No more Amphipods

Rainer Feyer

Premium Member
Where have my Amphipods gone?

My system is appr 7 years old, 75g main with 20g refugium, running T5's.
Inhabitants: SPS/ LPS, clowns, damsels, Powder Tang, no mandarines etc.

Refugium has no sand, but has good amount of rubble and lighting as well as Macroalgae and Algae from the AT/ Scrubber.

I do not run a S, but the system is really clean as far as Nitrates and Phosphates go, very minimal algae growth in main tank even though I feed liberally.

Calcium/ Mg++, and Alk are in mid-normal range pretty consistently.

So, where have my Amphi's gone and how can I get more? LFS no help with getting more. Tried getting orders of Macroalage from here, but this did not produce and Amphi's (and, yes, I do check late at night as well).
 
Chances are you have some, but a very small population due to insufficient food or some sort of competition. Other critters may be eating the larvae before they even get a chance. Have you checked the tanks with a flashlight after lights out?
 
This is a pretty typical scenario as a reef tank ages. The diversity you start off with becomes less and less as more dominant species outcompete others. Sounds like its time to restock your detritivore CUC. You can go with online vendors or try adding some fresh LR, after its cured in a seperate container of course. You can also try getting sand from other local hobbyists. Each tank is a bit different and will support different populations of critters.
 
I've also found that Amphi's like a sand bed. They burrow in it for security, and perhaps it also helps with reproduction as in a safe place for the larvae to develop. It may also help to support more of the prey items they require.
 
I went to a presentation not long ago at my local club, DMAs. And the speaker there said it is good to add a new piece of rock to your system from someone else like once every six months, so that way you're constantly keeping ahead of the game and this doesn't occur.
 
How's your Mysis population? They can be serious predators, and even turn to cannibalism if food sources run short. Another thought is perhaps their just isnt enough small food for them. The larvae typically need some sort of plankton like phyto for larvae development if your not adding any it may help to make it part of your feeding routine, and will help boost the populations of many of the tiny critters.
 

While that is true- he asked for amphipods - not copepods...:lol:

IPSF sells amphipods.
http://www.ipsf.com/podbreedingkit.html

That stated - is there a need for amphipods? Seems to me they serve a very small niche in the CUC scale that others may have taken over already. Heck every week when I toss my cheato i have to shake it and out drops amphipods. I'm guessing others in your area could probably pass some to you.
 
Thanks all - i will try to find locals who can give me a hand ful of chaeto.

Do all you agree that sand is needed on top of what I am using, which is rubble?

Also, Phil 519 is correct, I was looking for Amphipods not copepods

Also, I will try to exchange a rock with a local.

Thanks again!
 
Thanks all - i will try to find locals who can give me a hand ful of chaeto.

Do all you agree that sand is needed on top of what I am using, which is rubble?

Also, Phil 519 is correct, I was looking for Amphipods not copepods

Also, I will try to exchange a rock with a local.

Thanks again!

I can't be certain if you need sand, but that is where I usually find my amphipods. They are not very common in my sandless sections of my sump. You could easily add a few centimeters of sand and it would be enough. They do not need much.
 
try putting a loofa in your sump or some of that blue/white filter media, this will creat a nice breeding area for them, shake them into the tank every so often. I have dont this in the past with great success. Currently i have some blue/white filter inbetween my baffels in my sump. When I rinse the muck out of it I give it a twice over and return all the amphipods to the tank. there are usually a bunch.
 
This is a problem that I have noted in our low nutrient systems... even with extended system volume and/or a refugium and a place for pods to breed, the problem is more that low nutrients exist throughout a system, not just in the DT. I recommend culturing them in a separate tank or ordering some online.
 
Intersting

Intersting

Interesting point well taken! A separate 10g could be enough, no?

I will see if i can find some threads on this

Thanks
 
A separate 10g will be more than enough.
I have some notes on it at home and can share if youd like, although the best reference I know of is The Plankton Culture Manual.
 
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