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Growing copepods?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Kylie, Apr 25, 2010.

  1. Apr 25, 2010 #1
    Kylie

    Kylie Inactive User

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    Is it possible to culture your own copepods to help supplement your reef? I've seen posts of green water and such. Is that copepods or phytoplankton? or something else?
    Eitherway, what is the best thing I can culture easily at home to help supplement my tank? and how do you do that?
    Thanks!!
    Kylie
     
  2. Apr 25, 2010 #2
    HippieGolfWear

    HippieGolfWear Inactive User

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    Look into starting a fuge.
     
  3. Apr 25, 2010 #3
    vikubz Cedar Falls

    vikubz Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    +1 on set up a fuge. I have tons of pods that are keeping my mandarin fat and happy.
     
  4. Apr 25, 2010 #4
    Kylie

    Kylie Inactive User

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    I have a fuge compartment to my sump with chaeto in it. Is that sufficient?
     
  5. Apr 25, 2010 #5
    vikubz Cedar Falls

    vikubz Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Yes, they like to live in chaeto. Might not hurt to throw in a little LR rubble as well. In time you will have pods. What fish do you have that will feed on the pods?

     
  6. Apr 25, 2010 #6
    Kylie

    Kylie Inactive User

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    Eventually I'd like a scooter blenny and I thought it would make me feel much better (once I have waiting a super long time to ensure I have a good population of copepods) to be able to manually dose the tank with copepods to ensure that my scooter blenny would have plenty of food. Pluss I'm sure a good squirt of copepods for some of my corals would make them happy for the nom noms /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/hybrid//emoticons/smile.gif
     
  7. Apr 25, 2010 #7
    vikubz Cedar Falls

    vikubz Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Once you have a population going you won't have to dose any to the tank. They will ride through the return to the display tank. Also, as they reproduce, the eggs and larva will feed your corals like you said.

     
  8. Apr 25, 2010 #8
    Kylie

    Kylie Inactive User

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    Ok. Approximately how long does it normally take to get a really good population going?
     
  9. Apr 25, 2010 #9
    vikubz Cedar Falls

    vikubz Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    I'd say give it a couple months. Keep an eye out, you'll see them on the glass.
     
  10. Apr 25, 2010 #10
    mthomp

    mthomp Inactive User

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    after 3 months with no fuge or sump. i have a ton of pods crawling around my tank. I was almost tempted in getting a dragonette but i also realise that in a 55gal and no fuge it would most likely starve in a short amount of time.
     
  11. Apr 25, 2010 #11
    Kylie

    Kylie Inactive User

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    Sounds good. So, after I started thinking about this, I went to check out my mini fuge and I can't see anything in the chaeto, but there are tiny little brownish buggies crawling around on the sand I have in there. When I set up the tank I fertilized it with a bag of copepods from Saltwaterfish.com. Are these little tiny bug like things the copepods? Or is any tiny bug like thing a copepod, not specifically little brown ones?
     
  12. Apr 25, 2010 #12
    mthomp

    mthomp Inactive User

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    they are pods, copepods and amphipods.

    this site may help you to identify some of those critters.

    http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchhikers.html
     
  13. Apr 25, 2010 #13
    Kylie

    Kylie Inactive User

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    Oo this will help. Thanks!
     
  14. Apr 26, 2010 #14
    vikubz Cedar Falls

    vikubz Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Sounds like you're on the way.
     

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