Copepods - I never see them

[JAMSOURY]

I put in a couple 5280 pods from algaebarn and I’ve been putting phytoplankton in the tank to feed them but I never see them. It’s been a few weeks now and I’m guessing there should be some grown ones. I only have three clownfish in my tank, and I don’t think they’re hunting them down. Did my population probably die off? Or are they just hiding off somewhere?

 

[Barrett]

Do you look at night with a flash light for them, that's when I see mine the most on my rocks.

 

[deedubz]

I almost never see any during the day. My scooter dragonette and my fairy wrasses are all fat so I know they're still in there

 

[fishbox]

Even at night with a flashlight could be difficult. They're like cockroaches and crackheads. If you turn the light on they're nowhere to be seen. I'm lucky enough to have the small white specks on my glass that tell me that they're there. And every now and then I'll see the skin or shedding of the larger guys float by.

 

[fishbox]

I bought a bunch myself for my new tank because I had dry Rock. But after reading up on these guys I will never buy them again unless I have something that depletes them at a rapid rate like a Mandarin fish. These guys are like breeding machines.

 

[JAMSOURY]

Do you look at night with a flash light for them, that's when I see mine the most on my rocks.

Are they decently sized?? Not sure how big they would get in a few weeks

 

[Barrett]

Are they decently sized?? Not sure how big they would get in a few weeks

Some of them are pretty good sized and some are so small you can barely see them, have to look very closely.