Mandarin fish and copods with refugium?

[nitram]

I have had my tank set up for close to 9 months now, dosnt seem that long but it has been. I have a 125 gal tank with close to 170 lbs of live rock, I have a 30 gal refugium. In my refug I see tones of copods and suck crustations in it but I really dont see any in my main tank unless they are hidden. here is my questions.
1. Do the copods make it to the upper tank from the refuge, I see them around the pump area but havn't seen them actually get sucked in.
2. The reason for this is I have been waiting to perchase a mandarin untill my tank would be able to support it. Do you think it is possiable to add one now, or do i need to capture the copods from my refuge and put in my main tank to feed him.
Thanks for your help.

 

[maurice]

I think you are able to add one now,IMO.Do you have a filter sock of any kind on your return pump?If so i would take it off so the pods make it in the pump and to the tank.The best way to see if you have pods in your tank is to wait til the lights are out for about an hour then i take a good flashlight and shine it behind my LR and they are everywhere.HTH

 

[funkyman]

I had those exact same questions. I'd like a Mandarin, but have been waiting as well.

 

[msd2]

Yes they should make it to the display tank. Check at night you should see em running around.

 

[promisetbg]

When my light comes on for the evening I run a small brine shrimp net down the front of my fuge to catch the copepods as an addition to the ones that go there themselves.My fuge is plumbed so it returns by gravity,but I still do it just to help out my mandarins and scooter.I also buy extra bottles of copepods 2-3 times a year as well..and add them to the fuge to give the population a boost.
With that size tank,and that much LR you should be doing ok.make sure you don't add any other faster pod eating fish,like wrasses.They will outcompete the mandarin.
Thank you for researching first,and waiting the 9 months as you should!

Good Luck!

 

[nomad]

Put red cellophane over the flashlight and you'll be able to see them without scattering them. You don't know what other interesting things might also be there if you look around with a red light.

 

[nitram]

Also Beens were talking about lights going off, For the past week or so when the lights go out I have been hearing a snapping sound like 2 or 3 clicks at a time. I tryed to see if I could see something whith my flash light but wasnt using the red light, I have several types of coral in there and havnt noticed anything being harmed or missing like if it was the mantis shrimp but any suggestions on that as well. and I dont have any filters on my return side .

 

[maurice]

Sounds like a pistol shrimp to me!

 

[nitram]

I dont have any of those. I have several pepperrmints, 2 cleaners, and a coral banded. One might have snuck in on a peice of live rock. therre were two spinny sea urchins that has grown like 10 times there size since i found them. The spins on them are very sharp and like a 100 of them not sure what kind they are.

 

[speg]

Originally Posted by NITRAM
I dont have any of those.
You didnt 'buy' any of those... is more like it

 

[msd2]

Sounds like a pistol or mantis shrimp to me also. If you have been losing fish/critters it could be a mantis. I have a pistol as well (I think, never seen him just hear him at night) for about 6 months now. Im pretty sure its a pistol because none of the small fish or my other shrimp have disappeared Do a search they have a cool relationship with gobies.

 

[nitram]

I wish i could find were he is dug in at, must be in the back somewheres. I have had no fish or shrimp lose. Also I was doing some cleaning last night and in my overfill on top of my tank going down to my refuge I found several very large copods. Do you think they got there buy going up the inlet to the the refuge or from the main tank.