Copepods Fail to Reproduce and Populate Tank-Ideas?

[SeaHorseQueen]

Hey Everyone! Another Copepod question. So, I'm researching into why my display tank isn't blooming with pods. My mandarin dragonet has been in a breeders net so doesn't have any access to them unless I feed from my culture tank. I emptied roughly 60% of my thriving culture pods in my display to breed and populate two weeks ago. I seen one pod of the thousands I dumped in. What could be causing them to not live in this tank? Fish are doing just fine. Blue hermit crabs are doing great so I don't know what could be wrong? I do dose 2 drops per gallon of live phyto-feast in there to keep them fed and not turn the tank green. What am I doing wrong? I'm really wondering if it's my filter being too strong sucking them in. I do want to invest in a protein skimmer and get rid of the filter. I already have a wavemaker for when I go to change over (not actively in tank). Am I too early to make a call on these pods? The culture tank pods exploded so I'm wondering what I should do to get this tank populated.

Tank is 20g and 9 months old. Occupants are 2 blue leg crabs, 2 clownfish, and one mandy (in breeder's net-training frozen and fattening him up while trying to populate the pods in tank). Not even the clownfish are breeding yet but they have been doing the hosting behavior on the rocks.

 

[nothing_fancy]

Without knowing your parameters its hard to tell but have you checked the sand bed with a flashlight at night? If you saw one pod there are likely many more. When you add them you should have your filter off for about an hour. Ditching your filter and running skimmer only is probably not going to have the outcome you're looking for in a 20g tank. As far as feeding, I won't tell you to dose more phyto but I will tell you that in my tank which is 40g I add roughly 15ml about 4 times per week using pretty dense phyto cultured at home started with algae barn ocean magic. I don't have any experience with phytofeast...

 

[SeaHorseQueen]

Without knowing your parameters its hard to tell but have you checked the sand bed with a flashlight at night? If you saw one pod there are likely many more. When you add them you should have your filter off for about an hour. Ditching your filter and running skimmer only is probably not going to have the outcome you're looking for in a 20g tank. As far as feeding, I won't tell you to dose more phyto but I will tell you that in my tank which is 40g I add roughly 15ml about 4 times per week using pretty dense phyto cultured at home started with algae barn ocean magic. I don't have any experience with phytofeast...

How do you keep it from turning green? This is pretty concentrated by the drop so

 

[bushdoc]

Are you sure that there‘s no pods there? They usually settle on a rock later. If you could take piece of rock out and examine it, you should know. Also, I am sure clownfish are enjoying your pods too.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Do you have large amphipods?

 

[nothing_fancy]

How do you keep it from turning green? This is pretty concentrated by the drop so

You're concerned about turning your display tank into a phyto culture tank? I get it. If adding something in that small amount to your tank turns your water green for me that would be an indication that I have to do something about filtration, or lighting. Maybe not enough filtration, maybe too much light. Either way you shouldn't be starting a phyto culture with that small amount of phyto. In a 20g you should be able to start a phyto dose at around 5-8ml no problem. Now, if you're only dosing phyto to feed pods, maybe a bit less, but if you have coral I believe phyto is one of the best things you can feed your tank.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

if you have coral I believe phyto is one of the best things you can feed your tank.

Do coral eat phyto?

 

[SeaHorseQueen]

You're concerned about turning your display tank into a phyto culture tank? I get it. If adding something in that small amount to your tank turns your water green for me that would be an indication that I have to do something about filtration, or lighting. Maybe not enough filtration, maybe too much light. Either way you shouldn't be starting a phyto culture with that small amount of phyto. In a 20g you should be able to start a phyto dose at around 5-8ml no problem. Now, if you're only dosing phyto to feed pods, maybe a bit less, but if you have coral I believe phyto is one of the best things you can feed your tank.

I don’t have corals. Only time I turn the light on is to feed the fish. Even the carbon isn’t making a difference.

 

[Jay'sReefBugs]

Let some film algea build up on the glass and see what you have. Keep in mind that only represents a small fraction as the majority live in substrate and rock work which you wont be able to see

 

[nothing_fancy]

Do coral eat phyto?

From what I understand they won't "eat" phyto so much directly but in regards to the total environment from which they feed phyto can play an important role as a component. This is why spot feed corals phyto is not necessary.

