Copepod culture while on vacation

Silly clownfish · 08/18/2015, 09:10 AM

I recently started culturing copepods to supplement the supply in my DT (75g with 20g sump, very small fuge) for my new mandarin. I am comfortable that the mandarin will be fine while I am away for 10 days next month, but want to keep my culture going for long-term supplementation. I currently have 2 pretzel jars producing tisbe pods at a nice rate. I add either a capful of marine snow (what I had on hand), or crushed flKes every couple of days. Both jars have an airstone turned way down and are on a table that gets indirct sunlight.each jar also has a tiny bit of cheato (I split up the piece that came in the bag with the pods).

I am hoping to keep the cultures going while I am away, but it's not a huge deal if I need to get a fresh bag of pods when I return. I have learned it is better to buy a bag than try to transfer from the main tank - that resulted in a few amphipods that ate everything else.

I don't want to ask the person who will be checking my DT to have to worry about pods too.

I was thinking of just putting a sinking spirlina tablet that I use for my freshwater pleco in each jar and hope it works. Any other suggestions?

Thanks,

Kim

Silly clownfish · 09/22/2015, 07:55 PM

Ok, maybe everyone else who cultures copepods knows how to feed them during a 2 week vacation, but in case anyone else is wondering, the large sinking spirulina pellets make a great vacation feeder for pods. In fact I harvested more than I typically would with 2 weeks of feeding phytoplanktin every other day. And it did not foul the water.

The pod population in my tank was as robust after my vacation as before I had my mandarin, so I probably don't really need the culture, but will keep it going. Fat and happy mandarin!

Dkuhlmann · 09/23/2015, 02:49 AM

Sounds like you were very successful with the pods. Care to share some pictures of your pod farm?

leemosh · 09/23/2015, 09:00 AM

Yeah, I'd also like to see your pod culturing setup.

That's a good tip on keeping them fed on vacations, though!

KingTriton1 · 09/23/2015, 09:06 AM

Copepods can go without food for 2 weeks without issue IMO. I just got back from a one week vacation without any issue. I just dosed phytoplankton a little heavier than usual before leaving.

shred5 · 09/23/2015, 09:06 AM

Use live phyto, that is what I used and only feed pods every couple of days.. You could just add a little more and it will feed them a long time.. It also is alive so it will last and it helps maintain water quality. Honestly your pods will also do better with phyto.

Silly clownfish · 09/24/2015, 07:26 PM

The lights are out now. I will try to remember to post a photo tomorrow. Just a couple of plastic pretzel jars with an airstone in each.

08/18/2015, 09:10 AM	#1
Silly clownfish Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Southeast Pennsylvania Posts: 488	Copepod culture while on vacation I recently started culturing copepods to supplement the supply in my DT (75g with 20g sump, very small fuge) for my new mandarin. I am comfortable that the mandarin will be fine while I am away for 10 days next month, but want to keep my culture going for long-term supplementation. I currently have 2 pretzel jars producing tisbe pods at a nice rate. I add either a capful of marine snow (what I had on hand), or crushed flKes every couple of days. Both jars have an airstone turned way down and are on a table that gets indirct sunlight.each jar also has a tiny bit of cheato (I split up the piece that came in the bag with the pods). I am hoping to keep the cultures going while I am away, but it's not a huge deal if I need to get a fresh bag of pods when I return. I have learned it is better to buy a bag than try to transfer from the main tank - that resulted in a few amphipods that ate everything else. I don't want to ask the person who will be checking my DT to have to worry about pods too. I was thinking of just putting a sinking spirlina tablet that I use for my freshwater pleco in each jar and hope it works. Any other suggestions? Thanks, Kim __________________ 75g mixed reef, 20g sump, ocelaris clownfish (20+yrs old), flame hawk, one spot foxface rabbitfish, green mandarin, Bicolor Blenny, Coral Beauty;30g sumpless with Spotcinctus pair with RBTA Current Tank Info: 75g mixed reef, 20g sump, ocelaris clownfish (20+yrs old), flame hawk, one spot foxface rabbitfish, green mandarin, Bicolor Blenny, Coral Beauty;30g sumpless with Spotcinctus pair

09/22/2015, 07:55 PM	#2
Silly clownfish Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Southeast Pennsylvania Posts: 488	Ok, maybe everyone else who cultures copepods knows how to feed them during a 2 week vacation, but in case anyone else is wondering, the large sinking spirulina pellets make a great vacation feeder for pods. In fact I harvested more than I typically would with 2 weeks of feeding phytoplanktin every other day. And it did not foul the water. The pod population in my tank was as robust after my vacation as before I had my mandarin, so I probably don't really need the culture, but will keep it going. Fat and happy mandarin! __________________ 75g mixed reef, 20g sump, ocelaris clownfish (20+yrs old), flame hawk, one spot foxface rabbitfish, green mandarin, Bicolor Blenny, Coral Beauty;30g sumpless with Spotcinctus pair with RBTA Current Tank Info: 75g mixed reef, 20g sump, ocelaris clownfish (20+yrs old), flame hawk, one spot foxface rabbitfish, green mandarin, Bicolor Blenny, Coral Beauty;30g sumpless with Spotcinctus pair

09/23/2015, 02:49 AM	#3
Dkuhlmann Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,823	Sounds like you were very successful with the pods. Care to share some pictures of your pod farm? __________________ Previous tanks: 200 gal fowlr 9" Emperor Angel and many different butterfly fish 4" maroon clown and several other fish, 50 gal sump, 40 gal mixed reef/fish mostly softies and LPS. Current Tank Info: 40b 750 gph 45 lbs lr, 2"-3" sand, 165w full spectrum dimable LED, 20 gal sump/refugium 30 lbs lr, Bak Pak 2 skimmer, 4" sock temp 79-80, sg 1.026, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 <10, ph 8.2, calc 400, mag 1300

09/23/2015, 09:06 AM	#6
shred5 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Waukesha , WI Posts: 4,998	Use live phyto, that is what I used and only feed pods every couple of days.. You could just add a little more and it will feed them a long time.. It also is alive so it will last and it helps maintain water quality. Honestly your pods will also do better with phyto. __________________ David Polzin

09/24/2015, 07:26 PM	#7
Silly clownfish Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Southeast Pennsylvania Posts: 488	The lights are out now. I will try to remember to post a photo tomorrow. Just a couple of plastic pretzel jars with an airstone in each. __________________ 75g mixed reef, 20g sump, ocelaris clownfish (20+yrs old), flame hawk, one spot foxface rabbitfish, green mandarin, Bicolor Blenny, Coral Beauty;30g sumpless with Spotcinctus pair with RBTA Current Tank Info: 75g mixed reef, 20g sump, ocelaris clownfish (20+yrs old), flame hawk, one spot foxface rabbitfish, green mandarin, Bicolor Blenny, Coral Beauty;30g sumpless with Spotcinctus pair

09/23/2015, 09:00 AM	#4
leemosh Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Posts: 48	Yeah, I'd also like to see your pod culturing setup. That's a good tip on keeping them fed on vacations, though!

09/23/2015, 09:06 AM	#5
KingTriton1 Moved On Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 642	Copepods can go without food for 2 weeks without issue IMO. I just got back from a one week vacation without any issue. I just dosed phytoplankton a little heavier than usual before leaving.