

[bamaborn81]

Thanks! Can't wait!

 

[nicewrasse]

Food depends on the copepods. Are they free swimming or do they scurry around the glass and rocks? If they are crawling around phyto won't do anything for them - they are detrivores (they eat fish poop and just about anything organic they come across). If they are free swimming, don't worry about feeding them, they won't culture themselves in a reef tank

 

[bamaborn81]

What kind should I purchase when the time comes? Thanks!

 

[Eric B]

You can add them when your tank has cycled, but I would wait a while after probably at least 6 months or better before adding any mandarin goby as they will destroy a pod population fast. You can also put some cheato in a section of your sump if you have one and make it into a refugium so that pods can reproduce with out being eaten. Pods will eat detritus as well as phytoplankton for food.

 

[nicewrasse]

You want the ones that will go on the glass. They are a great part of the clean up crew. The free swimming ones don't clean up anything. Tisbe pods - reef pods from Algagen are great. There are bunch others, but these seem to be the easiest to find in more stores/online.