Amphipod breeder setup

[reefermadnes5]

I put about 10lbs live sand a dry rock in with a heater, 2 bubblers full of carbon, floss and 1 purigen packet. A piece of macro is coming with the pods i ordered. Im hoping in 6 months or so i have a population in here i can feed to my dwarf sea horses and swimmers in my big tank. Any one have an amphipod set or any suggestions? Oh i also have a nyos white light.

I put the bubblers in because im not sure if a hob is too aggressive for amphipod fry. My first run at trying to breed food.
My plan is to put water from the big tank which has ample nutrients for macro In for weekly water changes, probably a gallon a week. Feed pod flakes 2x a week and rotate the macro if the low flow doesnt really feed it. Im getting some ulva with the pods i believe. Ive read that does alright in low flow. That and cheto. Ive never messed with cheto but i have stocked sea luttuce for my fox. Any suggestions on a low flow macro would be super helpful. Any feedback or suggestions would be very appreicated as well.

 

[shakacuz]

i haven't tried to cultivate amphipods but this seems like you're on the right track.

 

[Paul B]

I have been collecting amphipods all my life and still collect here behind my house. I think your tank is much to bare. They live under flat rocks or other things that are not tight to the bottom. Like a flat rock raised just enough for the amphipods to get under.

I find most of them under a pierce of flat wood that isn't stuck to the bottom. They will eat flakes or just about anything else of a vegetable matter.

I would cover the bottom in something flat as they will not venture out in the open if they can help it. They reproduce forever in my tank.

They will also get into those submerged filters and you will not be able to get them out.

 

[reefermadnes5]

Copy. Covering of the bottom was what i was hoping to achieve with the sand. Drift wood maybe? Now im pondering safe flat surfaces for the bottom of a 10 gallon.

I have been collecting amphipods all my life and still collect here behind my house. I think your tank is much to bare. They live under flat rocks or other things that are not tight to the bottom. Like a flat rock raised just enough for the amphipods to get under.

I find most of them under a pierce of flat wood that isn't stuck to the bottom. They will eat flakes or just about anything else of a vegetable matter.

I would cover the bottom in something flat as they will not venture out in the open if they can help it. They reproduce forever in my tank.

They will also get into those submerged filters and you will not be able to get them out.

Is a hod a better option than the bubblers? Help me understand better what filter should i put and why please. Will the fry be able to clear a hob? My guess was it would be too rough but i have one that i can put on there.

 

[reefermadnes5]

Another piece of rock and a bridge

 

[Paul B]

Any "filter" you put in there will be full of amphipods. I wouldn't use a filter, just circulation. Any filter will also remove amphipod babies as they swim a lot.
All you need is rock that have a covering of bacteria or at least algae as thats what they can eat also. (but you still need to add flakes)

 

[twentyleagues]

Plastic pot scrubbers are great breeding grounds for them. Makes it easy to harvest them too, just pull out a pot scrubber. I agree with @Paul B any filter in the tank will become their hiding area, a small wave maker would be better. If it were me I would do pot scrubbers weighted with a small rock, some small seeded rubble, and a small wave maker like a cheap jebao or maybe just 2 air stones one on each end.

 

[Paul B]

They are all over my tank, especially under my reverse undergravel filter and I find them in my skimmer.

 

[reefermadnes5]

Any "filter" you put in there will be full of amphipods. I wouldn't use a filter, just circulation. Any filter will also remove amphipod babies as they swim a lot.
All you need is rock that have a covering of bacteria or at least algae as thats what they can eat also. (but you still need to add flakes)

Alright. The tank is cycled so bacteria is on the rocks and sand. It has been getting stability for a week now on top of live sand i let settle and not super rinsed. I will pull the filters today as no pods get put in until friday. I have larger round air stones. A pad of ulva is coming with the pods as well as a variety of macro for my fox. I will put the ulva or some other macro in with the pods.

Plastic pot scrubbers are great breeding grounds for them. Makes it easy to harvest them too, just pull out a pot scrubber. I agree with @Paul B any filter in the tank will become their hiding area, a small wave maker would be better. If it were me I would do pot scrubbers weighted with a small rock, some small seeded rubble, and a small wave maker like a cheap jebao or maybe just 2 air stones one on each end.

