Munnid isopods versus Copepods for Mandarin?

[leilanastasia]

I have a huge and I mean huge colony of munnids on every surface area in my tank.. they are literally everywhere including my refugium and filter area. Not one spot that doesn’t have dozens crawling in one singular area. Since I have so many, growing over months, would it be safe to say that I can have a dragonet eat these instead? Unsure. I have a culture for pods going separately.

 

[NashobaTek]

To my knowledge the favorite pods for mandrins are the tisbe pods. I defer to someone else who has experience and knowledge on the isopods.

 

[mtfish]

I think that the isopods will be too big of a prey target, unless they are eating the tiniest ones. Do you have any copepods that naturally come in on live rock in the tank?

 

[leilanastasia]

I think that the isopods will be too big of a prey target, unless they are eating the tiniest ones. Do you have any copepods that naturally come in on live rock in the tank?

I heard that mandarins may eat amphipods, I have some in my tank as well. Would those be way too big too?

 

[leilanastasia]

looking for someone who may have had experience w isopods

 

[smol_reef]

I'm curious as well. I've seen plenty of isopods, amphipods, and harmless flatworms in my tank, and have wondered if mandarins would eat these as well. I'd assume that even if these are bigger than copepods, the babies would at least be small enough?

 

[leilanastasia]

I'm curious as well. I've seen plenty of isopods, amphipods, and harmless flatworms in my tank, and have wondered if mandarins would eat these as well. I'd assume that even if these are bigger than copepods, the babies would at least be small enough?

Amphipods are much bigger than isopods so I’m unsure?

 

[mtfish]

Amphipods are much bigger than isopods so I’m unsure?

This is a very general statement and really not true. There are like a gazillion species of both. In my experience, my mandarin pair eat things I cannot even see as they constantly pick over the live rock and sediment. The prey size of both amphipods and isopods are just too big. How big is your tank? If you look at night with a flashlight can you see any copepods on the glass, rocks or sediment? If you want to keep these fish then you need to have the correct food source. Things that eat the amphipods and isopods are usually wrasse species.