copepods and mandarin help

[spbaden]

I have just picked up a spotted mandarin and i have some questions about feeding. I have about 30 pounds of live rock in a 55 gallon, 9 pounds over 6 months( in my tank) 15 puonds under 3 months and 6 pounder under a week. Now befor i get get a bunch of replys about how i dont have nearly enough, i know. This fish was in a tank with no live rock or live sand for about a week and looked good so i though i would give him a chance. i know that they eat copepods off the live rock and i found a online dealer who sells live copepods. My question to you is what is the best enviroment i can set up for these copepod so that they will bread and eventually be strong enough for my spotted mandarin to live off. Untill they arive i have tryed squerting frozen mysis shrimp infront of him but he didnt take, i will keep trying that unless you can tell me somthing else to try befor the copods get here.

[almostdiva]

spbaden,

There are a bunch of online resources you can get copopods and amphipods from. Several of them have directions for culturing pods on your own posted on their sites. Most suggest a small tank dedicated to 'pod culture. All it needs is a cheapie filter, maybe some algae (chaetomorpha is great for this -- you can get it from Rick's Reef, one of Reefland's sponsors).
[URL=http://www.ricksreefs.com[/URL]

here are some sites with culture tips:
Ocean Pods
[URL=http://www.oceanpods.com/faq.html#tips[/URL]

Florida Aqua Farms:
https://3kserver7.com/~frank/secure/agora.cgi

LFS Culture Kits:
http://www.lfscultures.com/kits.html

These should get you started. ...

Also, I would recommend buying more live rock for your tank. You should have probably about 50 lbs.

Good luck!

Rebecca

[The R/C Man]

Yes some more live rock will help but you will need a place to propagate the pods. This is best done in a refugium. A good option would be a hang on type if you don't currently have a sump. With the macro algae growing in the fuge you will also help to decrease nitrates in the tank as well. Here is a link for it: http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...product=CR1733

[patandreba]

Have you checked to see if you currently have any pods? Do a quick "lights on" in the middle of the night or the early morning before sun-up. On my tank, if you do that, you will see the little buggers scattering like roaches in a cheap motel. As I look at the cross section of my sand bed, I can see them come out to the glass, then loop back in. I never intentionally purchased any, and this tank has only been running for about 18 mos. Watch your Mandarin, they peck all day, but really go to town at night. If he is running around pecking at your substrate and rock, I would immagine he is finding something to eat. I plan to add some finer grain sand to my bed, so maybee if you are interested, I could send you some of my sand. No guarantee about how they will survive the trip, but it's warm enough, and if you pay the express shipping, they might make it. My bed is pretty coarse right now, and am thinking if I add finer sand, it might do a better job of denitrating. I have never used copper in this tank(never would, every fish in it would die first) and never really tried to get the population up, all I know is that you can see probably 50 at a time if you turn on the lights at night. Not sure if any other critters in my substrate, sometimes I see these little white worms, but dont know what they are, so I don't bother, as they havent hurt anything yet. Just let me know, and I can try to get a shipping quote to you. I am in west central Ohio by the way.