So many copepods? Is this normal? Or am I just lucky?

[dimitri92]

I set this tank up in January. Is this normal getting this amount of pods in 5-6 months? Things I did, I used pods/phyto from algae barn right after the tank cycle was complete. Got the refugium up and running on month 2. And during the initial tank set up. After the cycle of course. I also got some live rock and live sand from Tampa Bay Salt water.

 

[dimitri92]

Pods

 

[Alexraptor]

Those aren't copepods, copepods are tiny like needle prick size.

What you've got there are most likely munnid isopods. They are herbivores and show up wherever there is an abudance of algae and no predators to pick them off.

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

Pods

Definitely not copepods.
Unless you've created a super strain!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Yeah copepods are barely noticeable. When I’ve been to trade shows and seen them in person they look like tiny little dots that you can barely see

 

[dimitri92]

They ate all the cyano that was in my main display and all the algae in my sump besides the harder to scrape off algae. So I’ll take them. They don’t seem to eat the chaeto so they have to be good I’m assuming?

 

[dimitri92]

Also isopods, copepods, amphipods. They are still some sort of beneficial “pod” I’d assume. Just because it’s not a copepods doesn’t mean it’s not some sort of pod.