 

[SeaHorseQueen]

Let some film algea build up on the glass and see what you have. Keep in mind that only represents a small fraction as the majority live in substrate and rock work which you wont be able to see

So chances are there is likely a large population in the sand that just can’t be seen? I’m noticing a light green on the sand since dosing Live Phyto-feast in the display which doesn’t bug me but not knowing what’s in there does.

 

[nothing_fancy]

I don’t have corals. Only time I turn the light on is to feed the fish. Even the carbon isn’t making a difference.

Carbon isn't making a difference how? To what?

 

[Jay'sReefBugs]

So chances are there is likely a large population in the sand that just can’t be seen? I’m noticing a light green on the sand since dosing Live Phyto-feast in the display which doesn’t bug me but not knowing what’s in there does.

Chances are yes you have copepods you just can't see them . Now if it's a large colony or not that's kinda a guessing game that's why letting film algea build on the glass is a good indicator

 

[AlgaeDepot]

There may be pods on the rocks and substrate so don't be alarmed if you dont see any on the glass. Also remember that fish will eat the copepods and can wipe the population out pretty quickly. I would focus on a safe haven like a sump or refugium where they can populate and be protected from predators. Naturally, they will make their way into the display tank. Keep doing what you're doing with the phyto feast but remember that they will feed on tiny debris as well if they are big enough. Don't give up!

 

[PotatoPig]

What type of pods?

Tigger pods tend not to last long. They get eaten fast and those that don’t get caught in filter socks. I think they also do better in slightly cooler temps - they culture great at room temp in a house but the tanks are warmer than ideal for them, Tisbe do much better but they’re hide and seek champions. I added them to my tank back in November and they promptly vanished. Since then have only been adding cultured Tigger pods on a near daily basis, now three months later the tank is full of Tisbe pods with barely a Tigger pod to be seen.

One thing to try: If you have a sump with filter socks try pause the pump, let the water settle a few mins and then light up the sock from the side with a flash light. Look down into it and you’ll probably see a bunch of pods swimming around.

 

[SeaHorseQueen]

What type of pods?

Tigger pods tend not to last long. They get eaten fast and those that don’t get caught in filter socks. I think they also do better in slightly cooler temps - they culture great at room temp in a house but the tanks are warmer than ideal for them, Tisbe do much better but they’re hide and seek champions. I added them to my tank back in November and they promptly vanished. Since then have only been adding cultured Tigger pods on a near daily basis, now three months later the tank is full of Tisbe pods with barely a Tigger pod to be seen.

One thing to try: If you have a sump with filter socks try pause the pump, let the water settle a few mins and then light up the sock from the side with a flash light. Look down into it and you’ll probably see a bunch of pods swimming around.

They’re ecopods by Algae Barn. I use a light to check on the tank when I’m looking for pods. I usually shut the pump off for half an hour.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

They’re ecopods by Algae Barn. I use a light to check on the tank when I’m looking for pods. I usually shut the pump off for half an hour.

As someone else already stated, I do the same thing let the algae film build up on your glass I don’t clean for probably 7 to 10 days and then you can see the pods all over the glass that is dirty and then when I scrape the glass with a razor you could see the pods, jumping all over

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Maybe try culturing/ growing outside of your aquarium, a single container should work if you follow/research on reef2reef on how to set up.

I have a mandarin that's going strong onto 4 years now, standard artemia "hobby" brand, copepods monthly.

Easier to set up outside your aquarium and more manageable

 

[AlgaeDepot]

Not sure if this was resolved but as Jay mentioned, let some algae film build up so that they have some surface traction. The eco pods are pretty small and if not tigriopus pods, you may not see them, especially when they are babies but they are definitely there trust me. You won’t see a massive population by eye like you would in a culturing vessel.

 

[nycfreshreef]

Not sure if this was resolved but as Jay mentioned, let some algae film build up so that they have some surface traction. The eco pods are pretty small and if not tigriopus pods, you may not see them, especially when they are babies but they are definitely there trust me. You won’t see a massive population by eye like you would in a culturing vessel.

You can also take a small flash light and set it to a corner of the tank at night when everything else is dark, then come back 20-30 minutes later and you should see a lot of pods near the light if you have a healthy population in the tank (this works for several of the popular species in the trade today)