Copeopod questions

Copeopod numbers are down in my tank, actually decimated compared to what they were before. When I got my Mandarin Goby they were everywhere, hence the reason I figured the goby would thrive. In the span of a day or two now you can only see a few here and there on the glass. Could it be because I cleaned the glass? Or maybe my Mandarin is just a little piggy?
+ I supplemented my tank with DT's live copeopods x1 and I also spot feed around the tank with live phytoplankton.

~Andy

 

Just from some things I've heard... that tank may be too small for a mandarin tank(on it's own). I'm sure Packleader will chime in. He has a separate tank just for growing pods. His main tank is 40 gallons.

 

could be you cleaned the glass theres no food on it now so they dont go to it. also could be your mandarin, a ant eater eat 35000 ants a day, a mandarin is like have the size of a ant eater comparing the mandarin to copepod size ratio and anteater to ant size ratio.
so 17500
pulse mandarin is cold blooded so lets half that again
8750 thats how many copepods i predict your mandarin eats.
now this is definitely wrong but how about some karma for effort.
anyway you mandarin probably eats alot of them

 

Andy, how long has the tank been established? And a mandarin will decimate a pod population, its good to have a refugium for them to thrive and at least keep a safe population of them... I would keep adding them everyday, I know it can be expensive but the mandarin's are sort of a tough fish to keep... I too want to grab one of these guys, but i know i cant handle one ATM...

Best of luck, and anyone please chime in...

 

I was definately thinking about starting to breed the little buggers myself. Or else it will get very expensive. Everybody keeps saying the tank might be too small. He seems happy and we have a lot of live rock for him to check out sooo... we will see...

 

To sustain a steady population you need a 120 gallon tank or bigger with atleast 150lbs live rock.

Stop cleaning the glass so much. Don't clean it for a week or so and see what happens. Also try feeding them Marine Snow everyday with the filters turned off.

After that week of not cleaning the glass. Turn your lights off for 48 hours. Once the lights come back on you should see a bunch of copepods.

 

Thanks guys!

 

What does everybody think about tigerpods?? One LFS said they get them in occasionally but haven't seen them yet.

 

The dragonette doesn't look like he has a sunken belly.