What will eat amphipods and copepods?

traysea

Member
Since my Mandarin was killed yesterday by the Saddle Anemone. I was wondering what other fish will eat amphipods and copepods? I loved the Mandarin but she was so picky. I would like something that will eat fish food and the critters in the tank.
The Saddle Anemone is leaving the tank today!!!!
Thanks,
Tracy
traysea@earthlink.net
 

koiman6

Member
What are your tank specs? How long did you have the mandarin? Scooter Blennies eat amphipods and copepods but i wont recommend it until i know your tank specs.
 

traysea

Member
1 Yellow Tang
3 Green Chromis
2 Clarkii Clowns
1 Cleaner Shrimp
1 Red Crab, 1 Emerald Crab, 1 Porcelian Crab,
20 or less BlueLeg Hermit Crabs
1 Star Fish, I dont know what kind. He has the long skinney legs! (My husband bought it) sorry..
5 Turbo Snails
Leather Coral.
55 gal, 30 lbs live rock, 55 lbs live sand.
I had the Mandarin for about 2 months if not longer.
Tracy
 

buzz

Active Member
Why do you want to get something to eat the pods in your tank? They are beneficial to the system.
If you want to get a certain kind of fish that eats pods, and want to make sure you have enough to sustain it, that's another thing. But it sounds like you want to get rid of the "critters."
 

traysea

Member
When I first got the Mandarin I only had 30 lbs of live rock. I was told I needed around 100lbs of live rock or live sand to keep enough food for the goby to eat. So we moved everything over to another tank and added the 55lbs of live sand. I also got a Mysis / Gammarus Kit so the Mandarin would have enough food to eat.
Will the amphipods and copepods keep reproducing? Can the tank end up with thousands of the critters.
I thought I needed something to keep the popluation of amphipods and copepods down? I honestly don't know.
Since I added the kit I have alot of things in the sand and rock. I thought I could end up with to many of them. I dont know what the pods do in a tank. I always just thought of the pods as food for the goby.
so....
I dont need a Goby or Scooter?
The critters are ok in my sand bed?
I just want to do what is best for the tank, fish and everything else.
Thanks,
Tracy
 

buzz

Active Member
I have never heard of them growing to the point of taking over the tank...they are a good addition to your sandbed, stirring it, and helping the denitrification process if using a DSB.
Most people strive to have a good pod population.
I wouldn't worry about them. Like I said, if you want a fish whose diet consists mainly of pods, make sure you have enough pods to sustain it. But don't buy a fish for the purpose of keeping the pod population down. It isn't necessary.
 

ophiura

Active Member
YOu do not have to worry about amphipods/copepods overgrowing the tank. Like many other animals, they will 'bloom' according to nutrient availablility. If you have a lot of excess food, you want things like this to help clean it up. If not, they will die off. I suspect many animals will eat them when the get them anyway. Lots of copepods/amphipods are considered a sign of overall good tank health.
 

traysea

Member
Thanks for the advice, I have learned something today.
I will just leave the tank like it is.
Thanks for all the help and advice.
It really helps...
Tracy
 
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