Amphipods

Paul B · 06/17/2006, 11:40 AM

It's amphipod time of the year again. I just collected thousands of them in about 30 seconds. For some reason (probably increased pollution) the seaweed around my boat at the dock is just teeming with them. I have been collecting them for many years and I never saw so many. I just pick up a handful of the brown seaweed and there are literally thousands of them all over the place. I can't really put this weed in my reef because it falls apart and does not live so I just put it in a small breeder compartment and after a few days most of the amphipods swim out. As soon as I put it in the tank the fish went nuts. The bluestripe pipefish think they died and went to heaven because besides the large ones which are about 3/8th inch there are many more babies which are about twice the size of baby brine.
Here is a picture of the weed that they come with. I know you really can't see any amphipods in the picture but they are all over the place. For you people who live by the sea this fish food source is an opportunity that you should not miss. These things will breed in your reef for many months and they are perfect for a refugium. They also eat algae but not enough to make a dent in it.
All of those dots you see on the left side of the picture in the clear water are baby amphipods. You can see some large ones but they are out of focus
Have a great day.
Paul

Sk8r · 06/17/2006, 12:09 PM

Ah, to be where you can just scoop it off the pilings...[landlocked, alas.]

Paul B · 06/17/2006, 12:23 PM

LANDLOCKED I would move, immediately!

MIKE NY · 06/17/2006, 07:47 PM

thanks for the heads up Paul.......I thought the water was still to cold for anything yet......I gotta get out there and see what I can find.

dc3 · 06/17/2006, 08:00 PM

PaulB, what is the temperature of the sea where you get the amphipods. Is it possible that it is so close to normal tank temps ?

IÂ´m just curious. It is not possible for me to introduce anything from the ocean to my tank, being in Iceland with sea temp probably around 6-8 degrees C (43-47F).

Gisli

Chihuahua6 · 06/17/2006, 08:01 PM

I'm surrounded by water, the ocean, marshes and rivers. I'll bet I would get tons from the marsh grass. Thanks for the idea.

Paul B · 06/18/2006, 05:30 AM

Gisli, I doubt anything from Iceland would live in your tank but I do sometimes collect amphipods under the ice. I once collected a load of them on a day that it was 4 degrees F.
Mike, go to any dock and grab a handful of the seaweed thats growing near the surface. It is loaded with them. Everytime I lift the fenders on the side of my boat they jump all over the boat.
Amanda besides amphipods the marsh grass if full of grass shrimp and they will live in your tank forever, or until they are eaten. They also spawn constantly, the only problem with them is they sometimes jump out when a fish chases them.
It's Father's day today so I am making my Wife and Daughter collect with me. They hate that but on Father's day they have no choice.

Have a great day.
Paul

ERICinFL · 06/18/2006, 01:14 PM

I'm 10min from Cocoa Beach, I think I'll take a Faher's Day trip out there and see what I can find.

RL321 · 06/18/2006, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ERICinFL
I'm 10min from Cocoa Beach, I think I'll take a Faher's Day trip out there and see what I can find.

ericinfl... let me know what you find, I'm in palm bay...

Paul B · 06/19/2006, 03:00 AM

I don't think you get these things in FL. I hope so but I doubt it. You need those nice polluted muddy beaches. We have loads of them.

JmLee · 06/19/2006, 03:53 AM

i wonder if there are amphipod loaded places on the west coast.

Saltz Creep · 06/19/2006, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paul B
I don't think you get these things in FL. I hope so but I doubt it. You need those nice polluted muddy beaches. We have loads of them.

I collected tons of amphipods around Key West beaches where the water gets backwashed and silty. Florida Pets gets theirs from Key West too.

eboonaman · 06/19/2006, 07:38 AM

Thanks for the tip.. Gonna check it out.
chuck

Paul B · 06/19/2006, 03:11 PM

Saltz that sounds good. Of course here in NY we have some really muddy beaches, I mean muddy that it goes up to your knees and if you have shoes on, your loseing them, and forget the stink.

