Culturing copepods

[Allmost]

You can trust whom ever you like but you are not going to find that many people that have the experience I have with culturing them given I work for a company that produces more then anyone globally Phyto is very much needed *if* you want any real numbers. The copepidites pretty much require it. But don't take my word, do what I have done all my life and visit them in their natural environment. You'll find diatoms in every pool.

I went looking for your thread in the proper forum on MOFIB and could not find it... can you point it out to me please http://www.marinebreeder.org/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=144

oh wow nice !!! I didnt know
I actually never made a thread there, but I spoke to Jim Welsh I think.

so what would your recommendation be ?

should I fill up the 10 G with phyto and add the pods to that ? and some grinded formula 2 pellets ? air line (rigid tubing) and chunks of sponge ?

or should I just do SW, and add phyto to it till I see a green tint ? and as soon as the green tint went away I add more ?

Please let me know as I'm all for Ideas and I know I such at this so need your help

my only limitations are space ! hence why I dont do brine shrimp. but I guess I can start at least 1 10 G culture of phyto and have that going, would you happen to know how much Phyto I will need? guess the phyto is the only expensive part if I plan to buy instead of having my own culture.

you also talk about Diatoms hmmm, how are those added ? si ? lol

 

[jeremy K]

Given their love for diatoms, would you recommend adding a piece of live rock and a tiny amount of silicate to the culture? I would imagine this would create a large diatom bloom which would feed these copepods better than phyto, if I am understanding you correctly?

 

[Allmost]

Given their love for diatoms, would you recommend adding a piece of live rock and a tiny amount of silicate to the culture? I would imagine this would create a large diatom bloom which would feed these copepods better than phyto, if I am understanding you correctly?

I decided against live rock, since it can introduce many other things to the culture tank. like amphipods lol but I'm not sure if this is the case. ohh and also hydroids !

 

[g8gxp]

I have found for my cultures that you can feed either phyto or just grind up some flake food. They seem to love the flake but the water turns yellow pretty quickly. For some reason they don't go through the phyto as quickly but the water stays a little cleaner, perhaps because the phyto is made with new salt water each time essentially adding to the copepod water volume.

 

[billsreef]

you also talk about Diatoms hmmm, how are those added ? si ? lol

Diatoms can be grown and added just like other phytoplanktons. For culturing, just need to add some silicate to the Guillards f/2 media

 

[t4zalews]

so ive been culturing some ocean pods and they seem to have multiplied like crazy. what's the best way to transfer them to the display tank from the culturing vessel?

As to food, I started with just grinding up some flake food...ehhh
I got some DT's and they've multiplied like crazy from it. Looks like I should start culturing phytoplankton as well now.

Its a sad day when you lose a mandarin because of an anemone, not to hunger.

 

[Western_reefer]

Diatoms can be grown and added just like other phytoplanktons. For culturing, just need to add some silicate to the Guillards f/2 media

Where can I get silicate?

 

[billsreef]

Where can I get silicate?

Both Florida Aqua Farms and Aquatic Ecosystems sell it along with Guillard's media and other culturing supplies

 

[Iwishihadgills]

Get a. tonsa pods. Warm water species.

 

[Allmost]

hmmm, was looking at the skimmate my skimmer produces from my reef tank

looks like a delicate cuisine for the pods lol

would adding some of my skimmate to the pod tank help ? and be a food source for them ? lol

 

[Western_reefer]

hmmm, was looking at the skimmate my skimmer produces from my reef tank

looks like a delicate cuisine for the pods lol

would adding some of my skimmate to the pod tank help ? and be a food source for them ? lol

I wouldn't, you might have skimmed some predators/mysis and then you'll be adding it to the pod farm. lol

 

[Western_reefer]

Both Florida Aqua Farms and Aquatic Ecosystems sell it along with Guillard's media and other culturing supplies

Okay, thanks!

 

[M88A2]

hey, i plan on having a 10gal tank as a fuge for my 75 dt. would it be possible to for me to culture pods there or would the phyto and such circulating into my main tank be a bad idea? what if i were to place a valve to stop it from flowing into the main system until the culturing process was complete?

 

[Allmost]

I wouldn't, you might have skimmed some predators/mysis and then you'll be adding it to the pod farm. lol

lol I dont think any predator can live through the needle wheel haha,

 

[Allmost]

hey, i plan on having a 10gal tank as a fuge for my 75 dt. would it be possible to for me to culture pods there or would the phyto and such circulating into my main tank be a bad idea? what if i were to place a valve to stop it from flowing into the main system until the culturing process was complete?

culturing in a different tank is different than having a Fuge.

get ure Fuge, put some shallow sand bed in it, and some cheato algea on top and a light, in a month its gonna be filled with all sorts of pods, not only copepods. and they can be blown back to your main tank and be used as live food


I want to start another separate culture to feed my seahorse fry

 

[CJO]

Diatoms can be grown and added just like other phytoplanktons. For culturing, just need to add some silicate to the Guillards f/2 media

Is there a certain strain of diatom that you recommend?

Thanks,
CJ

 

[billsreef]

Is there a certain strain of diatom that you recommend?

Thanks,
CJ

Thalassiosira weissflogii would be a good one.

 

[CJO]

Is it hard to culture? It looks like I can't grow a culture from a TW Instant Algae bottle.. do you think that CCMP would the best source in the US for it?

Thanks again,
CJ

 

[billsreef]

It's not a tough one to culture, just got to keep things sanitary like with Isochyrsus. Aquatic Ecosystems has it, but CCMP might actually be a cheaper.

 

[kermit_criminal]

dont trigger pods come from colder waters? i baught some for my tank and they almost instantly died