How do you QT a pod-eating fish?

[Mr31415]

If I want to purchase a pod eating fish like Mandarin etc, is it a good thing to QT t first? I mean the QT tank will not have the population of pods to feed the fish as would the main tank. What do you do then?

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

i wouldn't qt a pod eating fish as they need the pods. just make sure you get a healthy one to start with, as mandrin's don't get ich very often if at all. but i would wait on getting a pod eating fish till your tank matures more and get the population grwing well in the main tank and in a fuge.

 

[Mr31415]

I have all my tank walls covered in copepods and some small isopods - would this be sufficient? I have literally thousands on my tank walls for the past month.

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

it will be fine for a while but they eat all the time whenever they are moving they are searching for pods and it won't take long for them to eat that many pods which is why i suggest raising pods in a fuge.

 

[Mr31415]

That makes sense. Any good links to how to set up a fuge to breed pods? I mean details such as how to set up the initial configuration, how to get the pods in to the main tank, etc?

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

breeding pods

and how do create a sump/fuge
An Abundance of Sumps

 

[notyet]

pods with a pump?

pods with a pump?

not sure where i read it, but i know i read somewhere that its best to have your 'fuge above your display so that pods can gravity drop into the display tank... the thinking was that a trip through the pump from a fuge beneath the tank would kills the pods... any thoughts on this, or is this just someone who is being overly careful?

 

[kraze3]

It would be ideal to have your refugium above your tank but in most situations its just not practical or even possible. Pods are tiny, while some will get shredded by the pump some will make it thru just fine. If you ask around youll get alot of hobbiests say they have seen pods come flying out fo their return lines.