Copy on the wave maker. Ill hit petco tonight for a nano. A plastic pot scrubber, like a lufa style plastic one like a bodywash scrubber or a green scrubber type? I have a couple of those i can put in.

Thank you for the feedback and the clarification. I really appreicate it. I think you may have just pushed me over the first hump of the learning curve. No filter needed. Circulation and gas exchange are more important. Makes sense because their physical waste probably isnt the same concern as fish.

 

[twentyleagues]

Alright. The tank is cycled so bacteria is on the rocks and sand. It has been getting stability for a week now on top of live sand i let settle and not super rinsed. I will pull the filters today as no pods get put in until friday. I have larger round air stones. A pad of ulva is coming with the pods as well as a variety of macro for my fox. I will put the ulva or some other macro in with the pods.

Copy on the wave maker. Ill hit petco tonight for a nano. A plastic pot scrubber, like a lufa style plastic one like a bodywash scrubber or a green scrubber type? I have a couple of those i can put in.

Thank you for the feedback and the clarification. I really appreicate it. I think you may have just pushed me over the first hump of the learning curve. No filter needed. Circulation and gas exchange are more important. Makes sense because their physical waste probably isnt the same concern as fish.

these.

 

[Paul B]

You will never get the amphipods out of any sponge or similar filter material

 

[twentyleagues]

You will never get the amphipods out of any sponge or similar filter material

They typically leave with in 24 hrs in search of food when I have used them in the past. Did some stay? maybe but they just get recycled into the breeding tank. I started a breeding tank of these years ago when I had 2 crocodile pipe fish and wanted to make sure they had plenty to eat. I cant remember who recommended I use these but it worked well. In fact when I seeded my new tank recently they came in on the same type of sponge.

 

[reefermadnes5]

Bubblers out, air stones in their place. Those balls of macro came with the pods. They showed up early so i had to take a long lunch and run and pick them up and get everything tanked today. The algaes dont sink. I have a large air pump so the water is moving a bunch. More than it was with the bubble filters. Think i should put a fan in? Petco didnt have any nanos so ill have to order something....but im not really sure if i need more flow.

 

[reefermadnes5]

Something else to cover the bottom will get dropped in tonight, probably a plastic lid. I will try the sponges after i can see population growth for the transfering to he different tanks they will be fed to. The dwarf seahorses might appreicate the smaller ones in the sponge more.

 

[reefermadnes5]

I have red yellow and green algae in that now. Looks pretty but im very very unsure of this project. Lol

 

[twentyleagues]

I have red yellow and green algae in that now. Looks pretty but im very very unsure of this project. Lol

These are pretty easy, as long as their basic requirements are met. Looks good! Not sure it will be that easy to harvest them though. Mine were purely "business" not looks some small rock rubble and about 10 sponges. These are easier to breed then other pods by far its great they eat fish food. Culturing phyto isnt for me.

 

[reefermadnes5]

Im going to give the sponge a try. Thank you for the input. My apprehension is just with the macro being in a tank with no fish. And a tank with no filter!

 

[reefermadnes5]

FIrst times make me a bit nervous.

 

[reefermadnes5]

2 weeks into it and i can see evidence of growing pods. Tons of molts floating around. The wife turns on the light daily after ive left for work and she says the tank is absolutly crawling in the morning. By the time ive returned from work all the pods are tucked up into the algae mats or in the rock hiding so i only get to see the activity on my days off. So far so good. Going to wait another couple weeks before i try to harvest a bit for the dwarf seahorses.

 

[BigAl07]

2 weeks into it and i can see evidence of growing pods. Tons of molts floating around. The wife turns on the light daily after ive left for work and she says the tank is absolutly crawling in the morning. By the time ive returned from work all the pods are tucked up into the algae mats or in the rock hiding so i only get to see the activity on my days off. So far so good. Going to wait another couple weeks before i try to harvest a bit for the dwarf seahorses.

Are you using the "scrubbers" for pod housing?
Back when I was last in this hobby we relied on Chaeto as Pod Housing and it worked GREAT! I could take a clump out, dip it into the display tank and wiggle it around. Tons of pods would get released into the water column for a fast paced "Exciting Treat".

I'm planning to do a similar thing but inside of my sump. Thanks for the ideas and keep up with the UPDATES!

Allen in NC