Where did all my pods go?

[BantyRooster97]

Tank has been running for years and I used to have a HUGE pod population. Last week I trimmed my chaeto and the # of pods that were in there were WAY lower than normal. I'd say like 10% of what used to be there when I trimmed.

What would cause my pod population to decrease severely? Really nothing new going on in my tank, new corals but that's about it. Nothing new in my sump.

Is there something that kills pods off?

 

[Gareth elliott]

Could be inbreeding suppressing reproduction or larvae survival rates.
I have had similar decreases in population viability in fw shrimp and killifish populations after years of no new genetic material is added.

 

[BantyRooster97]

That is something I NEVER would have thought about. I haven't introduced new pods in years.

 

[clm65]

I noticed this in my tank too recently. I used to over feed my tank, and had tons of amphipods. Unfortunately I also had super high nitrates and phosphates as a result. I got feeding under control, which mostly fixed my nitrate and phosphate problem, but I think that also thinned my pod population due to lack of excess food. Have you changed your feeding habits lately?

 

[BantyRooster97]

Nope, if anything I have been trying to get my nutrients up.