How to ADD live CopePods to my Tank from My CopePod FARM (for Mandarin Feeding)

[Wally.B]

Looking for some advice from experienced CopePod breeders.

After 2 failed attempts, I finally got a CopePod FARM breeding successfully. I have started harvesting to start feeding my Mandarin.

My current working setup is a simple 10 Gallon take where I introduced a bottle of Tigger Copepods from ReefNutrition a few weeks ago. (Isolated from tank).

After about 3 weeks they have started multiplying, and there are enough that I'm using a Turkey baster, to harvest a bit from my FARM, and I add it to my tank.

I think this method should work, if I don't take too much from the FARM (So I have enough adults to keep the population growing).

I mustn't contaminate the FARM as suggested by the instructions on ReefNutrition website. (dipping a net back and forth between Tank and Farm). As per ReefNutrition, they call it BIO-Security.
Also to keep the FARM going long term, I'll be doing small water changes each month, and taking care of shifting the sludge/waste that accumulates at the bottom of the Farm, since there are baby CopePods (Nauplii) in the sludge.


Sure I thought of doing a refugium, and I did try that on a small scale, but they quickly escaped within 3 days.

What advice can someone provide based on successful experience with rasing live CopePods?

ReefNutrituion support gave me some good advice to breed successfully, but they don't have much to say about harvesting, since their harvest method is to harvest the full batch, once it matures enough.

Could I just dump 1/2 or 1/4 each month, and keep the remainder for the next FARM Batch? Will dumping too many live CopePod into my tank create waste problems in my SPS only tank.

Do the Copepods get into my sump and continue to breed there, if I put some live rock in?

Attached are pics of my working FARM (TAKE3). and the Refugium I tried (TAKE2). ....The (TAKE 1) was my first attempt, and it failed, for many reasons, even though it should have worked.
BreedingTiggersPod-Take3.jpg

BreedingTiggersPod-Take2.jpg

BreedingTiggersPod-Take1.jpg

[ShannyG]

Are copepods attracted to light? With my brine shrimp tank I turn off the circulation and turn on a strong light at one side of the tank. The shrimp are attracted to it, and I then syphon them out with a length of tubing, catching them in a very fancy homemade net made of old pantyhose. I then rinse that net in a small tub of tank water and release. Top up the hatchery with fresh saltwater and your work is done!
IF copepods are attracted to light, that is....

[pktech]

Originally Posted by Wally.B

Looking for some advice from experienced CopePod breeders.

After 2 failed attempts, I finally got a CopePod FARM breeding successfully. I have started harvesting to start feeding my Mandarin.

My current working setup is a simple 10 Gallon take where I introduced a bottle of Tigger Copepods from ReefNutrition a few weeks ago. (Isolated from tank).

After about 3 weeks they have started multiplying, and there are enough that I'm using a Turkey baster, to harvest a bit from my FARM, and I add it to my tank.

I think this method should work, if I don't take too much from the FARM (So I have enough adults to keep the population growing).

I mustn't contaminate the FARM as suggested by the instructions on ReefNutrition website. (dipping a net back and forth between Tank and Farm). As per ReefNutrition, they call it BIO-Security.
Also to keep the FARM going long term, I'll be doing small water changes each month, and taking care of shifting the sludge/waste that accumulates at the bottom of the Farm, since there are baby CopePods (Nauplii) in the sludge.


Sure I thought of doing a refugium, and I did try that on a small scale, but they quickly escaped within 3 days.

What advice can someone provide based on successful experience with rasing live CopePods?

ReefNutrituion support gave me some good advice to breed successfully, but they don't have much to say about harvesting, since their harvest method is to harvest the full batch, once it matures enough.

Could I just dump 1/2 or 1/4 each month, and keep the remainder for the next FARM Batch? Will dumping too many live CopePod into my tank create waste problems in my SPS only tank.

Do the Copepods get into my sump and continue to breed there, if I put some live rock in?

Attached are pics of my working FARM (TAKE3). and the Refugium I tried (TAKE2). ....The (TAKE 1) was my first attempt, and it failed, for many reasons, even though it should have worked.
Attachment 299739

Attachment 299740

Attachment 299741

I love it! What do you mean when you say a "sealed" 10 gallon tank?

[MondoBongo]

i just use sieves. i have the sieve set, and the rotifer sieve from these guys:

http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/Sie...-Set-p205.html
http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/c9/...ieve-p220.html

i actually usually just use the rotifer sieve for removing or saving pods. i just did my water change yesterday, i poured out about 3/4 the water from my culture vessel through the rotifer sieve in to the waste bucket. you could see all the pods caught on the sieve screen. then, if you're going to put them in the tank, just wash them off the sieve in to the sump with tank water. otherwise, wash them back in to the culture vessel with fresh saltwater as you refill it. easy peasy.

