What kind of copepods are these

[Gaoweihd]

Hi everyone!

I have a 32-gallon display tank with a 10-gallon sump, 9 months ago I seeded Algaebarn Galaxy Pods into the display tank and refugium to support a mandarin. Since then the mandarin has been growing and live well so I didn't pay too much attention to the pods population, assuming they're enough. Recently, I added a pipefish to the tank so now I'm slightly concerned about whether the pod population is sufficient for both of them. Do you think I should seed more pods and start dosing phytoplankton?

Also, I've been observing my refugium and noticed quite a few amphipods and some smaller pods on the glass. I'm aware that copepods are typically free-floating, so I'm wondering if the ones on the glass could be copepods or perhaps a different type of amphipods? They don't seem to match any of the five species from the Galaxy pods so I'm worried if I seed pods again, they won't survice and reproduce then it's gonna be a waste.

Any insights or tips?

Thanks in advance!

 

[ryanjohn1]

Wouldn’t be a bad idea to add more pods. And adding phytoplankton

 

[PotatoPig]

>I'm aware that copepods are typically free-floating

Most of the ones your mandarin goes after will hang out on the rocks, and be absolutely minuscule. Tisbe pods and the like.

 

[Debramb]

Reach out to Kent and Sherry at Reef by Steele, he’s a long time fish keeper of several reefs, started cultivating his own pods and plankton and now sells, not trying to be pushing them, just he’s an honest guy and will help you not push anything you don’t need. I’ve ordered twice from them since they started selling and pods are awesome!.
Debra

 

[Boehmtown]

Dose tisbe for the mandarin and Tigger for the pipefish. I'd culture both additionally to add. I have a 5 gallon tall very very low light soft coral only tank that I dose phyto to and harvest them by sucking them off the glass once a week. It's like a pretty pod culture. Highly suggest.

 

[DaJMasta]

Muunid isopods, though the last one is an amphipod. If you don't have the mandarin eating prepared foods, I would not expect a 32G with a 10G sump to be able to sustain an adult indefinitely - I'd say the starting point for a single one is about 60G. With another dedicated pod eater, it's that much more important to wean them onto prepared foods unless you're going to be feeding live daily.

For reference, it took about 3 weeks for a single adult mandarin to decimate the copepod population of an about 45G AIO.

 

[Shon]

Definitely munnid isopods. Fish love them.

 

[Boehmtown]

Mine wiped my 30 gallon with 10 gallon Refugium quick. But I have gotten 2 wild mandarins on TDO pellets just by putting them on an auto feeder on a schedule. They figure it out eventually. I also dose pods periodically and dose a ton of phyto and I would not be comfortable putting a pipe fish long term. It's not just nutrition they get from the pods, it's something to do. So I always hatch brine shrimp and culture and dose pods. If you're going to, look up Paul B's brine shrimp feeder. He's an old old school reefer/inventor. That'll feed both of them for sure.

 

[Gaoweihd]

>I'm aware that copepods are typically free-floating

Most of the ones your mandarin goes after will hang out on the rocks, and be absolutely minuscule. Tisbe pods and the like.

What would be a good way to evaluate their population in the rocks? I don't see any of them free floating or on the glass or rocks... but I've seen my mandarin pick on the rocks and he lives well.

 

[Gaoweihd]

Muunid isopods, though the last one is an amphipod. If you don't have the mandarin eating prepared foods, I would not expect a 32G with a 10G sump to be able to sustain an adult indefinitely - I'd say the starting point for a single one is about 60G. With another dedicated pod eater, it's that much more important to wean them onto prepared foods unless you're going to be feeding live daily.

For reference, it took about 3 weeks for a single adult mandarin to decimate the copepod population of an about 45G AIO.

Thanks for identify the pods species! The mandarin was a baby when introduced to the tank and now he looks big enough as an adult and live well in the tank, swim and pick on the rocks. It's been 9 months since I seeded the pods so I guess the pods popolation is sustainable to feed him alone? Or he's not an adult yet?

 

[Gaoweihd]

Dose tisbe for the mandarin and Tigger for the pipefish. I'd culture both additionally to add. I have a 5 gallon tall very very low light soft coral only tank that I dose phyto to and harvest them by sucking them off the glass once a week. It's like a pretty pod culture. Highly suggest.

I went the culture route in the beginning, it was fun and rewarding. Then 2 months later I got tired of it since the water is dirty and hard to clean, and I'm always worried about wasting the pods during water change. so I'm now looking for a low maintainence solution for the pods population, without spending $50 every months from algae barn...

 

[Gaoweihd]

Mine wiped my 30 gallon with 10 gallon Refugium quick. But I have gotten 2 wild mandarins on TDO pellets just by putting them on an auto feeder on a schedule. They figure it out eventually. I also dose pods periodically and dose a ton of phyto and I would not be comfortable putting a pipe fish long term. It's not just nutrition they get from the pods, it's something to do. So I always hatch brine shrimp and culture and dose pods. If you're going to, look up Paul B's brine shrimp feeder. He's an old old school reefer/inventor. That'll feed both of them for sure.

