pods

[Jimbo]

I added a bag of Amphipods from Sustainable Aquatics to my sump ( No refugium, just a little LR) a while ago. I now have a good population of them or at least I think I do because I see them when I change out my filter sock.

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Love your work btw Chad. Long time customer here.

Thanks a lot for that.

 

[ahiggins]

I culture copepods full time at Reed Mariculture. I am currently working with Tigriopus californicus (harpactacoid), Apocyclops panamensis (cyclopoid) and Parvocalanus crassirostris (calanoid). We provide copepods to the reef aquarium hobby as well as public aquariums and fish hatcheries. All 3 species do best on a blend of algae. It is much more beneficial to offer them multiple species of algae so that they get a variety in their diet making them highly nutritious. They are fun little bugs to work with!

Chad

Thats cool
Ive been looking to toss some into my tanks just to get more diversity in there. Ive heard a lot of positives about tisbie pods too. I have little wrasse species-2" ish-if I put some tiger and tisbie pods in there would I need to feed them? I have quite a bit of film algae on some rocks. Would they out compete each other?

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Thats cool
Ive been looking to toss some into my tanks just to get more diversity in there. Ive heard a lot of positives about tisbie pods too. I have little wrasse species-2" ish-if I put some tiger and tisbie pods in there would I need to feed them? I have quite a bit of film algae on some rocks. Would they out compete each other?

The good thing about most harpactacoid copepods is that they will munch on the decaying organic materials, diatoms and bacteria in reef tanks. They will also benefit by supplementing the natural algal populations with other phytoplankton species that you can purchase from vendors. Feeding algae to the tank can also be good for a lot of other filter feeders.

As far as competition goes, they will absolutely compete with each other, but it's impossible to say who will win. I would suggest you add Tisbe and Tigriopus to your system, but do it when the lights are out. Wrasses tend to have a ravenous appetite for copepods, so they will pick them off as soon as you add them to the tank. A lot of fish will eat copepods, but wrasses tend to be really aggressive feeders.

If you do decide to add a refugium and have some macro algae in there, it will be a great place for the copepods to populate without the constant threat of predation from foraging planktivores.

 

[ahiggins]

The good thing about most harpactacoid copepods is that they will munch on the decaying organic materials, diatoms and bacteria in reef tanks. They will also benefit by supplementing the natural algal populations with other phytoplankton species that you can purchase from vendors. Feeding algae to the tank can also be good for a lot of other filter feeders.

As far as competition goes, they will absolutely compete with each other, but it's impossible to say who will win. I would suggest you add Tisbe and Tigriopus to your system, but do it when the lights are out. Wrasses tend to have a ravenous appetite for copepods, so they will pick them off as soon as you add them to the tank. A lot of fish will eat copepods, but wrasses tend to be really aggressive feeders.

If you do decide to add a refugium and have some macro algae in there, it will be a great place for the copepods to populate without the constant threat of predation from foraging planktivores.

Well, my frag tank (with a trimma goby) is basically a refugium. Maybe I can grow them in there and just take out supplements to put into the other tanks? I currently have chaeto in there only.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

That would be perfect.

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Well, my frag tank (with a trimma goby) is basically a refugium. Maybe I can grow them in there and just take out supplements to put into the other tanks? I currently have chaeto in there only.

They will definitely have a good chance of populating that system, but harvesting them and feeding them to your other tank might be challenging. You can use a brine shrimp net to capture them off of the Chaetomorpha. Does anyone on here have experience with this kind of technique? Let us know how things go!

Chad

 

[ahiggins]

Well, its all the same water and that tank is bare bones except rocks and chaeto. Im thinking I could just scoop up some water from time to time when I notice them

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I just move chato or rock back and forth.
A sponge with coral frenzy or fluke food in it workable pretty well too.
I sprinkle both on top of the chato in my fuges when the bug pop is down.

 

[Reef Nutrition]

I just move chato or rock back and forth.
A sponge with coral frenzy or fluke food in it workable pretty well too.
I sprinkle both on top of the chato in my fuges when the bug pop is down.

Very good. I forgot that they will also eat prepared diets!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Very good. I forgot that they will also eat prepared diets!

Yea they look at me kinda disappointed like but they don't complain.

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Check out this microscopic image I snapped of an Apocyclops panamensis gravid female.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Check out this microscopic image I snapped of an Apocyclops panamensis gravid female.

Oh that's cool!

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Here's another one: Apocyclops panamensis nauplii; multiple stages of development in the shot.

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Here is a gravid Tigriopus californicus female.

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Here is a male Tigriopus californicus.

 

[ahiggins]

Thats so cool!
I thought my little macro lense was awesome hahahahaha