Tisbe vs Tigrio copepods for a mandarin

[Gaines69]

I have been researching the last two days and I am confused. I read where mandarin’s need the smaller Tisbe Pods. I also read that tigrio pods are better. I’m trying to start a culture because my tank was wiped clean of pods by my yellow headed sleeper goby whom I have since rehomed. My mandarin Kermit visible lost weight so I purchased both types of pods and added them to his tank and I turned over all the live rock. He loves nutramar ova frozen food but I can no longer get it so I’m trying to get him to eat frozen cyclops in the meantime. I am also in the process of sitting up a brine shrimp hatchery along with a baby brine shrimp feeding station. I dumped two bottles of nutramar Tigrio pods in a 5 1/2 gal tank with light flow. Feeding phyco pure every other day. I also have Tisbe Pods in a 2 gal tank with a small heater and a bubbler and pieces of live rock. Can a mandarin eat both types of pods? If so I’m going to grab a couple more bottles of each to add to my cultures. I was also thinking of buying another small heater to put in the tigrio tank to help boost breeding. I am currently in a hotel room so it’s hard to find space to set these up so if tisbe aren’t a good idea I will do away with that culture and take them to job and put them in our classroom tank which currently has no pod eaters. Any and all suggestion are much appreciated
Virginia

 

[NanoCrazed]

Tisbe is best.

Mandarins will eat both, and sometimes also prepared foods. The difference in pods is that tisbe hangs on surfaces while tigr chills in the water column. S ooo, the first is easier snacking while the second requires more work.

Mandarins will also eat worms and amphipods too btw.

Consider building a pod hotel. It's cheap and very effective. Look up my DIY on this for ideas.

Once you have a pod hotel filled with chaeto, all you really need to do is load it up 2 - 3 times spaced out. The rest should be on autopilot

 

[Gaines69]

Tisbe is best.

Mandarins will eat both, and sometimes also prepared foods. The difference in pods is that tisbe hangs on surfaces while tigr chills in the water column. S ooo, the first is easier snacking while the second requires more work.

Mandarins will also eat worms and amphipods too btw.

Consider building a pod hotel. It's cheap and very effective. Look up my DIY on this for ideas.

Once you have a pod hotel filled with chaeto, all you really need to do is load it up 2 - 3 times spaced out. The rest should be on autopilot

I have a HOB breeder box hanging on the back of my pod tank. I’m trying to figure out a way to filter the tank to avoid ammonia spikes. I have carbon and carbon bags as well as filter sponges. My breeding box can be divided. Would it be ok to put cheato is the first chamber and sponge and carbon is second chamber? I’m also going to make a pod hotel and a baby brine shrimp feeder in my tank. My manderian is the only pod eater I have so I’m hoping I can produce enough to make him healthy again. Maybe one day nutramar ova will be available again. I did see him pick at the frozen cyclops that had fallen to the bottom. He’s still really active so I’m hoping that’s a good sign. Just wish I had my tank with me so I could baby him. Lol. I really like the hotel idea now I just hope I can find the micro algae. The local chain pet store here charges a lot for cheato. Guess I could order online. Thanks again.

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Mandarins will eat both species - Tigriopus californicus (Tigrio) and Tisbe biminensis. They can eat them both with no issue. This myth that Tisbe is better for them because they are smaller doesn't make sense to me - could be marketing. It is also true that they can eat amphipods and large brine shrimp. They are also known to eat dry feeds like TDO Chroma BOOST.

I culture Tigriopus californicus for Reed Mariculture and I can tell you that this species is primarily benthic. This is easily observed in their natural environment - the supralittoral zone. They crawl on surfaces and get into the "nooks and crannies" in reef rock, if given the chance. Mose people will add copepods when the light and wavemakers are off to allow them to access the reef rock. They will swim in the water column for sure, but it's not long term for them. I've seen Tisbe biminensis in cultures swimming in the water column as well. It all depends on the system and habitat.

In the end, copepods are a great source of food for these fish. It's also great to continue to offer them dead things or dry feeds.

Chad

 

[Gaines69]

Thank you so much Chad. I have also wondered if they can eat the baby peppermint shrimp that are being produced in my tank. Seems my peppermint shrimp have eggs about once a month.
Thanks again
Virginia

 

[Awesome Dennis]

Mine goes after hikari spirulina with gusto!