Hello again, just curious about how everyone gets a good pod crop going? I've heard about getting a hunk of cheato from somebody with alot in their sump, but other than that what is a good alternative. I cant seem to keep calerpa alive in my main tank, so i'm afraid to just throw a ball of cheato in there too and watch it float around until the filters eat it up. I saw a thing on ebay that was a container of live pods to get everything started, but how trustworthy is that? The reason i'm asking is because a few weeks ago I had a hair algae problem that took over the rocks, so I pulled all of them out one at a time and cleaned them with a toothbrush. Now all my tiny brittle stars are gone and my Mandarin Dragonet is looking thin and coming out more looking for food. I caught him eating a single frozen brine shrimp, but I'm still not sure he'll make it with just that. Any ideas on getting the tank filled up with pods and brittles again? Thanks for bearing with me, still trying to absorb all I can!
Questions About Populating Pods...
- Thread starter WhiteysTA
- Start date
frenchie
New member
need a sump or hang on fuge were they can breed in a non predatory environment. Most lfs sell pods, but if you can make a trip to few local reefers and get a small handful of chaeto from everyone, thats the best way. If you wanna buy some inland aquatics an online vendor sells them.
capncapo
New member
Take a bunch of small pieces of "reef rubble" and build a "pod pile" in your display tank..
If you have pods in the tank they will inhabit and breed in the pile with less chance of predation. That should give you a good start provided you have pods already. Otherwise, you'll need to buy and add some pods to the tank. Add them at night with the lights off to give them the best chance of not being eaten.
Mini-brittles won't be preyed upon as much so you just need to get some and put them in your tank. They'll find the rock.
If you have pods in the tank they will inhabit and breed in the pile with less chance of predation. That should give you a good start provided you have pods already. Otherwise, you'll need to buy and add some pods to the tank. Add them at night with the lights off to give them the best chance of not being eaten.
Mini-brittles won't be preyed upon as much so you just need to get some and put them in your tank. They'll find the rock.
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paulamrein
New member
d.french,
What are some of the lfs you know that sells them, I was looking for some too and the ones I asked didn't.
What are some of the lfs you know that sells them, I was looking for some too and the ones I asked didn't.
StupidsReef
Premium Member
When I started out in this hobby I didn't have a sump or a fuge, So to help them poplulate I bought something like a basket from wallyworld, it was very small I think 6x6x3 inches and placed it upside down over a small pile of rubble rock. It had holes through out and I left in the corner of the 90g. At night I would look at it with a flash light and it was loaded with Pods of all kinds!! It took about 2 weeks to become "loaded" where they where just all over it. My Mandarin Dragonet was always over there by it, as if he knew it was a food source.
On another note, If he is eat frozen foods that is a good sign or at least a +. Showing that he'll eat something other than the pods is a good thing.
On another note, If he is eat frozen foods that is a good sign or at least a +. Showing that he'll eat something other than the pods is a good thing.
If you can handle the appearance, you can use a hangon filter like an Emperor 280 or 400, discard all filter material... place some rubble on the bottom and a ball of chaeto in there. pour a bottle of Tigger pods in there at night ($21 at your LFS). and you should be good to go. Maybe seed again once a month for a few months. They will reproduce like rabbits. I have two Emperor 400s, $20 each but I am in KC. I could bring any weekend.
I have an Emperor 400 on the tank now along with a canister filter. I've never noticed them in the 400, but I always find a few in the canister filter when I clean it out. Will cheato hold together better than grape calurpa in the main tank with all the flow? I really want some plant life in the tank, just not the brownish hair algea i've been fighting.
capncapo
New member
You'll eventually regret having the caluerpa in your display tank. It will take over and become a PITA to keep under control. It also has a tendency to go "sexual" and when that happens it isn't fun. It has also been determined that should fish make a steady diet of it that it can kill fish. It has a toxin in it.
I don't think that I would use chaeto in your display either. It really doesn't look all that good.
There are better choices.
You might see if you can find someone who has some halimeda who would be willing to give you some.
I don't think that I would use chaeto in your display either. It really doesn't look all that good.
There are better choices.
You might see if you can find someone who has some halimeda who would be willing to give you some.
