HOW TO GROW copepods IN MY SUMP

[no1bubba]

I have two mandarins and a six line wrasse all of which eat pods. I am putting out no less than $15.00 per month to keep them all happy. How can I start to propigate my own pods? Bubba

 

[savageAJC]

I just bought a clump of cheato and placed in my sump.. 6mos later pods everywhere! I also fed tank dts phytoplankton.. Harvesting them is another question. I would try and train your mandarins to eat frozen.

 

[Teddynola]

I grow pods and sell some to a few LFS. I started using this method, although I now use multiple smaller containers now. HTH.

http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/c90/Raising-Live-Rotifers-Copepods-c199.html

 

[Teddynola]

Here is a good source for pods. Get the tisbe pods.

http://stores.aquaculturenurseryfarms.com/-strse-104/"TROPIC-PODS"--TISBE/Detail.bok

 

[Paul B]

While I have plenty of pods in my tank I built this baby brine shrimp feeder that feeds baby brine to my two mandarins, scooter blaaeie and pipefish.
I spend about $15.00 a year on brine shrimp eggs and hatch them in a DIY hatchery.
Here is a video of them eating.

 

[Gogandantess]

^ Pretty neat device there Paul. Did you make tiny holes in it? Cute seeing them pick at them lol

 

[Paul B]

No, it is an old net, there is a thread on here about it called "Feeding Stations"

 

[Teddynola]

Thanks for sharing, that's awesome.

 

[sponger0]

Typically you should have a population established before getting a mandarin. But best bet is get cheato in the sump and continue to dose pods into the sump and not the DT.

 

[vikubz]

@Paul B, what size mesh did you use for the feeding station?

 

[Paul B]

I really don't know, I just cut up an old net.

Another video

 

[vikubz]

Thanks, I'll do some experimentin'. I've kept a mandarin in my 75 for a couple years in the past, which I guess is considered pretty good. I had pods everywhere but one day she just seemed to stop eating. I don't know if something like this would have helped but seems like a good back up if I ever get another.

 

[thorodenasgard]

Great video