Have i got enough copepods?

[david mallette]

I am interested in getting a Psychedelic Mandarin, and don't know if I have copepods. My reef aquarium has been running for 8 months. My reference books say the mandarin won't live without enough copepods, but they don't say how to tell if I have them. Your help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks
55 gal main tank
60 lbs live rock
Numerous corals,crabs,snails,clams, and fish

 

[carrie1429]

The only time I ever see my pods is at night time. Do you have LS they seem to like that better. I look at my tank at night with a flashlight and look very closely at the sand and LR, you will see little transparent bugs running around. But not all tanks have them so maybe you just don't have any.

 

[adrian]

If you cant see them at a glance, chances are there are not enough to soley support a mandarin. Its possible to wean them onto frozen foods, but in most cases it takes a while, and you have to have the pods to support them before and after they take to prepared foods. "pods" feed on phytoplankton, and if you dont have a fish that already actively hunts them you can boost their populations by adding it on a regular basis and or creating a refuge for them to live and reproduce, aka refugium. HTH

 

[dogman]

Try Inland Aquatics.com or call them at 8122329000 for copepods. Copepods as well as other detritivores are suppose to be useful for a dsb to keep the sand stirred up. Good luck.