[MondoBongo]

Originally Posted by Wally.B

What advice can someone provide based on successful experience with rasing live CopePods?

i always use freshly mixed saltwater. never leftovers from the tank. i add a little fresh RODI to account for evap, but the salinity is usually close to where my tank is. i use those big plastic containers that you get pretzels in from CostCo or Sam's Club.



regular water changes are key. i also culture my own phyto, so i don't have to buy it. it's very simple and really only requires a few empty two liter bottles, air pump, sift airline, and rigid airline.

Originally Posted by Wally.B

Could I just dump 1/2 or 1/4 each month, and keep the remainder for the next FARM Batch? Will dumping too many live CopePod into my tank create waste problems in my SPS only tank.

they're alive so it shouldn't create any waste problems. in fact, they should help eat little bits of phyto and detritus in the tank. i typically just filter out a bunch, dump in the sump, and then wait a few weeks to let the population in the culture vessels rebound.

Originally Posted by Wally.B

Do the Copepods get into my sump and continue to breed there, if I put some live rock in?

yup! i've even seen people use those puff ball sponges, macro algae, rocks, pretty much anything to give them a place to live and eat.

[gogo7]

thought i'd add my 2cents...i split my copepods into many differing bottles. i haven't had a copepod crash yet. i can see your concern for contamination.... i do daily wc on my dt, and that water is used in my pod cultures. my cultures are all now poly cultures. and they all started out as rotifer cultures. most all my roti cultures are contamned with tigriops, and ciliates. i have 2 litre containers with artemia, cilitates, rotis, and copepods all living in glorious harmony until the baster comes along. tigriops do fantastic polycultured with artemia. they seem to eat the bacteria that mulitply on the empty cyst husks of artemia salina.
if i can recommend something, it's live phyto. keeping and maintaining live phyto is not difficult at all. i live in canada as well and maintain my phytos on a south facing window sill. also, bakers yeast works great as well, as long as you supplement with phyto. a few nuggets of dried bakers yeast dissolved in an oz or two of tw, then added a drop at a time works great and is very convenient plankton food. another tip is your culture container needs to be 'dirty'. zooplanktons seem to do better in jungles than in deserts. i use no heat, air or care about sg. you can cut your sg down to .014 and they'll do fine.
i also found that using a large 'turkey basting' syringe with a straw attached works better for harvesting than the turkey baster does. i've been harvesting copepod nauplii from the bottom of the pop bottles with this tool with great success. i find the syringe is easier to control than that big rubber bulb, and the mucky detritus that comes with the pods is limited and undisturbed with this method.
i like plankton threads. most if not all reefers should cultivate live plankton for their animals. the benefits become instantly obvious.
splitting your cultures is the biggest recommendation i can make for you.
all the best wally...

[Wally.B]

So you guys just start the next batch, by just topping up water after a harvesting? Keep some adults around for next generation. The harvest, is basically a water change, but you get your shrimp or pods during it. Cool.

[Wally.B]

Originally Posted by pktech

I love it! What do you mean when you say a "sealed" 10 gallon tank?

I meant I have a lid on the 10 gallon tank to prevent contamination.

[payneberg]

This has been helpful! My questions is this: I have two 10 g tanks that I'm using for both copepods and amphipods. About two weeks into I have a great deal of sediment on the bottom of the tank. Is this waste? New hatch of copepods?

Thanks!

[LeakyZ]

+1 I just started this as well and have fluffy sediment on bottom

[Wally.B]

Yes, the sediment at the bottom is a good thing. Means there is reproduction going on. Congrats.

Don't bother removing it, at least for a while.

In there are the Napuli, tiny Copepod Baby's. Too tiny too see.

I was told by Reef Nutrition, that you should shift through the sediment to ensure you keep the babies.

Here is a PIC. of my 10 Gal Farm. (3 months old) with the Bottom sediment. Also see the Adults swimming around (white specs). I have never removed the sediment, just keep toping up with water as it evaporates. Never had a crash this way.

[Wally.B]

TIGER FARM UPDATE: (2nd Harvest/Water Change)

So it's been a while since my Tigger Farm Started.

I've been successful keeping the tiggers multiplying over many months.

Ever week I'd scoop up some Tiggers and feed my tank.

However after many Month's I was worried the water was getting bad quality.
Nitrate levels were though the roof, but they are hardy and kept living.

I perfected the water change/Farm Clean up technique and sharing.

Below illustrates the process.


