Cultivating Cephlopods

[RogerJoys]

My tank has a Scooter "Blenny" (Dragonette), and I want to make sure he's got a good supply of Cephlopods to chow down.

I started the tank with live rock and live sand, and 2 weeks ago added a bottle of Trigger Pods. The Scooter is very active cruising the tank, stirring up the sand every now and then, and seems happy and well fed.

My question is, how the heck can I tell if there is a healthy amount of pods in the tank? I was advised to shine a light at night onto rock and see if they scurry away. I hate to do this as I always disturb something, and the one time I tried didn't really see anything though my 50 year old eyes.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

[fishgate]

lol - squid? octopus?

but seriously... I have the same problem, I added a bottle of copepods to the tank and trust they are doing their thing. Other then seeing them swimming around and observing the health of the dragonette, I am not sure how to tell if there are enough pods.

[Seagars]

i was told to grow them for at least 3 months prior to adding any fish that would eat them.
sounds like you will have to do in separate tank for 3 months.

[Zoomadness]

Originally Posted by Seagars

i was told to grow them for at least 3 months prior to adding any fish that would eat them.
sounds like you will have to do in separate tank for 3 months.

Add pods to a safe place like a refugium or find a "secluded" place in your tank where they can breed/live without being preyed upon. I have them growing like mad in my fuge with Chaeto and they like to hide under snail shells that I have for decorationin the DT. I have yet to even buy a single pod, they hitchhike on live rock or pieces of coral that I have. My tang will pick one off from time to time but otherwise the clowns don't really care about them.

At night when viewing your fish, use a red light so as not to spook your fish/inverts. You can buy LED flashlights that are red from the hardware store or you can simply take a piece of red acetate and affix over the end of your flashlight/light source. Just be careful that it does not get too hot!

[RogerJoys]

Oops yes not octopus or squid

Thanks for the info!

[thegrun]

I had to take a look, I had never heard of anyone raising cuttlefish or octopi in an aquarium...

[small alien]

Scooters are the easiest dragonets. It should take frozen mysis, cyclopeeze and prawn roe readily. Feed to saturation 2-3 times daily and you should be good. Turn off the flow when feeding for 15 minutes or so so the fish can really chow down.

I've kept lots of scoots and have had great luck. My first sw fish were a pair of scoots. That was a crash course in learning to feed finicky fish. And I've been a sucker for them ever since. Good luck.

[small alien]

Originally Posted by thegrun

I had to take a look, I had never heard of anyone raising cuttlefish or octopi in an aquarium...

Indeed they do. Most Cephalopods have a short life span. When kept in aquaria, theyre often purchased as eggs.

[RogerJoys]

Originally Posted by thegrun

I had to take a look, I had never heard of anyone raising cuttlefish or octopi in an aquarium...

Thank goodness I posted this in the newbie section!

[small alien]

Don't worry. That's nothin.

[spieszak]

Originally Posted by small alien

Indeed they do. Most Cephalopods have a short life span. When kept in aquaria, theyre often purchased as eggs.

Because of the short life span, you have to almost look at it as cultivating too...