copepod population boost?

hey,
just wondering if there is any way to get a established copepod population to increase(bloom). i got alot of pods in my fuge but i dont seem to get much in my tank. im sure this is due too the significant specailzed pod hunters in my tank. sometimes i notice the population will explode and ill find swarms. but they disappear quickly. my fuge always has a good amount in it.

so is there any thing i can do to force blooms of pods?. like would feeding my fuge help?.would adding phyto strait to my fuge do anything?. it seems the popu. reaches a size and wont grow bigger or smaller. any ideas on how to get more pods to the display.?

or is the only way to increase pod poulation to get a bigger fuge.? they seem to reach a population density for the space given and level off?.

 

good question - i'm curious too

 

I think thats normal. They can only reach a certain population then stop. The boom might just be more food in the tank for a while, depending on what they eat. Don't know what else could do it, besides the fish. If you have a six line they will eat a TON of them all day. Research what the pods eat and try adding it to the tank.

 

I do add phyto to the fuge every once in a while along with dropping a chunk of silverside in there sometimes too - its crazy how quick the pods can consume the fish 8) I'm more curious on how to get more in the display too. I think my prob is I have 2 scooters and 1 mandarin so they consume them all before I get to see any.

 

Hey BluePhish
Turn the lights off for a couple of days..you will see a bloom.

Also add about 50 small empty hermit crab shells and throw them in dark areas of the tank where the fish or you cant easily get to....u can get them about 10 cents each

Copepods like to hide in those shells. Your aquascaping(which is freakin awesome) does not allow for much hiding space for copepods

Try to reduce the amount of time your lights are on. This could definetly help.

You can also try Marine Trace by Seachem and see if increasing the trace elements has a positive effect on copepod population.

Just some ideas.

Good luck

 

Good idea with the empty shells! I have tons in one of my display tanks that I'll be putting in my fuge now! One time when I needed some shells my lfs just gave them to me, I'm sure it won't be much different for anyone else.

 

I think that the pods you see are just ones that come out of hiding. I have noticed that some days I will see tons of pods and others there will only be a few. I don't have anything eating my pods so I have to think that they just don't always come out. I also hear that pods like to live and eat in hair algae, But wouldn't want to add this to my tank. But more rocks and places that they can hide will increase there numbers. Good luck.

 

Well that explains where all of my pods came from. They're running out of Hair Algae though thanks to my uber aquarium skills. I guess I'll just have to get a Mandarin to keep them in check...Moooooom!!! Christmas is SO close and there are SO MANY pods...can we PRETTY PLEASE?

 

You should feed pods with something like Phyto-feast or Phyto2 a rate of about 4 or 5 drops per gallon of water in your fuge. Happy and full pods tend to multiply faster.

To get them in your tank in higher numbers you can put a filter sponge in your fuge and every couple of weeks take it out and put it in the display tank and shake it (don't squeeze it) to dislodge some of the pods living in it.