- I run a air tube line into tigger Tank Farm.
- Line is attached with a Mag Clip to prevent from falling out, and nice height adjustment, (right down to the bottom).
- The siphon runs into a bucket where I've attached a tray.
- In the tray is the filter which is a 180u Mesh Box (that catches the adults)
- Nice and slowly the tiggers are drained from the tank
- The Flashlight lure attract the tigger to the siphon line.
- I have a pump into another bucket to drain bucket when it fills.
- As tank reaches bottom, I trip the tank to get every last drop.
- Final filtration is the bucket (using 75u mesh) which probably have the invisible Napuli Tigger babies. (But I can't see them without a microscope)
- New Farm is nice and clean with fresh water.

[Wally.B]

TIGER FARM UPDATE: (2nd Harvest/Water Change)

So it's been a while since my Tigger Farm Started.

I've been successful keeping the tiggers multiplying over many months.
Been feeding PhytoPheat whenever water loses Yellow color.

Ever week I'd scoop up some Adult Tiggers with a mesh box and feed my tank.
My Mandarin has survived many months and is healthy.

However after many Month's I was worried the water was getting bad quality.
Nitrate levels were though the roof, but they are hardy and kept living.

I perfected the water change technique and sharing.
Last change, I stood there painfully for an hour with mesh and spills and waste.

Below illustrates the improved water Change/Harvest process.

THE WHOLE POINT of this GENTLE Siphoning Technique is to NOT Stir up the sediment waste on the Bottom of the Farm.


- I run a air tube line into tigger Tank Farm.
- Line is attached with a Mag Clip to prevent from falling out, and nice height adjustment, (right down to the bottom).
- The siphon runs into a bucket where I've attached (clamped) a tray. (Tray has a nice pool of water for Tiggers to swim in).
- In the tray is the filter which is a 180u Mesh Box (that catches the tiggers. All adults and most Napuli)
- Nice and slowly the tiggers are drained from the tank (I dump the filter box full of tiggers every so often into a clean container).
- The Flashlight lure attracts the tigger to the siphon line. (Improves the efficiency of the harvest a bit).
- I have a pump into another bucket to drain bucket when it fills.
- As Farm Water level reaches bottom, I tip the tank GENTLY (propped it up) to get every last drop.
- Final filtration is the bucket (using mesh again for 2nd pass) which probably have the invisible Napuli Tigger babies. (But I can't see them without a microscope)
----------> Reef Nutrition recommend using a 75um Mesh for the Napuli, but I don't have one.
- AT THE END I also stir up the waste on the bottom of the Farm Tank for a final filtration (catch the newly born Napuli).
- This time I was prepared for the bucket filling up (had a pump from one bucket to another, to do a water transfer).
- New Farm is nice and clean with fresh water. (I'm set for a few more months).

[GSMclowns]

Thanks for sharing.. I am looking to do something like this in the near future. I think as soon as I defeat the dreaded red algae in my tank and I will start doing this.

[reeftanknewbie]

Wally B,

Any updates since your last post? I am curious to see how you have been able to maintain your farm. Great work by the way and thanks for sharing this with all of us.

[Wally.B]

Originally Posted by reeftanknewbie

Wally B,

Any updates since your last post? I am curious to see how you have been able to maintain your farm. Great work by the way and thanks for sharing this with all of us.

I still have the Farm, which feeds my Mandarin.

I do nothing except feed the Farm PhytoPlantkon. DT Live, or ReefNutrition PhytoPheast. I should do water changes, but I don't.

Lately the Farm is slowly diminishing. There are adult copepods, but there is no population explosion like first time.

I think last time I harvested, I drained too many of the Baby Copepod (Napeuli). I think their small size passed through my 180 micron Sift.
So I got a 75 micro Sift for next harvest. They can't pass thru this one.

Or maybe I should be doing water changes between harvests (like every month or so). I do notice Nitrates do get very high, so maybe adults can handle it but not Babies.

Also, next time I might yank the heater. I emailed ReefNutriton a while ago. They told me no heater needed, since they are tough. I did the heater, so that when feeding tank, the water temps would match, so they might live and thrive in the tank. (Who knows, it might be working (living in my tank), but I can't see them in tank. Too small). What I do know is I only feed Mandarin from Farm, like once every 1-2 weeks. He's always hunting and eating, and alive after many month. (I never see Mandarin eating regular fish food, so he must be eating something).

[KingTriton1]

FWIW, I find it best when my air pump produces a bubble every 4-5 seconds. The biggest observation I noticed was that they don't fair well when using an air pump with a tight fitted lid. Also, Trigger pods have gene that prevents them from reproducing if they feel over populated.

[shred5]

I most of the time used a sieve but some people use sponges, loufa, rocks or or cheato and just place them in the tank...

I saw someone use MarinePure Ceramic Biomedia which is really porous and they had two and just switched between the reef and culture. The mandrin knew when they got switched there was food and swam over right away.


Grow cheato in you culture it helps keep the water quality up, pods also like some where to hide.

I always siphoned the algae that accumulated in the corners.

