any relationship between amphipods and copepods?

[jacksonpt]

Is there any relationship between amphipods and copepods? I've got more amphipods than I know what to do with, especially in my 75g tank, but no visible copepods. I know what copepods are and what to look for. Could the high numbers of amphipods be preventing a good population of copepods?

 

[bang guy]

Copepods thrive on phyto, Amphipods prefer detritus. You might also have more animals that prey on Copepods than Amphipods.

 

[jacksonpt]

Originally posted by Bang Guy
Copepods thrive on phyto, Amphipods prefer detritus.
That explains it. My 75 is an aggressive-ish tank, so phyto is in rare supply, while detrius abounds (relatively speaking). I've got a lion and and an eel, so no pod predators there.

 

[bang guy]

Of course. If you have nutrients & light you're going to probably produce some type of Phyto. Diatoms come to mind first Copepods are not limited to eating Phyto either. They can eat almost anything. I even seen them eat a large flake of fish food. But if you have an abundance of Phyto their population will really explode.

 

[sammystingray]

Seems like a good time to explain to anyone else that doesn't know........plankton is everything in the water column. Phytoplankton is plant life in the water column,........such as any algae spores, diatoms, etc. Zooplankton is any animals in the water column.......such as worms, pods etc, and alot of things such as bristleworms and pods do have a planktonic stage when young. Bacterioplankton (sp?) is bacteria in the water column. Anyway....everytime you clean the glass, or when algae spores are released, etc., you send out live phytoplankton into the water.

 

[cool777]

i use a uv will that affect my having copeapods and anthr :thinking: :thinking:

 

[thomas712]

Originally Posted by cool777
i use a uv will that affect my having copeapods and anthr :thinking: :thinking:

Yes it can affect them, as in it would kill the larval stage of the pods moving through the UV.

 

[alyssia]

Do mandarins eat copepods or amphiopods or both?

 

[thomas712]

Originally Posted by alyssia
Do mandarins eat copepods or amphiopods or both?
A mandarin will eat the copepods, isopods and amphipods, its their staple diet.
Thomas