Ruby Scooter Blenny/Dragonnettes

[JeffyT]

Hi RC,

The LFS I am going to buy mine from has shown me a live feed of frozen brine to the Rubys they have in stock.

However I was reading that they prefer copepods. Can I dose my tank with a bottle of tigerpods every 2 weeks when I do my water change, would that be sufficient enough?

I feed once daily at 8PM when i get home from work. I rotate between Hikari Frozen Mysis, Frozen Brine with Spirulina, Pellets and I'm trying out Fresh Brine because its fun to watch them chase.

 

[ShannyG]

You're going to want to feed him more than once a day; they don't have stomaches and need several small feedings. Mine loves frozen bloodworms. I find having a brine hatchery way easier than copepods. I use a 5g tank with aerator. When I want to harvest the shrimp I turn on a light at the side and they go toward it. I syphon some water out and catch them with a section of pantyhose. Dump out the water, add some fresh seawater, 1/4 tsp of eggs and you'll have more shrimp tomorrow! The water change keeps it from getting really nasty. Just a pinch of ground flake food seems to keep them fed.
Edited to add: Scooter is my very favorite fish!

 

[JeffyT]

You're going to want to feed him more than once a day; they don't have stomaches and need several small feedings. Mine loves frozen bloodworms. I find having a brine hatchery way easier than copepods. I use a 5g tank with aerator. When I want to harvest the shrimp I turn on a light at the side and they go toward it. I syphon some water out and catch them with a section of pantyhose. Dump out the water, add some fresh seawater, 1/4 tsp of eggs and you'll have more shrimp tomorrow! The water change keeps it from getting really nasty. Just a pinch of ground flake food seems to keep them fed.
Edited to add: Scooter is my very favorite fish!

i was thinking of making a refugium thats attached to my tank. not sure if its worth it.

 

[ShannyG]

I just put mine in the utility room in the basement, nowhere near my tank. The brine give him something to 'hunt and peck' all day as nature intended and are way easier than copepods to hatch. Cheap too, and if he'll take frozen and possibly even pellets )mine loves pellets) he'll have enough nutrition.

 

[zeebies]

Posted this in your other thread:

Jeffy, what you want to do with your current set-up is impossible. A bottle of pods every two weeks is not even close to what you need. If you really want an animal that requires live foods, particularly copepods, you should research how you can best meet the needs of the animal.

I'm thinking... large and established tank, no other fish competing for pods, refugium, get some cultures of copepods going, learn about phytoplankton to feed the copepods, etc. There are many threads out there that will take you through the steps. Only when you can provide the best environment, should you get the dragonette.

I really wanted a pipefish and in order to maintain this fish and allow it to thrive I did a lot of research which led me to setting up and establishing 4 Tisbe copepod cultures. Even with these cultures going, I added pods to my tank DAILY because I didn't want to take any chances.

Save yourself heartache, money and guilt and only get the dragonette when you are ready to take care of it properly.

 

[JeffyT]

Posted this in your other thread:

Jeffy, what you want to do with your current set-up is impossible. A bottle of pods every two weeks is not even close to what you need. If you really want an animal that requires live foods, particularly copepods, you should research how you can best meet the needs of the animal.

I'm thinking... large and established tank, no other fish competing for pods, refugium, get some cultures of copepods going, learn about phytoplankton to feed the copepods, etc. There are many threads out there that will take you through the steps. Only when you can provide the best environment, should you get the dragonette.

I really wanted a pipefish and in order to maintain this fish and allow it to thrive I did a lot of research which led me to setting up and establishing 4 Tisbe copepod cultures. Even with these cultures going, I added pods to my tank DAILY because I didn't want to take any chances.

Save yourself heartache, money and guilt and only get the dragonette when you are ready to take care of it properly.

thanks for the tips. this is why i'm posting on the forums to ask more experienced reefers and in multiple sections that I am allowed to post this in. black friday is coming up so i am thinking about setting up a refuge tank. i just learned about the new algagen live feed program and i am very interested in culturing my own copepods. I've seen the fish eat frozen brine but I am sure its not as nutritious and natural as cope pods are.