-
Folks, if you've recently upgraded or renewed your annual club membership but it's still not active, please reach out to the BOD or a moderator. The PayPal system has a slight bug which it doesn't allow it to activate the account on it's own.
Culturing copepods
- Thread starter BigRed
- Start date
i dunno... my tank is LITTERED with Copepods.. dunno if they came from the LR or what but i've got millions of the tiny guys all over my glass... pretty easy to keep
those are not the same as the "tigger copepods". Tibse copepods are common - the species being sold by reefnutrition is a different species altogether.
Tiger pods are a cold water pod. I cultivated them for months. It was not worth the trouble.
I used a empty pretzel container. You can use a small tank. just about anything that holds water. The more surface area it has the better. That's were they breed. And you feed them phytoplankton
First you fill the container 1/4 of the with saltwater. Then add pods (I also used a small air pump to agitate the water. Or stir the water from time to time. However you don't want to disturb the surface to much). Next add phyto untill the water becomes a light green. After that wait a couple of days, and watch for the water to turn clear. If the water turns clear the pods are alive and eating. Every couple of days add more phyto to turn the water light green again. (don't let the water go completely clear). Top off fresh water for evaporation to keep the salinity. When you see the pods starting to get thick (populated you'll see. It's nothing crazy but noticeable). Add more salt water to the container like half full. Than add more phyto. Let them populate more, and proceed to feed your fish. Don't wipe out your hole population. Keep watching for the water turning clear add phyto as needed, and top off. Keep them out of direct light. I covered the sides of my container.
I used a empty pretzel container. You can use a small tank. just about anything that holds water. The more surface area it has the better. That's were they breed. And you feed them phytoplankton
First you fill the container 1/4 of the with saltwater. Then add pods (I also used a small air pump to agitate the water. Or stir the water from time to time. However you don't want to disturb the surface to much). Next add phyto untill the water becomes a light green. After that wait a couple of days, and watch for the water to turn clear. If the water turns clear the pods are alive and eating. Every couple of days add more phyto to turn the water light green again. (don't let the water go completely clear). Top off fresh water for evaporation to keep the salinity. When you see the pods starting to get thick (populated you'll see. It's nothing crazy but noticeable). Add more salt water to the container like half full. Than add more phyto. Let them populate more, and proceed to feed your fish. Don't wipe out your hole population. Keep watching for the water turning clear add phyto as needed, and top off. Keep them out of direct light. I covered the sides of my container.
Last edited:
Me and my kids did this. 20 gal tank in the garage. Filled half way. Tossed In a heater to maintain 65 deg. Added air stone set very low. Added the live phyto which is live is key. Tossed in a half bottle of tiggers covered tank to slow evap.
Add phyto to light green water every couple days. Week later harvested a butt load, add new water, repeat. Gonna harvest today.
With 2 mandarins in a 75 I can't have enough pods.
Add phyto to light green water every couple days. Week later harvested a butt load, add new water, repeat. Gonna harvest today.
With 2 mandarins in a 75 I can't have enough pods.
yea its fun. first week, seemed like nothing was happening, i used tigerpods, and only half a bottle, other half in my fuge,
and the water went clear like every 4th day,
now, water goes clear daily and we can see lots of adults.
how does everybody harvest?
my salinity in my DT was a bit low, so i started taking like a cup a day out of the culture, and adding to the DT,
brought up the salinty nice and slow, and moved some pods.
i also used a turkey baster, into a small bottle, worked good but slow.
what to do about the gunk on bottom of the tank? siphon during water change?
should i strain it to get pods?
aye! this hobby, er ah habit!!!
and the water went clear like every 4th day,
now, water goes clear daily and we can see lots of adults.
how does everybody harvest?
my salinity in my DT was a bit low, so i started taking like a cup a day out of the culture, and adding to the DT,
brought up the salinty nice and slow, and moved some pods.
i also used a turkey baster, into a small bottle, worked good but slow.
what to do about the gunk on bottom of the tank? siphon during water change?
should i strain it to get pods?
aye! this hobby, er ah habit!!!
I've got good priories. Garage is air conditioned