In this article we will take a look at copepods; what are they, and should I add copepods to my reef tank?
What are copepods?
Marine copepods are tiny crustaceans that are abundant in natural reefs. Known as “insects of the sea”, they are an excellent food source for fish and invertebrates, including corals.
The saltwater copepods that we sell, are usually around 1mm in length. They have a teardrop shaped body and large antennae. These creatures are so small that the entire body is almost totally transparent, however, fish and corals can easily find them and they make a tasty natural treat. This is a great way to boost fish and invertebrate health.
Copepods need feeding too! If your pods aren’t thriving it might mean that they are starving. In order to keep the pod population strong, it is best to feed live phytoplankton. Your corals and other life in the aquarium will also massively benefit from phytoplankton being added.
How many copepods should I add to my reef tank?
Best added in numbers – at least one bag per 50-70 litres. In these numbers it is likely that some will escape into the live rock and live. They can breed in your aquarium within 4-6 weeks. Keeping a good population of pods in a marine tank is very beneficial because they help to clean up the tank.
To give copepods the best chance of survival in your reef, float the bag for 20 minutes before pouring them in. This will give them a chance to get up to temperature without having too much of a shock!
Copepod seeding boxes available:
- Nano – for aquariums that are 100 litres or less
- Medium – for aquariums of between 100 – 250 litres in volume
- Large – for aquariums that are 250 – 500 litres in volume
- XLarge – for aquariums over 500 litres in volume
- Top up – for any sized aquarium, to top up your copepod population (includes more pod food)
Storing and feeding copepods
We have fresh copepods delivered to us almost every week of the year so that we can supply you with the freshest live food. As soon as the ‘pods’ arrive, we put the food into our fridge until they go out for delivery.
Copepods can be added to the aquarium complete with the water they are supplied in. If you prefer, you can filter them through a very fine net and add just the animals.
Pods are best kept in a fridge. We recommend keeping them at as temperature of between 4 – 15°C in their original bags, unopened until you wish to use them.
If stored properly, copepods will keep for one to two weeks.
Only feed copepods to marine aquariums.