Which variety of Copepods?

[BigAl07]

What variety of Copepods are you buying/culturing and why?

I'm going to start a new culture in a few weeks (after vacation) and wondering what variety others are culturing and why.

I culture in a 3-4g "Serving Canister" and I also culture my own Phyto in the same type of vessel.

What Copepods are you culturing and why did you chose that variety?

@Reef By Steele what are your expert thoughts here?

 

[DaJMasta]

Acartia, Tisbe, Apocyclops, and Tigriopus, and they sort of all chose me. Apocyclops was the easiest to get going and the most robust in the long term, but with a little closer attention (less food and more fresh water per feeding, lower aeration) the others have been pretty good as well. I've had short term success with parvocalanus and pseudodiaptomus, but never the months-long stable cultures I can manage out of the other species.

I basically have tried most easily available varieties and keep a range to try and feed various larvae. Your larger benthic copepods are probably the biggest benefit to most reefs, but if you're trying to feed planktonic feeders, the others certainly can be useful.

Also raise artemia for the same purpose - not quite as nutritious and no continuous culture like the others (that's how I do it, at least), but a good volume of easy to catch food for hungry larvae.