Yeah I'm starting to hatch bbs again while looking to boost the pods population. Thanks for the pointers to Paul B's solution, I'll look into it!

 

[PotatoPig]

What would be a good way to evaluate their population in the rocks? I don't see any of them free floating or on the glass or rocks... but I've seen my mandarin pick on the rocks and he lives well.

On the rocks you’ll never see them.

The only way you’ll find them in your tank is if you turn the pumps / lights off and let thing settle for an hour or so. Then hold a flashlight up to the glass at a corner so it lights up a pane from the side, then look through the list up side (looking at the flashlight beam side on) and you’ll see minuscule dots on the glass. These are your mandarins diet.

 

[DaJMasta]

If you don't see any on the glass, you probably don't have enough in the tank long term. Yes, there are crevices and whatnot for them to hide in and live on, but you will get some carry over on the glass or back wall for virtually every tank with a substantial population, and their disappearance from the glass should be a strong indicator of a decreasing population. There will always be some, mind you, but you don't need some, you need enough that they can reproduce fast enough to sustain the population and meet the nutritional needs of your fish. It will be challenging to see them free swimming unless the pumps are off and you're looking with a flashlight, but even then, the density will be low.

Mandarins are visual hunters, but they will also just try to eat things that look like they could have copepods or may be copepods. Some feeding behavior is not indicative of enough food.

That said, if you're feeding the tank with other stuff, you may be able to just feed some with the pumps off and see if the mandarin goes for it. I've trained a number onto prepared foods and they can certainly get their nutrition from non-live sources when they know what to look for.

 

[Boehmtown]

I went the culture route in the beginning, it was fun and rewarding. Then 2 months later I got tired of it since the water is dirty and hard to clean, and I'm always worried about wasting the pods during water change. so I'm now looking for a low maintainence solution for the pods population, without spending $50 every months from algae barn...

I used to culture too, I never could long term, too boring, gross, I ended up hating it. That's the beauty of the soft corals they filter the water. I have GSP, Xenia, toadstool, blastos, leptoseris. Easy basically free corals. It sits on my kitchen counter, is virtually maintenance free. (cleaning the glass and small water changes to get the pods out.) It's beautiful. No fish or equipment or backup power or anything needed.

 

[MnFish1]

Agree - purchase is probably best - and the only way to know how many to have - is if the fish are not eating all of them. However, that said, I'm not sure there is a rule that fish xxx needs to eat yyy times/day. BTW - I disagree somewhat with the 'common wisdom' - about pods. My strong feeling is they alone are not a complete nutritious diet

 

[Jay'sReefBugs]

What would be a good way to evaluate their population in the rocks? I don't see any of them free floating or on the glass or rocks... but I've seen my mandarin pick on the rocks and he lives well.

You need to let film algea build up on the glass they will come out and feed on this film . Keep in mind this only represents a small fraction of what's in your substrate and rock work . Most consumer grade copepods are non pelagic and risde in your rock work and substrate

 

[Surf City Corals]

Hi everyone!

I have a 32-gallon display tank with a 10-gallon sump, 9 months ago I seeded Algaebarn Galaxy Pods into the display tank and refugium to support a mandarin. Since then the mandarin has been growing and live well so I didn't pay too much attention to the pods population, assuming they're enough. Recently, I added a pipefish to the tank so now I'm slightly concerned about whether the pod population is sufficient for both of them. Do you think I should seed more pods and start dosing phytoplankton?

Also, I've been observing my refugium and noticed quite a few amphipods and some smaller pods on the glass. I'm aware that copepods are typically free-floating, so I'm wondering if the ones on the glass could be copepods or perhaps a different type of amphipods? They don't seem to match any of the five species from the Galaxy pods so I'm worried if I seed pods again, they won't survice and reproduce then it's gonna be a waste.

Any insights or tips?

Thanks in advance!

when I see less pods over a week or so I supplement my colony with tisbe pods and phytoplankton. So far so good here for my mandarin and ruby red dragonets.

There are so many species of copepods. 2,500 known marine species. If you mix your own water and dip/quarantine everything you are adding to the tank I still don't think you will keep all those new species away from a colony of cultured pods in your tank... if you use ocean water... fo'get about it. lol That pod looks strikingly similar to Gelyella droguei with it's appendages sprawled out; which are thought to be freshwater french copepods... so ya I don't know. But they look just like them. lol. That first one is definitely pregnant tho.

link to diagram of marine copepods including Gelyella droguei as exhibit A

Marine Planktonic Copepods

You keep freshwater also? Is the tank right next to the saltwater tank? You ever get splashes or use the same equipment? Pods are fairly resilient but not completely.

I don't know but somehow you got some french freshwater pods in your marine tank takin their last breaths as their legs give out.

lol. or maybe not.
...

but maybe.