Establishing copepod population is wet/dry

[reeferchief]

I have a mixed reef set up with a wet/dry system. I want to establish copepods so I can get a mandarin.. I tried producing copepods once by adding a whole bottle to the tank and I never saw any reproduction and I don't see them now. Can copepods reproduce with a wet/dry filter? If so how and do I need a lot of them...if not how can I get them to be established?

 

[morgan175]

Bump, i want an answer to.

 

[saxman]

I'm going to take a guess that you added a bottle of Tigriopus californicus ("tigger" pods) to the setup. This species should be considered a "direct feed" item as they don't reproduce well at tropical temps. In warm water, an inordinate number of males are produced, and they will eventually simply all die off or be eaten.
If you want a copepod that reproduces well at warmer temps, look into getting Tisbe copepods (Zoo 2 and AlgaGen have them). They aren't the big, pretty swimming red pods like Tigriopus, but they do reproduce well in tropical setups. Another thing you'll want to do is feed them a good live phytoplankton product such as Phyto 2 or Reef Nutrition. Both are WAY better than DT's.
Another helpful thing would be to get ahold of a ball of Chaetomorpha, as the stuff is the best "pod harbor" out there.
HTH

 

[morgan175]

So if i get chaetomorphia and tisbe copepods in 6 months or so i should have a stable supply and be able to keep a 6 line wrasse or mandarin.

 

[reeferchief]

Thank you so much... that makes sense because I bought a mandarin and the LFS said add the whole bottle. I will try to get a type that i can add and they can reproduce.
As far as chaetmorpha, where would I be able to put this? In the wet/dry or in DT?
I would imagine the DT because copepods wouldn't be able to pass through the filter floss and bio-balls..

 

[saxman]

Cheato works nicely in the DT because it's easily pruned (just pull off a hunk and swish it in the tank before you toss it or reuse it). You can also make small piles of LR rubble in the DT and the pods will populate them.

 

[reeferchief]

where would I put cheato in the DT? Do I hide it behind rocks or just get a hang on container and put it in there?

 

[beaslbob]

Quote:
Originally Posted by reeferchief http:///t/388608/establishing-copepod-population-is-wet-dry#post_3428252
where would I put cheato in the DT? Do I hide it behind rocks or just get a hang on container and put it in there?
Or behind a partition like egg crate.
chaeto in a refugium will allow the pods to expand

 

[reeferchief]

I don't have a refugium though. I wanted to know where to put cheato without having a refugium? Like in the DT hide it behind a rock or in a hang on tank

 

[beaslbob]

Quote:
Originally Posted by reeferchief http:///t/388608/establishing-copepod-population-is-wet-dry#post_3429044
I don't have a refugium though. I wanted to know where to put cheato without having a refugium? Like in the DT hide it behind a rock or in a hang on tank
If you already have a wet/dry you could replace the filter media with cheato.
I just put an egg crate 3" in front of my back glass for an in tank refugium. also added some light behind the tank pointing forward.
just a suggestion

 

[saxman]

You can just put a wad of Chaeto into your DT. The fish will hunt in and around it.

 

[mr. limpid]

Does your wet/dry have a chamber were the water flows in b4 it goes into the bio ball chamber? I would put the Chaeto there and add spot light with grow light bulb. That way the pods have a safe place to live and multiply, some of them will inhabit your filter floss others will pass threw the bio balls threw the pump up into DT. It will take longer till they are enough to get up into DT but once this starts happening there will plenty of pods for the mandarin. In the mean time to keeps this mandarin alive it will take a ton of bottles of pods, since mandarins eat hundreds of pods a day. You may want to see if LFS would take it back till you get your pods established.

 

[morgan175]

I read about a neat thing on another forum for transporting pods to your main tank. It's called a pod hotel and if you research it you can see how to build one think it will cost you about 5.00. It will give you a better chance with your mandarin.

 

[reeferchief]

Thanks for all the advice. The way my wet/dry is designed makes it hard to get the the water chambers before it flows onto the filter floss and bioballs. I'm thinking That I am going to add it to my DT just below my toadstool leather. There is some empty space behind it and I think it will be fine there. I may also replace my media filter with it too. To me i think I wouldn't have to change the media filter every week then. I would only have to trim away some of the over grown chaeto?
Also I don't have a mandarin yet, I don't plan on getting one for the next few months.
Will a Kole tang eat copepods? He eats frozen foods now which I thought is weird and he also grazes all day long but is still skinny.

 

[mr. limpid]

Your kole tang is a grazer add nori sheet on a clip, roll it up like a cigarette (keeps him from ripping large chunks off) I use red and green. Red I buy from LFS and green I use the ones from the grocery store (the ones they wrap sushi with). Also frozen Ocean Nutrition formula II or Emerald green is good. My tangs eat most everything else from mysis to squid. Keep trying different foods, variety is best for there diet and good health.