Live Rock and PODS

[Greeneyz64]

I've just added some cured Live Rock to my tank and placed it on the sand touching my existing rock which I've had for 3.5 years. From what I've been told and read on the net, this rock should be live as well although I don't think I've ever seen the PODS on the glass. How long will it take before I see any of the PODS from my new live rock? Is there a trick to seeing them?? I have noticed that my new Mandarin Gobie seems to be picking at my old rocks quite a bit although I can't tell if he's eating anything.

 

[Hypertek99]

Wait how long has your tank been setup??? You should of let the pods grow a few months first before adding that mandarin in. If you don't have pods and are not seeing pods then most likely you will not have pods as your mandarin will wipe them out faster than they can multiply. Do you have a refugium???

 

[ficklefins]

The type of pods your mandarin is probably feeding on are tiny! They are the size of a salt grain and can be easily observed on the glass. Marc Levenson has a pic on his site. Click on the second pic.

http://melevsreef.com/id/pods.html

BTW, if you have 3.5 year old rock you probably have pods on them. Do you have a sump or refugium?

 

[NapoliNewJersey]

Turn off the lights in the tank and in the room it's in. Wait about an hour to an hour and a half ... go back with a flash light and shine it in ... anywhere in the tank. You will see tons and tons of pods. If your tank has been running for 3.5 years then without a doubt ... you got pods.

 

[ficklefins]

Keep in mind that there is a difference between a copepod (typical mandarin food) and an amphipod (may be mandarin food).

Is this a psychedelic mandarin or a red/orange type?

 

[Greeneyz64]

The type of pods your mandarin is probably feeding on are tiny! They are the size of a salt grain and can be easily observed on the glass. Marc Levenson has a pic on his site. Click on the second pic.

http://melevsreef.com/id/pods.html

BTW, if you have 3.5 year old rock you probably have pods on them. Do you have a sump or refugium?

No... I don't have either... just a HOB filter and a protein skimmer...

 

[Greeneyz64]

Keep in mind that there is a difference between a copepod (typical mandarin food) and an amphipod (may be mandarin food).

Is this a psychedelic mandarin or a red/orange type?

It was called a green mandarin... mainly green with orange and blue swirls.

 

[Hypertek99]

It was called a green mandarin... mainly green with orange and blue swirls.

The green mandarin is the red/orange mandarin he's talking about. The psychedelic one is also known as the target mandarin. I have 3 different kinds posted in the "help me keep my mandarin alive" thread.