Copepods (sp)

[nyy fan]

Do these basically look and act like underwater fleas? And if so, are they good and how do I have so many after only being up and running since 1/26/02?
Phucker

 

[bobber]

Copepods are a great sign that your tank is doing well. They make a great food source. AS for why you have so much, 45 lbs of LR is probably the reason. I'm sure some people would like to have tons of copepods in their tanks, so evverything is well. --Bob

 

[karlas]

pods reproduce very quickly, if you have a lot of them already thats a good thing not only will they serve as a natural food for your fish but are great scavageners. their eggs and offspring are good for filter feeders. i would drop some sinking pellets in the tank to keep them fed and help keep them going.
here is a good pic of a pod
<a href="http://www.saltreef.com/images/galleries/pods/copepod1.jpg" target="_blank">pods</a>

 

[badkjb2]

can you buy copepods?

 

[broomer5]

karlas
that is a good picture of an amphipod.
You can get copepods from live rock or live sand.
You can buy reef amphipods as detritivoirs
kits.
hey phucker and any of you whom are interested - here are two links to the wonderful world of pods.
More information on copepods and amphipods than any one person should legally be allowd to see by law LOL
Happy reef'n !!
<a href="http://www.nmnh.si.edu/iz/copepod/" target="_blank">http://www.nmnh.si.edu/iz/copepod/</a>
<a href="http://web.odu.edu/sci/biology/amphome/" target="_blank">http://web.odu.edu/sci/biology/amphome/</a>

 

[kenobi]

I would not say fleas, I like to think of them as the ant's of the ocean.