Need good copepods

[Rybo]

Anyone know of a good place to buy a good supply of copepods/amphipods online for a good price?

 

[Gregcoyote]

Reefs2go.com


I just got some from them.

 

[aadair22]

are you looking to just have them in general or for feeding something like a mandarin? if you just want them, go get a ball of cheato, it should be full of them.

 

[Rybo]

Both honestly. I have a scooter blenny and want to start a refugium. The copepods at petco are super expensive so I want to produce them myself.

 

[aadair22]

mmm, never had a scooter blenny but I don't believe they need them to survive.. If you have a sump or refugium, I would just stick a ball of cheato from you lfs in there. Thats where I got all my pods from.. Also I had a wrasse until just recently so I'm sure he was munching on them, and yet I still saw plenty of them in my DT and sump

 

[Rybo]

Scooter blennys are similar to mandarins as they are both picky eaters and mostly eat podlike food

 

[Sniperhank]

Reefs2go.com is the best source I've found for pods. I make sure to order mine during their BOGO offer with 1k pods.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Scooter blennys are similar to mandarins as they are both picky eaters and mostly eat podlike food

They are both dragonettes and eat the same foods.

Pods are easily raised in a dark bucket feeding them phytoplankton. That can be in the form of green water or phyto paste.
Several good tutorials on the web. Also google "phyto paste"

 

[nikki_kaiser]

Let me tell you about my experience with reefs2go Copepods and amphipods. I ordered from them and when they came in I noticed a ton of amphipods. At the time I was pretty exited. I read the directions and as I opened the bag it smelled horrible. Thought that was a bit strange but I didn't think much of it. I put them into my tank and the amphipods went after my snails. I watched them swarm two of them. Two days later I find three empty shells. In addition, I did not notice many Copepods. I also read that mandarins will not often touch the big amphipods. I had to bait the stupid things out. My mandarin happens to eat frozen food but was thinking this would be good for him to snack on. I ended up ordering from another place and I set up my own little pod farm and have grown them as well as putting some in my sump refugium. They are a little more expensive but clean and are pods only.

www.aquaculturenurseryfarms.com

Maybe the R2G pods work well for some but after doing further research I discovered that some other people had the same issues with amphipods. They are opportunistic little feeders and can also nibble on zoas etc. Go google it. People keep saying its only the dying stuff they eat. That is completely false. I've seen it, read it, and so have others. Just thought I would share.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Mine came in fine, but I am starting to grow them again here at home as its easy and pretty cheap. My mandarin only eats pods, so I am going to try to out supply him.

http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/Rotifers-101-c200.html

 

[Sniperhank]

I'd try to grow them, but I don't have the room. Ive already been ordered to clear the sink, surrounded by fish stuff, and the stove, covered in dog stuff, so my fiancée can actually use the kitchen...

I have only ever ordered my pods from reefs2go. Never had a single issue with the pods. And though my mandarin may not eat the larger pods my theory is that once they reproduce their young become tasty snacks. I can only believe it to be true since I am going months without restocking and have a fat green mandarin.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I hear that!


I placed my plans to grow them on hold last night. I harvested a 10" ball of chaeto from my algae scrubber and shook the ball in a bucket. There were hundreds of pods in just that small clump of chaeto, so I guess I am good to go.

 

[Mebbid]

It is a good idea to get a population of pods growing quickly. I got a scooter blenny and even with 2 feedings a day it wasn't enough for him. They really need to graze all day on them. Since I started growing some live phytoplankton there has been a HUGE surge in the number of pods in my tank so I would greatly suggest buying a culture. I have been adding 1/4 cup of isochrysis every other day in my 20g reef w/ 10g refugium and the only problem I have seen is a small jump in the amount of phosphates which could be because I didn't let the culture grow long enough to use up all of the available phosphates that are used as fertilizer for them.

 

[Gregcoyote]

It is a good idea to get a population of pods growing quickly. I got a scooter blenny and even with 2 feedings a day it wasn't enough for him. They really need to graze all day on them. Since I started growing some live phytoplankton there has been a HUGE surge in the number of pods in my tank so I would greatly suggest buying a culture. I have been adding 1/4 cup of isochrysis every other day in my 20g reef w/ 10g refugium and the only problem I have seen is a small jump in the amount of phosphates which could be because I didn't let the culture grow long enough to use up all of the available phosphates that are used as fertilizer for them.

Couldn't agree more. Dragonettes eat a lot of pods that's for certain. Use to culture green water, but I think I will try some phyto paste.

 

[Redneck_Boats]

I've also got a scooter blenny and my cheato algea has overpopulated my entire tank with pods, you can watch them crawl on the sand the rocks and all. My scooter loves it, he also is acustomed to eating brine shrimp and flakes now. It's just fun to watch em graze. Their mating dance is awesome to.

 

[Gregcoyote]

You have a good problem. Nice to hear about dragonettes in systems where they prosper.

 

[Rybo]

Thanks for the info about pods. Now I have a few places to try them from and maybe start my own culture. I would love to see some pics of nice dragonettes that you all have too!

 

[Supa Belle]

mmm, never had a scooter blenny but I don't believe they need them to survive.. If you have a sump or refugium, I would just stick a ball of cheato from you lfs in there. Thats where I got all my pods from.. Also I had a wrasse until just recently so I'm sure he was munching on them, and yet I still saw plenty of them in my DT and sump

Scooter Blennies are dragonettes they need pods as part of their diet. I have two red ones and they are trained to eat flake pellet and frozen but I still add pods once every six months