Breeding copepods...

[ChiTownRomeo]

I have a 55 gallon aquarium and really want a green mandarin. I want to setup a breeding tank for just copepods. I don't have a sump, so I'm thinking bout setting up a 10 gallon with alot of macro algae and a few pieces of live rock. Would that be enough to breed them to keep the Mandarin fed?

 

[54seaweed]

a 10 gal would work fine

proper temp and flow is a must

use rubble rock not large peices but maybe 1 or 2 inch in size
as for macro I found giving it a good blend of cheato , Caulerpa , Gracilaria

Produces big healthy pods

I have been raising pods ,brine,mysiss almost a year now
with great out come

 

[ChiTownRomeo]

a 10 gal would work fine

proper temp and flow is a must

use rubble rock not large peices but maybe 1 or 2 inch in size
as for macro I found giving it a good blend of cheato , Caulerpa , Gracilaria

Produces big healthy pods

I have been raising pods ,brine,mysiss almost a year now
with great out come

Do they breed pretty fast? I know Mandarins need alot to eat.

 

[54seaweed]

if you can keep them healthy yes I average about 10,000 every 2 weeks started with 4000

the only thing is the trick to catch them not as easy as you would think

 

[54seaweed]

best time to catch them is 4 hrs after lights out grabing a small clump of macro they like hidding in macro while feeding otherwise they hide in rocks

 

[MikeYQM]

I keep a good culture in a Rubbermaid tote, 3-5 gals or so. I use an air pump with no airstone for aeration and let it ride at room temp.

Feed Phyto every two days and harvest once or twice a week. Simplicity is best. No direct light, minimal equipment. No macro or anything else in the tub. Very easy.

 

[Dude1982]

Have you thought about a Hang on refugium?
I put mine on and just left it alone with some caulerpa in there. The pod life in my fuge is unreal now and my mandarin is the fattest fish in my tank lol