[Wally.B]

Originally Posted by KingTriton1

FWIW, I find it best when my air pump produces a bubble every 4-5 seconds. The biggest observation I noticed was that they don't fair well when using an air pump with a tight fitted lid. Also, Trigger pods have gene that prevents them from reproducing if they feel over populated.

I may try the slow bubble technique. I recently did that for my brine shrimp farm.
What I've been doing in my Tigger CopePod farm is running two air stones, so have been creating a storm of tiny bubbles, in the 10 Gal Farm.

ONE other important point. I do have my 10Gal Farm covered with a plexy glass cover. Greatly reduces evaportation, so I don't have to top off often.

Also, once I had a drop of baby brine shrimp water fall into the CopePod farm. A couple of baby brine shrimps got in and CONTAMINATED the FARM. They grew massive since they were eating up all the Copepods. Only good thing is the two shrimps got so big, and they were easy to see and remove.

(In my case, with a 10 Gal farm, I don't have an overpopulation problem. Plenty of room compared to a lidded JAR with air vent hole, which I did before, and success was very limited)

[Wally.B]

Originally Posted by shred5

I most of the time used a sieve but some people use sponges, loufa, rocks or or cheato and just place them in the tank...

I saw someone use MarinePure Ceramic Biomedia which is really porous and they had two and just switched between the reef and culture. The mandrin knew when they got switched there was food and swam over right away.


Grow cheato in you culture it helps keep the water quality up, pods also like some where to hide.

I always siphoned the algae that accumulated in the corners.

Growing Chaeto in the Farm may have it's advantages. But you need lighting to keep it growing/alive. (Something I don't want to bother with).

Also when Adding the Chaeto, you have to make sure it's contaminate free (other creatures, bacteria, etc). Or else they may ruin the farm. Even when I added Chaeto to my sump, I dipped it ReVive, and it kill off a bunch of brine shrimp that came with it.

[shred5]

Originally Posted by Wally.B

I may try the slow bubble technique. I recently did that for my brine shrimp farm.
What I've been doing in my Tigger CopePod farm is running two air stones, so have been creating a storm of tiny bubbles, in the 10 Gal Farm.

ONE other important point. I do have my 10Gal Farm covered with a plexy glass cover. Greatly reduced evaportation, so I don't have to top off often.

Also, once I had a drop of baby brine shrimp water fall into the CopePod farm. A couple of baby brine shrimps got in and CONTAMINATED the FARM. They grew massive since they were eating up all the Copepods. Only good thing is the two shrimps got so big, and they were easy to see and remove.

I had that happen to my rotifer culture once.. Several giant brineshrimp....

[Wally.B]

Yes, I learned.....Never use equipment (nets, tubes, etc) between farms, or between display tank and Farms, unless you properly de-contaminate them. For me that means washing, and letting dry for 48 hours. Drain tubes are hard to wash and dry (inside), so I use dedicated.

[shiftline]

Is there really a big contamination issue? I have a couple gallon container full of pods/phyto.. when it gets lighter greed i dump in fresh phyto to add more food... I havent done a water change on the pod culture as of yet (been about a month) I do however take a cup or so of the phyto/pod culture and dump it into my tank every day or two... I top off once in a while with RO and add some fresh salt water once the water level drops from pulling to much out.. so far so good and extremely simple.

[Wally.B]

Originally Posted by shiftline

Is there really a big contamination issue? I have a couple gallon container full of pods/phyto.. when it gets lighter greed i dump in fresh phyto to add more food... I havent done a water change on the pod culture as of yet (been about a month) I do however take a cup or so of the phyto/pod culture and dump it into my tank every day or two... I top off once in a while with RO and add some fresh salt water once the water level drops from pulling to much out.. so far so good and extremely simple.

I have become a bit more sloppy as my copepod farm has become sustainable. Yet I still always rinse my strainers, and dry them to become life-sterile. (NEVER use the same nets or strainers between farms (copepod-BrineShrimps).

And for my live brine shrimp farm I re-use the same old water for a few batches.

However one time (before I started practicing better quarantine) a couple of baby brine shrimps from my shrimp farm did somehow get into my Copepod farm (either by egg or a young shrimp), and in a very short period of time they grew massive (since they were eating the copepods like crazy). The brine shrimp were so big and noticeable that they were easy to catch and remove. But they must have eaten a ton of the baby copepods (napeuli), so that is where I express the concern about contamination. Other contaminants could be similarly harmful to a copepod farm (and possibly not a noticeable as a brine shrimp, which could lead to a copepod farm failure).

[shiftline]

I could see that happening! No brine shirmp for me for now. Just phyto and a random mix of pods. Keeps my whole tank happy including the pipe fish and Mandarin.

Debating trying dwarf seahorses if i can find them





Culture seems pretty dense. Those two shots were just in a container I scooped out to dose the tank