Growing Copepods

[rzrmaster]

Hey Im wanting to grow copepods. I ran across a couple of really good articles:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/2/breeder

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-07/ds/index.htm


Do you know of any better designs to grow or culture everything needed to feed the copepods and grow them so I can in return harvest them for food for my tank?

Im still trying to figure out how to actually grow the different cultures even if I build it... any good tutorials?

Or would I just be better off just focusing on growing just the copepods like described in the first link?

thanks!!!

[shaginwagon13]

Hey Im wanting to grow copepods. I ran across a couple of really good articles:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/2/breeder

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-07/ds/index.htm


Do you know of any better designs to grow or culture everything needed to feed the copepods and grow them so I can in return harvest them for food for my tank?

Im still trying to figure out how to actually grow the different cultures even if I build it... any good tutorials?

Or would I just be better off just focusing on growing just the copepods like described in the first link?

thanks!!!

Why not breed them in your sump. They will make their way to your display tank.

Here is some info though:
http://web1.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135137

[rzrmaster]

I am wanting to get a mandarin dragonet and want to make sure I have plenty of copepods for it.

[shaginwagon13]

I am wanting to get a mandarin dragonet and want to make sure I have plenty of copepods for it.

How large is your tank and how long has it been up and running for?

[rzrmaster]

40 gallons ... 4 months.. I bought a bottle of copepods and added half to my dt and half to my sump. I been dosing an algae solution that my lfs manufactures every other day to help establish a copepod population in my tank but like I said I want to make sure I have a continuous supply of copepods to harvest for feeding.

[genge24]

I'm sure you will be fine with adding them in your sump. My DT and sump are covered with literally hundreds of them!

[FullBoreReefer]

I'm sure you will be fine with adding them in your sump. My DT and sump are covered with literally hundreds of them!

Hundreds, thats it? haha

Ive got millions and millions lol

[genge24]

LOL they probably are in the thousands. I guess I was being a bit too conservative!

[rzrmaster]

if I dont try to grow my own food source to feed the copepods what is a good alternative?

[ryeguyy84]

Do you have a Refugium? That's where all of mine hide out

[rzrmaster]

i have a sump with chaeto that i poured half a bottle of pods into

[JAnwyl]

On YouTube they have some videos of tanks dedicated to breading them. (Shows little cardboard housing they seem to bread in, you need to see the video I can't describe it) But maybe you could modify it to fit in your refugium, allowing you to boost your population.

[dotcommer]

I've heard that adding an algae scrubber is amazing at growing a pod collection.