Introducing copepods and or rotifers

[Mike Yaniz]

Hi everyone. Just had a question regarding the introduction of copepods and or rotifers to my tank. I have a mixed 92 gal front bow. I have a sump and i do not have a light or a refugium type of set up. I was wondering if my tank and inhabitants would like the addition of them and if they will thrive and multiply. I currently have
3-chromis
2-perculas
1-banghai cardinal
1-yellowtang
1-nasotang
1-diamond goby
1-marine beta (comet)
1-flamehawk
1-foxface
and
1-clown trigger
a couple of brittle and serpent starfish

Thanks all.

 

[BKjohnny]

I dumped mine in the sump like a month ago and boy! There's a ton of them clinging and swimming inside the sump. Perfect for my mandarin goby. Not sure if they will thrive without lights though. Mine has one.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Some of your fish probably don't care all that much about eating them (The trigger, marine betta, tangs, and foxface) but by far the biggest benefit would be a really good addition to your cleanup crew. Pods are amazing at cleaning up detritus in places no other critter can get to!

 

[keddre]

To be completely honest, I don't think it is worth it. Every tank has a copepod level that is effected by the inhabitants and the food population. In a tank like yours where the fish don't NEED pods, your level is probably set. To get a feel of how many you have, look in the tank near the sand bed with a flashlight a couple hours after lights out.

 

[Florida Sunshine]

IMO pods are always a good addition. While your fish may not "need" them, they are likely to enjoy the variety and they are good little cleaners as well.

 

[Big G]

Do you have some room in your sump for some chaeto? Great place to grow chaeto and provide an ongoing home and supply of copepods in your sump. Just needs a bit of light (a small clamp light will work) for the chaeto to grow and feed the copepods with some phytoplankton. Easy. Cheers!

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Hi everyone. Just had a question regarding the introduction of copepods and or rotifers to my tank. I have a mixed 92 gal front bow. I have a sump and i do not have a light or a refugium type of set up. I was wondering if my tank and inhabitants would like the addition of them and if they will thrive and multiply. I currently have
3-chromis
2-perculas
1-banghai cardinal
1-yellowtang
1-nasotang
1-diamond goby
1-marine beta (comet)
1-flamehawk
1-foxface
and
1-clown trigger
a couple of brittle and serpent starfish

Thanks all.

Nothing wrong with creating a more diverse reef tank. Copepods are great to add to a tank, but keep in mind that there are other crustaceans present in any given aquarium, and some of them eat copepods. With the right amount of habitat and food, these animals can co-exist. I have a 30 gallon tank with multiple species of tiny crustaceans, and the populations rise and fall.

Rotifers, on the other hand, will not populate a reef tank. (I am forced to rethink this statement, so I want to explore this further. I take back this comment until we dive deeper, November 28, 2017) People typically culture rotifers in 5 gallon buckets, harvesting and feeding them to their tank routinely: great live food item for SPS corals and many other invertebrate groups. If you want to take on rotifer culture, let me know. We offer the equipment, live starter cultures, feeds/enrichments and technical support.

Chad

 

[Mike Yaniz]

I dumped mine in the sump like a month ago and boy! There's a ton of them clinging and swimming inside the sump. Perfect for my mandarin goby. Not sure if they will thrive without lights though. Mine has one.

Thanks Johnny, I am going to add a cheato reactor and that has lights. Do you think if i add a light in my sump area and throw pods they will grow. Then what they get sucked up by my return pump and up into the DT?? thanks for any help

 

[Mike Yaniz]

Some of your fish probably don't care all that much about eating them (The trigger, marine betta, tangs, and foxface) but by far the biggest benefit would be a really good addition to your cleanup crew. Pods are amazing at cleaning up detritus in places no other critter can get to!

Thanks. That would be a good thing for me. Im starting to think that my clown trigger is eating my clean up crew.

 

[Mike Yaniz]

IMO pods are always a good addition. While your fish may not "need" them, they are likely to enjoy the variety and they are good little cleaners as well.

Hi thanks for ypur help. Where in florida are you located. I am in miami.

 

[Mike Yaniz]

Nothing wrong with creating a more diverse reef tank. Copepods are great to add to a tank, but keep in mind that there are other crustaceans present in any given aquarium, and some of them eat copepods. With the right amount of habitat and food, these animals can co-exist. I have a 30 gallon tank with multiple species of tiny crustaceans, and the populations rise and fall.

Rotifers, on the other hand, will not populate a reef tank. They have special dietary requirements that a clean, pristine reef tank can't provide. People typically culture rotifers in 5 gallon buckets, harvesting and feeding them to their tank routinely: great live food item for SPS corals and many other invertebrate groups. If you want to take on rotifer culture, let me know. We offer the equipment, live starter cultures, feeds/enrichments and technical support.

Chad

Hi Chad. Yes i actually am interested. How can i get in contact with you. Thanks

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Hi Chad. Yes i actually am interested. How can i get in contact with you. Thanks

[email protected] I look forward to hearing from you!

Chad

 

[JOE_2217]

Thanks Johnny, I am going to add a cheato reactor and that has lights. Do you think if i add a light in my sump area and throw pods they will grow. Then what they get sucked up by my return pump and up into the DT?? thanks for any help

I do not think you need light for pods to grow. If you end up dumping them in your sump, they will eventually make their way to the DT. I mean, they are mostly active at night, and live in the rocks, so I don't think you would need a dedicated light just to grow pods. Just my opinion though.

 

[Florida Sunshine]

Hi thanks for ypur help. Where in florida are you located. I am in miami.

I am in Cocoa. I used to live in Miami though.

 

[BKjohnny]

Hell yeah!
Thats what i have, a chaeto fuge/sump.. they will thrive and instant food for any dragonette fish..
Put some rocks in there too for their hideout. That way they dont get sucked out into the main tank right away. Good luck!

Thanks Johnny, I am going to add a cheato reactor and that has lights. Do you think if i add a light in my sump area and throw pods they will grow. Then what they get sucked up by my return pump and up into the DT?? thanks for any help

 

[eatbreakfast]

Pods will populate a tank if you have live rock. No need to add any additional pods unless you have a big-time pod eater.

 

[Tristren]

[email protected] I look forward to hearing from you!

Chad

I'd like to hear about that too. Maybe you could start a thread with an overview of the process and the benefits and challenges?


Tony

 

[Reef Nutrition]

I'd like to hear about that too. Maybe you could start a thread with an overview of the process and the benefits and challenges?


Tony

Great. Thanks for creating more work for me. ;Happy I'll try to put something together and we can get a discussion going. There are a lot of assumptions and anecdotes, so it's a tough topic to speak about with confidence.

Chad

 

[Tristren]

Great. Thanks for creating more work for me. ;Happy I'll try to put something together and we can get a discussion going.

Just wait until we like the post and ask for a YouTube video to follow-up...

FYI I have a bottle of your Phyto in the fridge. My LFS up here in Ottawa is a proponent of yours.

Tony

 

[Bryn]

@Reef Nutrition How about that article on Rotifers? Very interested.

Thanks