copepods, amphipods, and mysis shrimp

[boinorvaia]

I have a Green Mandarin Goby (Pterosynchiropus splendidus) in my tnak, and i understand that they generally only eat live food. I run a refugium, which i'm told will help provide a place for copepods, amphipods, and mysis shrimp to grown. I have been supplementing my fishes diet with marine plankton made with cyclopleeze, and this seems to be working fine.
my question is, do i need to be doing this? how can i tell wheather my tank generates enough live food for my fish, and possibly for another one? If its not generating enough, what can i do to help it?
thanks
brendan

 

[ACBlinky]

The way I'd check is to look at the fish and the tank/fuge: does the mandarin have a nice round belly? Can you see lots of pods running around in the tank and the fuge? If so, you're good to go. If the pod population runs out/dwindles, you can purchase pods in a bottle to replenish the population.

 

[boinorvaia]

Thanks for the advice. Do you know the name of some brands that are available? and should i put them in the main tank of the refugium?
thanks again
brendan

 

[AllenFord_SC]

Here is a good place to buy them:

www.copepod.com

and you should place them in your fuge.

 

[Bathel]

Re: copepods, amphipods, and mysis shrimp

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6790252#post6790252 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by boinorvaia
how can i tell wheather my tank generates enough live food for my fish, and possibly for another one?

As stated above, you need to watch the tank and the fish to see how it's doing.

How big is your tank? Mandarin Fish don't normally do well in pairs ... at least in my experience. YMMV.

Ripped from wetwebmedia.com on mandarinfish.

"You may well see them kept in a group at a dealers but be warned, this is not a natural setting, and all species should be kept either one to a tank or as a single male with more than one female or a heterosexual pair. Otherwise, unless the tank is very large (hundreds of gallons) eventually you will see them fighting vigorously."