Paul

06/17/2006, 11:40 AM	#1
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	Amphipods It's amphipod time of the year again. I just collected thousands of them in about 30 seconds. For some reason (probably increased pollution) the seaweed around my boat at the dock is just teeming with them. I have been collecting them for many years and I never saw so many. I just pick up a handful of the brown seaweed and there are literally thousands of them all over the place. I can't really put this weed in my reef because it falls apart and does not live so I just put it in a small breeder compartment and after a few days most of the amphipods swim out. As soon as I put it in the tank the fish went nuts. The bluestripe pipefish think they died and went to heaven because besides the large ones which are about 3/8th inch there are many more babies which are about twice the size of baby brine. Here is a picture of the weed that they come with. I know you really can't see any amphipods in the picture but they are all over the place. For you people who live by the sea this fish food source is an opportunity that you should not miss. These things will breed in your reef for many months and they are perfect for a refugium. They also eat algae but not enough to make a dent in it. All of those dots you see on the left side of the picture in the clear water are baby amphipods. You can see some large ones but they are out of focus Have a great day. Paul

06/17/2006, 12:09 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Ah, to be where you can just scoop it off the pilings...[landlocked, alas.] __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

06/17/2006, 07:47 PM	#4
MIKE NY Two Decade club Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Franklin Square, N.Y. Posts: 4,381	thanks for the heads up Paul.......I thought the water was still to cold for anything yet......I gotta get out there and see what I can find. __________________ Proud LIRA Member February 2011 Manhattan Reefs TOTM Current Tank Info: 170 gal Reef, 20 gal frag/reef,90 gal fuge, 65 gal sump, 2-250 Radiums on Hamilton M80 HQIs, T5 actincs, Vertex in280 skimmer, MRC-2 Cal Reactor, Reeflo return pump

06/17/2006, 08:00 PM	#5
dc3 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Reykjavik, Iceland Posts: 38	Temp PaulB, what is the temperature of the sea where you get the amphipods. Is it possible that it is so close to normal tank temps ? IÂ´m just curious. It is not possible for me to introduce anything from the ocean to my tank, being in Iceland with sea temp probably around 6-8 degrees C (43-47F). Gisli

06/17/2006, 08:01 PM	#6
Chihuahua6 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: West Hempstead, NY Posts: 2,124	I'm surrounded by water, the ocean, marshes and rivers. I'll bet I would get tons from the marsh grass. Thanks for the idea. __________________ Leah Amanda Current Tank Info: First salt tank 1985, current tank 150 g acrylic

06/17/2006, 12:23 PM	#3
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	LANDLOCKED I would move, immediately!

06/18/2006, 05:30 AM	#7
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	Gisli, I doubt anything from Iceland would live in your tank but I do sometimes collect amphipods under the ice. I once collected a load of them on a day that it was 4 degrees F. Mike, go to any dock and grab a handful of the seaweed thats growing near the surface. It is loaded with them. Everytime I lift the fenders on the side of my boat they jump all over the boat. Amanda besides amphipods the marsh grass if full of grass shrimp and they will live in your tank forever, or until they are eaten. They also spawn constantly, the only problem with them is they sometimes jump out when a fish chases them. It's Father's day today so I am making my Wife and Daughter collect with me. They hate that but on Father's day they have no choice. Have a great day. Paul

06/18/2006, 01:14 PM	#8
ERICinFL Rejisturd Mimbur Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Brevard County, FL Posts: 1,346	I'm 10min from Cocoa Beach, I think I'll take a Faher's Day trip out there and see what I can find. __________________ Ummmm... yeah... don't touch the Mag Float. Sorry kids, your college fund is gone, but the tank looks SWEET right? Current Tank Info: 150gal mixed reef. ER CS135, 65gal sump/fuge with a Mag12 return. (2) Korillia 4s, (1) modded MJ1200, two SunSun 3200gph powerheads. 250+lbs LR.

06/19/2006, 03:00 AM	#10
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	I don't think you get these things in FL. I hope so but I doubt it. You need those nice polluted muddy beaches. We have loads of them. __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

06/19/2006, 03:53 AM	#11
JmLee Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hohensfels, Germany Posts: 1,545	i wonder if there are amphipod loaded places on the west coast.

06/19/2006, 07:38 AM	#13
eboonaman Moved On Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: long island - Deer Park Posts: 1,586	Thanks for the tip.. Gonna check it out. chuck

06/19/2006, 03:11 PM	#14
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	Saltz that sounds good. Of course here in NY we have some really muddy beaches, I mean muddy that it goes up to your knees and if you have shoes on, your loseing them, and forget the stink. Paul