Getting started with Copepods

[Chiefmaster30]

What’s the best way to get a population of or place to order copepods? Before my last tank crash I had plenty that I got from a reefing buddy. But no one seems to have any now.

 

[James M]

Have you look at algea barn

 

[Evan28395950]

@hollback currently has a waiting list, but I heard his pods are great

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Here is what we have to offer. You can buy direct: reefnutrition.com. Or you can find a store that carries our products: https://reefnutrition.com/store-locator/

Best of luck!
Chad

 

[lapin]

I got a lot of Copepods from Reeds/Reef Nutrition. Along with rotifers and other things.
I got Amphipods from a place on Amazon.

 

[davocean]

I usually just add a clump of chaeto, that will contain pods and get you started, but if you want a specific type of pod that may do best in our tank temps it never hurts to order them from a trusted source like reef nutrition.

 

[ectoaesthetics]

My answer varies as to what you are hoping to do. If you are simply looking at replenishing your tanks OWN "native" population I would recommend -as suggest above just a clump of chaeto. Get it from someone you trust! You don't want to add a new native population of aptasia and flatworms -which are also SUPER common in chaeto.

If you are looking at raising pods in an ecto system to be added periodically then I would order specific strains for culture. The ONLY pods I would specifically add to the tank to boost a tanks populations are tisbe pods. Tigger and Apocyclops do a lot better in a culture than in a tank -or even refugium. In fact the only time that I can really keep a population in a refugium of those two is when I am constantly adding from an external culture.

You will probably end up with copepods and amphipods from the chaeto clump. If not they are easy for someone to snag 10+ for you and ship them so that you can add them to your fuge. You can without a doubt find someone on here willing to do so.

 

[Chiefmaster30]

My answer varies as to what you are hoping to do. If you are simply looking at replenishing your tanks OWN "native" population I would recommend -as suggest above just a clump of chaeto. Get it from someone you trust! You don't want to add a new native population of aptasia and flatworms -which are also SUPER common in chaeto.

If you are looking at raising pods in an ecto system to be added periodically then I would order specific strains for culture. The ONLY pods I would specifically add to the tank to boost a tanks populations are tisbe pods. Tigger and Apocyclops do a lot better in a culture than in a tank -or even refugium. In fact the only time that I can really keep a population in a refugium of those two is when I am constantly adding from an external culture.

You will probably end up with copepods and amphipods from the chaeto clump. If not they are easy for someone to snag 10+ for you and ship them so that you can add them to your fuge. You can without a doubt find someone on here willing to do so.

I was looking at just replenishing my tanks population.

 

[ectoaesthetics]

Chaeto from a friend... plus amphipods if they need to be restocked as well.

If you do go for single varieties I love and trust Reef Nutrition. But I really feel like most of the pods for culture are not the benthic type. I keep a tigger pod culture in my yard with little to no effort if you ever want to try your hand at adding a consistent supply to your tank... but the population will never really “explode” or “take off” in the reef tank the same way a benthic species will.