PODS - When its too much?

[Mr.Reefer]

I have a 75 g reef tank with LOTS of pods, the population is growing incredibly quick. I bought a pretty mandarin from my LFS to take care of the problem, but I think he alone is not sufficient.

What else can I do?? The mandarin is getting fat, but the pods population still growing and growing!

[naldopr]

never!!!!!
Copepods are the second largest source of protein in the oceans, second only to krill. They are the natural food of many fish in the oceans, especially the early life stages.

Some fish will not eat non-living foods, and require live feeds such as copepods and mysids. Some good examples are: mandarin gobies, any seahorse species, scooter blennies, and early life stages of dottybacks, chromis, tangs, flame angels, etc. Owneres of these type of fish definitely need a consistent and reliable source of copepods for feeding.

OCEAN PODS copepods are 100% aquacultured and safe to add to your system for feeding these species of fish.

Reef tank systems do better when there are a variety of natural organisms to maintain the ecological balance. The reason that "live rock" or "live sand" is such a great item is that it provides a foundation for healthy microorganisms that will allow the larger, more visible fish and invertebrates to thrive.

Over time, the population of the invertebrates from the live rock will naturally decline, as they are grazed by the corals, anemones, fish and shrimp in the tank.

OCEAN PODS copepods are a great way to boost your natural populations of copepods.

In addition, some copepods have some added benefits. They are "detritivores", meaning they will scavenge leftover fish food, fish poop, and bacteria in the tank. They can help control the water quality by eating the unused food which can eventually lead to bacteria overload in your tank.

OCEAN PODS copepods are detritivores and will stay in your tank, thriving and reproducing without any additional food.
copepods can feed only on small food items like bacteria, diatoms or other unicellular forms

[naldopr]

How do copepods benefit my reef tank?

Copepods eat bacteria, diatoms and other tiny, single-celled organisms in the water. Free-swimming copepods are a component of zooplankton and are eaten by many organisms including mussels, fish and fish larvae. Although some marine fish will breed and grow in captivity, others are more problematic and require specialized diets. Copepods are the natural food for fish in the ocean and their movement in the water column elicits a strong feeding response from many fish. Copepods have naturally higher levels of fatty acids which is necessary for good health and nutrition for your fish and invertebrates.

While I'm going on and on about copepods I'd like to reference the below graphic on what may or may not be a copepod in your already established reef tank.

[hotwriter]

Very informative. Thanks.

[DJChesnutRabbit]

You can never have too many pods in your aquarium. Also, pods like most reef critters will only have a population big enough to support what food source they have.

[Kazzy]

I only have 1 thing to add: Please do not add anything else that specifically eats pods. Your tank won't sustain more than 1 mandarin, unless you have like 100 or more lbs of live rock. In that case, get a girl mandarin for your guy(if it's a guy) and enjoy a pair!