rearing copepods for restocking

ckoral · 04/30/2008, 04:51 PM

I have seen a lot on raising copepods but arnt they freshwater copepods?
Is it possible to raise copepods for the purpose of re-stocking my refugium? I used to have a lot, but I have made a few salinity/PH mistakes and seem to have killed many off.

Where do I get this type of pod? Can I take a couple out of my fuge and place them in a jug of 1.020 phyto culture?

Again, I have read many articles, but none really mentioned if it is possible to re-introduce the population back to my fuge permanently. Meaning, my goal would be to dump them in and let them thrive and reproduce as they used to in my fuge.

They are coming back already on there own, but I sure would like to increase the population if I have control to do so.

Like ocean pods, are they good for this?

Thanks All

gholland · 05/01/2008, 06:39 AM

ckoral,

I know they are available, but don't have a source to recommend. You might want to ask this in the "Other Invertebrates" forum (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...s=&forumid=427) instead of here.

Cephalopods refers to octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish... not copepods.

JamesBryan · 07/08/2008, 04:18 PM

Gammarus are easy to raise as long as they have no predators. G. locusta is the most prolific, but is small. I set an unidentified species (all are unidentified to me lol) in a 5 gallon with low flow filter. Feed them any flake food. Give them larger coral gravel to hide in. Sea lettuce is a good macro for them to hide in and feed on, but any will do. I also raise freshwater gammarus in 2 gallon food containers with nothing but a bubble source and feed flakes. Hide spots are java moss. Once the population gets up, they produce quickly. It takes a few months for the population to raise. Gammarus are small, so I don't know if they will work for you, but they are 'pods'.

04/30/2008, 04:51 PM	#1
ckoral Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 486	rearing copepods for restocking I have seen a lot on raising copepods but arnt they freshwater copepods? Is it possible to raise copepods for the purpose of re-stocking my refugium? I used to have a lot, but I have made a few salinity/PH mistakes and seem to have killed many off. Where do I get this type of pod? Can I take a couple out of my fuge and place them in a jug of 1.020 phyto culture? Again, I have read many articles, but none really mentioned if it is possible to re-introduce the population back to my fuge permanently. Meaning, my goal would be to dump them in and let them thrive and reproduce as they used to in my fuge. They are coming back already on there own, but I sure would like to increase the population if I have control to do so. Like ocean pods, are they good for this? Thanks All

07/08/2008, 04:18 PM	#3
JamesBryan Nobody Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Elvisland Posts: 155	Gammarus are easy to raise as long as they have no predators. G. locusta is the most prolific, but is small. I set an unidentified species (all are unidentified to me lol) in a 5 gallon with low flow filter. Feed them any flake food. Give them larger coral gravel to hide in. Sea lettuce is a good macro for them to hide in and feed on, but any will do. I also raise freshwater gammarus in 2 gallon food containers with nothing but a bubble source and feed flakes. Hide spots are java moss. Once the population gets up, they produce quickly. It takes a few months for the population to raise. Gammarus are small, so I don't know if they will work for you, but they are 'pods'. __________________ James Bryan a good name is more desirable than riches Solomon The Book of Proverbs Chapter 22 Current Tank Info: Clean

05/01/2008, 06:39 AM	#2
gholland Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 238	ckoral, I know they are available, but don't have a source to recommend. You might want to ask this in the "Other Invertebrates" forum (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...s=&forumid=427) instead of here. Cephalopods refers to octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish... not copepods.