copepods

[gilbert]

I had a ton of copepods on the glass of my 8 gallon nano a few weeks ago, but now I can't find any. Today i read that bristleworms will eat microcrustaceans. Does this include copepods? In my tank I have an extreme misbar clownfish, a pulsing xenia, a colt coral, a small green star polyp rock, and a CUC of 2 blue-legged hermit crabs, 2 nassarius snails, and 5 cerith snails. My LFS told me to look at the rocks with a flashlight after the lights go out, and I did, but still can't see any. Does anyone know why?

 

[speg]

Was the tank brand new a few weeks ago when you noticed a bunch?
I don't see as many as I once did, but early AM when lights first go on I see a bunch, and every now and then I see some big pods scooting around on the rocks.

 

[gilbert]

Yes the tank was brand new, before I had anything other than live rock. I also seeded my tank about a week ago, but those have all dissappeared too. I think I have seen four total in the past week or so.

 

[speg]

Just part of the tank. They'll come and go and usually when you first begin a new tank is when you see them the most. Do you have a refugium or any macroalgae in the tank? They like that too.

 

[gilbert]

No refugium, I have some nuisance macroalgae though. Does that count?

 

[speg]

It does.

 

[gilbert]

Ok, so should I leave it in then? I'm trying to get enough copepods to get a mandarin.

 

[speg]

IMO in an 8 gallon nano you're never going to have a large enough population of pods to keep a mandarin alive long term.
Although, keep an eye out for ORA and their attempts to raise them on regular food, rather than only on copepods.

 

[gilbert]

Ok, I will. Thanks for your help.