They are tiny crustaceans.These little creatures are important food sources for some types of fish.They are the only food that some fish will eat.Growing your own copepods at home may seem intimidating, but fear not, these guys are super hardy.Pick the appropriate species of copepods for your aquarium.It is best to grow your copepods in a separate culturing container, but you can grow them in your main tank as well.
Step 1: Purchase a small container or aquarium.
A separate culturing container is the best way to grow copepods.An aquarium is ideal because ketpods prefer large containers.No worries if you don't have room for another aquarium.A small container, like a Rubbermaid plastic jar, can be used.A ten gallon tank is the best for an aquarium.A cool hack is to divide the tank into two halves using a piece of plexiglass.If one culture fails, you have a backup.
Step 2: The container should be kept at room temperature.
You should avoid temperature extremes.It may not be the best idea to keep your container in the sun in July or in a drafty attic during the winter.Pick a room in the house that is moderate in temperature.
Step 3: The air flow should be adjusted.
Keep your copepods happy and healthy with gentle aeration.Attach an air pump to a gang valve with rigid air tubing.Use the gang valve to adjust the air flow into the tank or container after placing the end of the tube in the water.It should be flowing at a rapid rate.To allow the tubing to pass through, drill a hole in the lid.
Step 4: The proper salinity needs to be maintained.
The tank should be kept at 25-35ppt (1.018-1.025+).There are a number of different tools that you can use to measure salinity.For an accurate measurement, follow the directions on the packaging.The culturing container should be the same salinity as the main tank.The copepods will not go into shock if you feed them to your fish or coral.
Step 5: Feed your copepods with a phytoplankton.
plankton is a tiny marine algae.Check to see what type of plants are best for your species.You can buy it at your local fish store.It is easy to find nannochloropsis.
Step 6: You can put a few drops of phytoplankton in your container.
Drop by drop, until the water turns a light green color.The water will become lighter as the copepods eat the phytoplankton.The goal is to keep the water green.If you want to clean up the gunk at the bottom of your tank, leave it until you do your monthly cleaning.It is normal and healthy for copepods.
Step 7: The copepods should be put in the container.
Add your copepods to your culturing container.Allow your copepods to reach room temperature.Don't worry about acclimation.These guys are tough.
Step 8: Don't forget to harvest your copepods.
When it is time to feed your copepods to your fish or coral, take a cupful of water from your culturing container.Put the water over the screen.This will allow the little guys to go.Add the copepods to your main tank by washing the screen and putting them in a new container.Allow the adult population to grow a week in between harvests.
Step 9: The water should be changed regularly.
To collect the copepods, drain the water over a 55 micron fine mesh screen, and then place the screen in a clean, saltwater-filled container so they don't dry up.Add fresh saltwater to the tank after wiping it down with a paper towel and rinsing it out with fresh water.Add fresh phytoplankton and copepods.The water in the tank should be changed every four weeks.For a small culturing container, like a jar or a large cup, change the water weekly.
Step 10: Keep an eye out for pollutants.
It is possible that your copepods culture may become contaminated with other organisms.You may need to start a new culture if this happens.The population can be killed off by the contaminants.
Step 11: Get a refugium.
A refugium is an area that shares water with the main tank but is partially separated to protect delicate organisms.If you want a refugium that works with your price point and aquarium size, talk to an employee at your local fish store.The cheapest type is an in-tank refugium.It is a small container that allows water to flow through but keeps larger animals out.A hang-on refugium is a container that hangs off the back of the main tank, while a second tank is placed under it.
Step 12: The refugium should have a habitat for the copepods.
To give the copepods food sources and areas to hide, add live rock, sand, and macroalgae.All of these items can be found at local saltwater fish stores.If you clean your refugium too much, your copepods will not be able to eat.Overgrowth can be prevented by trimming your macroalgae occasionally.
Step 13: Prey can be removed from your refugium.
If you have other creatures in your refugium, like emerald crabs or bristle worms, you should remove a few of them before you grow your copepods.If you don't want to remove predators, you can raise your copepods in a separate container.
Step 14: Add copepods to your refugium.
Drop them into the refugium at room temperature.They have a chance to swim away from the fish and filter feeders if you turn off the pumps before you add them.
Step 15: Don't let the fish population get out of hand.
If you want to grow copepods in the same tank as your fish, you need to make sure they reproduce faster than they are being eaten.The balance could be thrown off if you have too many fish.Clown fish and line wrasse, fish species that don't rely on copepods as their main food source, still like to snack on them.If you want to see how many copepods are in your tank, shine a light at night.The copepods will look like tiny white specks.These little creatures can be found behind live rock or in tank corners.
Step 16: Determine the best type of copepods for your fish.
Marine fish like mandarin dragonets and scooter blennies can be fed by combepods.Do your research to make sure you pick the right species.Adult fish should be fed Tigriopus californicus, one of the most common copepods.At high population densities and varying water temperatures, these creatures are hardy and can survive.The larva fish should never be fed Tigriopus.They can cause distress and death by clawing at the larva.The best places to feed coral are Tisbe and Nitokra.They reproduce more quickly than Tigriopus, which makes them a little harder to see.They are tough like Tigriopus.
Step 17: Purchase live animals.
You can buy bottles of live copepods at your local fish store.You can order them through online retailers like LiveAquaria.com.
Step 18: The fish will respond to the copepods.
Some fish may not be able to handle larger copepods like Tigriopus.Tigriopus can sometimes fight their way out of a fish gut.You will need to choose a smaller species if this happens.