Stable copepods with no sump

[jamesb07]

the big question is, is it possible? I’m gonna write off the mandarin if it isn’t possible. If it is, how would I go about it?

Also, what’s a good number of pods to start with? 100gal, copperband and longnose going in approx. 60 days but I would assume they wouldn’t make a huge dent in the population.
Also, any suggestions on sites to buy from? Algebarn looks good but $60 for pods seems like a lot. Then again, I’m not familiar with pricing.

Sorry, I haven’t done much research on pods yet. TIA

 

[DSEKULA]

I haven't done it personally since I have a sump but my pods spawn and live heavily in my turf scrubber. They get knocked off and I shake some off into the tank when I clean it. The real issue is giving the pods a safe place to explode in population where the mandarin can't decimate the population. I've seen products listed as "pod hotels" or read articles of other reefers keeping a pile of rubble hidden in the dt for this exact reason but also be prepared to buy pods to boost the population as needed. Personally I'd probably try a ruby scooter or green (bullseye) mandarin over a blue mandarin if your really concerned, they both have a similar look and I've trained both to take frozen pe mysis to supplement pods (I've done this about a dozen times for local friends) but I have never successfully trained a blue or red mandarin despite many attempts.

 

[Doctorgori]

It’s doable…

I don’t bash the pod selling industry per se , but with proper habitat management you can get by without purchasing pods or a dedicated refugium…all depends on predator population/demand and available habitat….

I’ve owned several mandarins, scooters, et et …this was before the whole pod supplement thing came into being…

If you can stand leaving some inert piles of detritus in the display, then IME those dirty piles work better than commercial POD houses, et

Also thick stands of macro algae in the display serve as pod factories….

Also pt2 ….don’t clean the glass so often, or at least leave one pane “dirty” for a while…VERY often you will see swarms of pods feasting on whatever soft stuff just grew…no clue what the lil boogers are actually eating, all I know is try it …it does work

 

[Doctorgori]

I should have read this before essentially posting the same thing

I've seen products listed as "pod hotels" or read articles of other reefers keeping a pile of rubble hidden in the dt for this exact reason

especially those piles contains urchin spines, coralline sheets, snail shells et et

I've trained both to take frozen pe mysis to supplement pods (I've done this about a dozen times for local friends) but I have never successfully trained a blue or red mandarin despite many attempts.

Fish are sorta “monkey see/monkey do” and even a fish brain can see if another fish is feeding. I tried training my mandarin on mysis before and failed, but once in the seahorse tank, the lil monster soon learned to eat mysis…
The correlation while not conclusive was pretty strong

 

[jamesb07]

I haven't done it personally since I have a sump but my pods spawn and live heavily in my turf scrubber. They get knocked off and I shake some off into the tank when I clean it. The real issue is giving the pods a safe place to explode in population where the mandarin can't decimate the population. I've seen products listed as "pod hotels" or read articles of other reefers keeping a pile of rubble hidden in the dt for this exact reason but also be prepared to buy pods to boost the population as needed. Personally I'd probably try a ruby scooter or green (bullseye) mandarin over a blue mandarin if your really concerned, they both have a similar look and I've trained both to take frozen pe mysis to supplement pods (I've done this about a dozen times for local friends) but I have never successfully trained a blue or red mandarin despite many attempts.

Gotcha! I was just planning for the future, as of right now I don’t even have a source for a mandarin as I do a medicated qt which you can’t with these guys

 

[jamesb07]

It’s doable…

I don’t bash the pod selling industry per se , but with proper habitat management you can get by without purchasing pods or a dedicated refugium…all depends on predator population/demand and available habitat….

I’ve owned several mandarins, scooters, et et …this was before the whole pod supplement thing came into being…

If you can stand leaving some inert piles of detritus in the display, then IME those dirty piles work better than commercial POD houses, et

Also thick stands of macro algae in the display serve as pod factories….

Also pt2 ….don’t clean the glass so often, or at least leave one pane “dirty” for a while…VERY often you will see swarms of pods feasting on whatever soft stuff just grew…no clue what the lil boogers are actually eating, all I know is try it …it does work

Gotcha. Yeah I don’t know if and or how much the copperband and longnose would eat, I’ve just heard they’re good to have in because they like to pick at them in the rocks. So I’d assume not too much? the mandarin won’t be added for awhile, until I can find a source for one