Copepods / amphipods frenzy

I am ready to start building my pod population! But I am very confused so let's start from the beginning.
1. Copepods vs. Amphipods
(do they bread together can I have them both In my fuge)
2. What kind or brand.
(AlgaGen reefpods/ nutramar pods/ algaGen amphipods/tiggerpods) there has to be a better one then the other? Hope this makes sense and if you need more info just ask! thanks


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Amphipods will feed on copepods, but many people do keep them together in a fuge. If the main purpose of this is to feed a mandarin, I would forgo the amphipods, though. If it is for biodiversity, throw the amphipods in.

As far as which ones to use, my favourite of the ones you mentioned are the Reefpods. The tiggerpods are less benthic and more pelagic (ie. swimmers rather than sand crawlers), so mandarins feed better on benthic pods such as Reefpods.

 

Keep them all. Amphipods will not annihilate your copepods stock, actually amphipods just can’t seem to make up their minds on a food source, scavenger, herbivore, filter feeder, detritivore, omnivore, predator.

The addition of live rock or live sand into your system is generally sufficient to start a thriving population – all you need to do is build the refugium and they will naturally find the sanctuary and thrive in population.

 

I just threw brands off of my head if there is better than that I would love to know also I used base rock with like 10 lbs of live rock I got the rock from a friend with no hitchhikers or pods so I have to start from scratch and will the pods do good with lr and chato in a fuge


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And also on the reef pods foster and smith Shows like 6 different kinds this is where I get confused


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Well, as was stated above, if you have liverock/sand in your system, you already have copepods and likely amphipods. You don't really need to add any others. The brands mentioned above are great for people who don't have sufficient pods in their tanks to support a mandarin, and need to supplement. Or for people who are starting a system with non-live rock, and want to seed some pods. But if you already have liverock, you don't need to order any of these. Your fuge will naturally seed itself and flourish.

 

I just do not under stand I had nothing live but 10 lbs out of a system with no pods so will I still get pods


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If that 10lbs of rock came from an existing system and was still "live" when you put it in your tank they will start populating. I say just buy a cheap bottle of pods anyways, it will deff help. That's what I did so I would have a little diversity.

 

Ok I will do but I just still don't get if my friends tank is 21/2 years old and he has never seen a pod how will I get them is there a cretin kind of pod cuz there is lots of different ones


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Any established system has pods, as long as it was started with live rock. I'm not shocked you never saw them, as they don't tend to come out except in complete darkness. One day, if you have the chance, take a look at your friend's tank once the lights have been out for a few hours. Shine a flashlight on the rocks and you should see plenty of pods and life forms that you never knew were there.