Raising copepods for food

[chriscoli]

I've got a few cultures of copepods (I'm guessing they're cyclops) going.....one from a purchased culture, one from a clump of java moss that got left in a collection cup with tank water under some light.

I think I'm starting to have enough of them to begin feeding to my fry. Anyone else raise these? I'm guessing that I can concentrate them one of several ways:

1. Get an appropriately sized plankton sieve and pour some of the culture through that
2. Pour through a coffee filter....will this even work?
3. Put a clump of java moss in with the culture overnight, then remove with attached copepods and put in with the fry.

The pic shows what they look like if you've never seen them before....they're the little white things clinging to the side of the shoebox....the snail should give you a good reference for size.

 

[Localzoo]

I had in my refugium for my saltwater but due to issues had to stop...
Easy way is with the moss type media like a sponge with large hole that you can shake out in the fish tank, just rotate a few pieces so that one is still in the copepod tank for them to colonize and hide etc.


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[chriscoli]

I had in my refugium for my saltwater but due to issues had to stop...
Easy way is with the moss type media like a sponge with large hole that you can shake out in the fish tank, just rotate a few pieces so that one is still in the copepod tank for them to colonize and hide etc.


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Makes sense! Thx!

 

[Localzoo]

No prob


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[daninmd]

I had in my refugium for my saltwater but due to issues had to stop...
Easy way is with the moss type media like a sponge with large hole that you can shake out in the fish tank, just rotate a few pieces so that one is still in the copepod tank for them to colonize and hide etc.


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yep, this works. another thing that works is growing any type of macro algae and using that to collect them as well. they come out at night, but during the day they like to hide in tight places. just make sure you collect them when the lights are on

 

[chriscoli]

good point about the lights.

I saw one place where they were using those bath body scrubbies (the big poofy ones made out of various colors of netting) as "condos" for the copepods. I think they're a little too large for my purposes, but a nice plastic kitchen scrubby or smaller home-made wad of netting might work.

 

[dogofwar]

I use the scrubbies as bio media...

good point about the lights.

I saw one place where they were using those bath body scrubbies (the big poofy ones made out of various colors of netting) as "condos" for the copepods. I think they're a little too large for my purposes, but a nice plastic kitchen scrubby or smaller home-made wad of netting might work.

 

[chriscoli]

I use the scrubbies as bio media...

Yeah, those were the ones I was thinking of trying out with the copepods.

Seems like it would be easy to keep a couple in with the copepods, then pull one out and toss one in with the fry every now and then.

 

[dogofwar]

I'm more than happy to donate a couple to the experiment

Matt

 

[chriscoli]

I'm more than happy to donate a couple to the experiment

Matt

I might need to take you up on that! The dollar store near me has metal scrubbies, or plastic scrubbies with a metal core. Metal=no good for most of these food cultures.

 

[Localzoo]

You can use the luffa and cut it into the sizes you need and wrap in the same material or cheese cloth or muslin...
Fin the real luffa Or snake skin gourd.
They look the pic

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[daninmd]

good point about the lights.

I saw one place where they were using those bath body scrubbies (the big poofy ones made out of various colors of netting) as "condos" for the copepods. I think they're a little too large for my purposes, but a nice plastic kitchen scrubby or smaller home-made wad of netting might work.

yep, those will work well for the copepods.

 

[Spine]

I use live sand,live rock and macro algae. The live rock is just a bunch of fifty cent size chunks mixed with lots of empty snail shells. Most shops will sell you shells and chunks of live rock(rubble) cheap.

Keep them well feed and they will explode. I let them settle in for a month before using them to feed with. I just pick up a shell or rock and shake them out in the tank that I'm feeding

 

[Blu]

I have been raising copepods for years- not because of profit driven reasons but rather I love to watch them... I have hundreds and hundreds of gallons of tanks all devoted to these lil hoppers. Daily I find myself staring into tanks watching the magnificent behavior that such a tiny million year old life form exhibits.
I sell them yes, and not for very much- I in fact do not make money considering the costs of start up and maintaining them ( I'm incredibly ocd so every tank needs to be the same, on symmetrical this and that- odd but that's how we are sometimes programmed.
I want to explain the pitfalls and how to do it right though rather not give away all my learned secrets!

There are 2 versions of pods, beta and iOS 9. Lol, planktonic which live down below on the substrate- and the rare floating (very cool) species that inhabit the top of the water column.

Ok, now don't use that loofa thing because it will become a biological death trap as it traps debris and the stuff that mucks our pristine water up QUICK.
USE SUBSTRATE! Simple Carib sea bio sand (super fine) and about 1/2" of it will allow pods to breed in private- I'm goofy tonite sorry. It is best to have a light color sand.
Air needs to be pumped into the tanks like mad or they sit at the surface where the gas exchange is highest to gasp.. Get one fizz stone on each side of your tank- and attach to power pumping air machines AKA air pump.
Feed them green water.
Who says they don't like light? I. Saw a post that said something about keeping it dark- nope. They LOVE light. They are attracted by it.
Fluorescent fixtures are best, I use all HO T5 and VHO LED to keep the -plants- which you should keep in there. Oh and the moss- you need it for the toddlers. When the children are born they hide in there instinctively.
Ok, I covered the main bases. I need to run quick- pm me with ANY question!
Oh and I'm actively shipping my -very high end- premium pods. Of which inquire away!
Good luck!
Pod On.
-blu.