Copepods

[JamesWeaver]

I had a ton of copepods in my tank in like the first 2 weeks I had my tank setup and now there are significantly less 5 weeks in. Should I purchase something to reintroduce them to the tank? What are the actual benefits of them?

 

[vic5hands]

What else is in the tank?

 

[cloak]

If you don't have any specialized feeders in the tank such as a Mandarin or a Pipefish I wouldn't worry about the pods. Your tank will be just fine with or without them.

 

[cloak]

Woops...

 

[JamesWeaver]

What else is in the tank?

40lbs Live rock, 2 clowns, Midas blenny, long nose hawk.

 

[sweendog87]

The hawkfish is probly eating them they are great to have in all systems the help keep nuisense algae at bay by eating it before we even see it and they also help to feed corals small inverts and fish like mandarine and wrasses you should need to replace them if there is still some in the system the reproduce very quickly maybe just start feeding them phytoplankton to speed up there reproduction and they will replenish themselves by spawning quicker then you r fish can eat them do you have a refugium perfect place for copepods to live and reproduce

 

[JamesWeaver]

The hawkfish is probly eating them they are great to have in all systems the help keep nuisense algae at bay by eating it before we even see it and they also help to feed corals small inverts and fish like mandarine and wrasses you should need to replace them if there is still some in the system the reproduce very quickly maybe just start feeding them phytoplankton to speed up there reproduction and they will replenish themselves by spawning quicker then you r fish can eat them do you have a refugium perfect place for copepods to live and reproduce

Yes I have a refugium with Caribsea kit. Mineral mud live sand and calcium rubble

 

[sweendog87]

Pretty sure the only thing you need to worry about is cleaning thousands off your glass every few days once you have a substantial population they shouldn't disappear unless you cause a mini cycle or get a few predators to eat them good luck