Too many copepods

[Jasonrusso]

The other day I noticed white specks all over the back of my tank (painted black background). It is a 75 gallon saltwater FOWLER. The next day it was worse (or better ?) so I could get a better look at them. I could see them moving around! Yesterday and today I see them all over the glass. With a magnifying glass I can see the antenna and tail. I'm sure they are copepods. It seems to be a "bloom." I don't think I have any copepod grazing fish (Porcupine puffer, dwarf lion, yellow tang, and dwarf golden eel). I think I got the bloom because I was adding vita-chem to the water to help my lion who wasn't eating and breathing heavy after a anti-bacterial dose to cure fin/tail rot. (He is eating again and looks better!!). My question is, can I have too many copepods? I know they are good, but can I have too many? Do they create much waste and rob oxygen?

 

[bazeball05]

No, they are all beneficial! They help your water parameters stay in check. I wouldn't be too worried about it. If you feel it is putting more stress on the tank then you can get them out. I recommend them though

 

[Jasonrusso]

They don't seem like they are bothering anything at this time.

 

[bazeball05]

Then I wouldn't worry about it! Enjoy them! I love watching them swim around, its a secondary population that naturally occurs.

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

I hear a mandarin goby in your near future!

 

[bazeball05]

I hear a mandarin goby in your near future!

Not with a lion Fish lol that's a predator tank IMO

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

True. I forgot about him. I have a green spot in my tank an would like to get a mandarin. Maybe after my sump and refug is set up.

 

[bazeball05]

True. I forgot about him. I have a green spot in my tank an would like to get a mandarin. Maybe after my sump and refug is set up.

That will do the trick, mandarins are really hard to take care of but a refugium would be a big bonus!

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

Here's my green spot. I've had him for 2 months and he eats frozen foods! Hurray.

 

[bazeball05]

That's the one I want! Do you like him? Does he eat the frozen food without hesitation? Info please: )

 

[obscurereef]

Beneficial organism, food source for many fish, and I envy you . I wouldn't recommend putting a mandarin even in the refugium because they can eat 2,000-4,000 pods a day(!!!) and a refugium is supposed to be a refuge for pods so that they can't get eaten and can populate...

 

[obscurereef]

Here's my green spot. I've had him for 2 months and he eats frozen foods! Hurray.

View attachment 141628

Lucky! Don't want to get too off topic, but did you train him or did you buy him trained?

 

[bazeball05]

Beneficial organism, food source for many fish, and I envy you . I wouldn't recommend putting a mandarin even in the refugium because they can eat 2,000-4,000 pods a day(!!!) and a refugium is supposed to be a refuge for pods so that they can't get eaten and can populate...

I think they ment that they would keep a mandarin in the main display and the refugium would be for populating the main display

 

[obscurereef]

I think they ment that they would keep a mandarin in the main display and the refugium would be for populating the main display

With the puffer, lion, and eel? I'd applaud that mandarin if it survived!

 

[bazeball05]

With the puffer, lion, and eel? I'd applaud that mandarin if it survived!

That's not his tank, saltwaternubs tank is a reef tank

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

Lol, you could bag them up and sell them. Haha. I wish my tank were a reef tank, but for now FOWLR. That's way out of my comfort level. I'll just keep admiring everyone else's.