Copepods, zooxanthele, and Anemones.

[SamMule]

Been reading up on little critters...

Anemones use Zooxanthele.
Zooxanthele is a diatom.
Copepods eat Zooxanthele.
Anemones eat copepods?

Wondering how diatom blooms or copepod blooms affect Anemone health. Or, weather they do at all.

Anyone have some insight on this or maybe a link to a good resource?

Thanks!

 

[Neoalchemist]

I believe zooxanthellae are a type of dinoflagellate not diatom

 

[CuzzA]

Been reading up on little critters...

Anemones use Zooxanthele.
Zooxanthele is a diatom.
Copepods eat Zooxanthele.
Anemones eat copepods?

Wondering how diatom blooms or copepod blooms affect Anemone health. Or, weather they do at all.

Anyone have some insight on this or maybe a link to a good resource?

Thanks!

Zooxanthellae is a single celled dinoflagellate. Anemones will eat just about anything so I'm not sure the correlation you're looking for. Just another link in the food chain.

 

[SamMule]

You're right, I meant dinoflagellete.

If I have an excess of copepods in my system, wouldn't that be detrimental to the anemones health?
That is... If the pods decimate the dinoflagellets used by the anemone.

Just trying to better understand the food web in my tank.

 

[jack_aubry]

there are many many species of dinoflagellates the species of dinoflagellate causing the bloom in your tank are not the same species in the anemone.

 

[jack_aubry]

so short answer is no too many pods will not eliminate the Zooxanthele. The Zooxanthele will also primarily reproduce in the anemone so the anemone does not need to constantly have an external source (unless its bleached)

 

[SamMule]

Well, that's good to hear! Pods are running rampant. Water parameters are all still in good shape and nem is definitely not bleached. Seems happy too despite the new tank.
Sorry for all of the questions. I did not plan on such a steep learning curve!

Thank you for clarifying.