Copepod Culture

[jglackin]

It really depends on the species you are looking for.

Reed's and Ocean Pro Aquatics sell tigropius californicus copepods (Tigger-Pods and Tiger-Pods). Essential Live Feeds has Nitokra lacustris. You can get pods on Ebay or google and find dozens of other places that sell pods. It all depends on what you want.

 

[sccrcoach]

I want them to put in my fuge and to feed my mandarin with....what species do you recommend

 

[jglackin]

Do you have any in your fuge now?

I know GreshamH will completely disagree with me, but I am just not sold on the tigger pod (tigropius californicus) in the reef tank. I think there are much better options. *I am no expert on this. This is simply my opinion based on my own reading, research, and discussions with biologists* In any case, what we can probably agree on is that you would want a crawling type of pod of the harpacticoid variety and not a free swimming pod.

If I were you, I would isolate some specimens out of your fuge that you already have and culture them. That is what I am going to do. The fact that they are already in your fuge demonstrates that they are perfectly suited to living and breeding in your system. If you don't have any in your fuge, which I doubt, I would go with a pod mix and keep breeding them. As they multiply, you may have one species become more predominant than the others, simply through natural selection. In other words, the species that is more capable of thriving in your culturing technique will be the one best suited for you to culture.

 

[sccrcoach]

Thanks and yes last I looked i had them in my fuge....

 

[GreshamH]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11954872#post11954872 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jglackin
I use the Reed's nanno paste for raising my rotifers, I plan to use the same for my pods. Raising phyto is far too involved. Especially when you can buy a bag of paste, that will last you a long time, for something like $70.

As far as brine shrimp and copepods in the same culture, I have been told that artemia will eat copepod larvae quite aggressively.

I am going to take a 20 long, divide it into 3 sections, and raise three different species of pods. 2 harpacticoid species and one calanoid species. The two harpacticoid species are already in my fuge. I will pick up the calanoid species from Inland Aquatics.

Tet paste tends to be better for copepods.

 

[jglackin]

Is that because pods prefer a larger celled algae or is it nutritional composition?

 

[GreshamH]

both I would suspect. Nanno has a super strong cell wall and things need to be able to penetrate that. It's fatty acid profile isn't the greatest either which is why people enright the rotifers with Tet and the likes.

 

[jglackin]

Is it too large for rotifers? I would prefer to keep my culturing simple with one food.

 

[drawman]

I am curious about your water change methods on a copepod culture system. I thought a spigot with mesh would be a good way to do it quickly but it may be hard to find a mesh that fine as to not take out all of the pods. Any suggestions?

 

[FMarini]

Gresham--
Our experiences don't have to mirror each other. We have different critters and different questions were asking. No doubt your products work well, I was just posting my experience.

Also I'm certainly not saying don't use your products, because i think they are important, well tested and work (heck i usually mention Reed products a few times during my presentations)

 

[Cope]

PIcks/ qusetions

PIcks/ qusetions

Heres the set up.
Ten gal glass aquarium.
Acrylic divider and top.
20" CF (T8??) Light fixture.
Two air lines with flow control, air pump.

Stock
Tiger pods on one side, And some cheato and sump watter on the other.

One question.
Because I will be using newly made up watter on the side with tiger pods, do I have to worry about a cycle? On either side for that matter?

And the Picks!
All the new stuff!

Bottle VS Packaging shot.

Great packing by the way. Packed with some Dry Ice packs everything was very cold when I opened the box.
Top and air control valve.

Another top shot.

Light fixture.

Light off.

And on.

What do you folks think?
Thanks for the help.
Cope

After looking at the picks, The lights off and on is almost the same.
I'm my room it's dark most of the time, so I think the light will be good for the cheato side.

 

[jglackin]

Looks great.

I am going to forego the chaeto and use a 3 chambered set up for 3 different species. Through trial and error, I will refine the practices.

 

[Cope]

Thanks
One reason for the cheato is to get a starter culture. I'm cheap and dont wanna buy any more pods.
Let be know how it goes for you. I'll do the same.
Cope

 

[jglackin]

I am doing the same, but I will shake the chaeto into a large shallow container and isolate the pods by species. I volunteer at the Shedd Aquarium here in Chicago and I might be able to get some lab assistance in isolating the critters and identifying the species.

 

[GreshamH]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11956277#post11956277 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jglackin
Is it too large for rotifers? I would prefer to keep my culturing simple with one food.

One of the largest usages of our Nanno product is for rotifer feeds to nope, not to large Unfortunatey phyto doesn't always have a one strain end all be all

 

[GreshamH]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11958559#post11958559 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FMarini
Gresham--
Our experiences don't have to mirror each other. We have different critters and different questions were asking. No doubt your products work well, I was just posting my experience.

Too true. I tried to word my post as not to come off as sounding like I thought you where on the attack Frank. I questioned myself if I should even post what I did as I have the UPMOST respect for you...

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11958559#post11958559 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FMarini
Also I'm certainly not saying don't use your products, because i think they are important, well tested and work (heck i usually mention Reed products a few times during my presentations)

Shoot, from seeing this I can see my post missed the mark by a long shot Frank I really only wanted to point out/aknowledge the fact that I seem to always follow up your posts with a exact opposite view point.

BTW I learned some interesting stuff at MO this time around and I only sat in on one talk. I sure hope it gets pulled off again in two years as I'll make far more time next round. Joan's talk really had me on the edge of my seat

 

[jglackin]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11959085#post11959085 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GreshamH
One of the largest usages of our Nanno product is for rotifer feeds to nope, not to large Unfortunatey phyto doesn't always have a one strain end all be all

I know that, nanno is what I feed my rotifers. But you said that I would do better with my pods using Tet. If I am going to use Tet for my pods, can I also use that for my rotifers? Or will I need nanno for the rotifers and tet for the pods?

 

[mokeyz]

I set up a Tom's 3 gallon tank for pods next to my sump/refugium. I have a bunch of chaeto, sand from my fuge, a piece of live rock, 2 nassarius snails and a little clump of green star polyps, an airstone and the small light that comes with the tank. It is really neat, they are in a predator free environment and are in such an unstressed environment that the amphipods don't scurry from place to place, they mosey along on the sand and everything else. I feed them a couple of drops of Dr. T's phytoplankton every couple of days, a couple of drops of MicroVert and a little bit of freeze dried cyclopeeze.

I will take a picture tomorrow...

 

[jglackin]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11971050#post11971050 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mokeyz
I set up a Tom's 3 gallon tank for pods next to my sump/refugium. I have a bunch of chaeto, sand from my fuge, a piece of live rock, 2 nassarius snails and a little clump of green star polyps, an airstone and the small light that comes with the tank. It is really neat, they are in a predator free environment and are in such an unstressed environment that the amphipods don't scurry from place to place, they mosey along on the sand and everything else. I feed them a couple of drops of Dr. T's phytoplankton every couple of days, a couple of drops of MicroVert and a little bit of freeze dried cyclopeeze.

I will take a picture tomorrow...

You just described my fuge. I have that, no predators, lots of sand, rock, and chaeto, but I want to culture the pods to a level that a fuge alone cannot get to.

 

[Cope]

Pod question? So got my set up running, and to night just now that I'm hope from work, all the pods are at the top of the watter colum.
Before they were all at the bottom? Is something wrong?
How should I test the watter? I would think the reading will be off with the high levels of phyto?
I did up the O2 a little to see if that helps?
Thanks
Cope