Copepods

[anthonysdad]

So I believe (after doing a decent amount of research) that I have a pretty rich copepod tank population. Maybe 100 or more that I can see scurrying around with a surprise night time visit. I have a 210gal with refugium (now) would you think a mandarin would sustain off this population? Or would it go through that amount in no time, or would it not make a dent in it either?

Thoughts? Advice?

 

[anthonysdad]

Correction, I was just inspecting the tank some more in daylight, and there must be multiple hundreds of the copepods.

 

[Pete polyp]

They're like cockroaches... For every one you see there are 100 more. I'm sure a Mandarin would be happy to call your 210 home

 

[Naiad]

Are you sure they are copepodes and not amphipods or isopods. If you can see them scurrying I'm betting they are not copepods

 

[anthonysdad]

I am pretty sure they are copepods, they couldn't be more than 1 mm. I can barely see them. I noticed them first a month back going all over the rock and sand, today I saw them on my black overflows which made it easier to see their structure and they were sitting still for a second.

 

[anthonysdad]

Not sure how good this looks, but those slits in the plastic are an inch long.

 

[petemichelle]

how long has your tank been up and running? how did you get the population that you have now. did you add them and have an explosion? or did they just show up from the live rock? do you have a sump? in tank or underneath? I just started my 150 2 months ago and am now trying to get the pods I added to reproduce and multiple. scouring the reef club sights for info and suggestions. any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks

 

[anthonysdad]

Started back in October last year, probably 50-60lbs of live rock and 30lbs dead (which is now live) rock. Had a wet/dry with bio balls until a few weeks ago and changed to fuge . It is below the DT and maybe 30 gal. I did not add pods at all, they just came with the rocks and thrived over the last few months I guess. I only have a few corals, and a pink dot watchman, a cleaner shrimp, 2 stars, and 3 snails. And then last week I got the mandarin, and he is doing great so far.

 

[EDM]

look into the red mandarian pair it sounds like it would be good in that tank