Got Pods?

[NaCl_H2O]

Ok, granted I still consider myself a novice at this hobby, my 125g Reef Tank has been up a litle over a year.

But, I see lots of threads about levels of amphipods and copepods - if these little buggers are so tiny, how do you know they are present? Much less the size of the population?

[::pete::]

Look at night with a flash light, they arent that small :) . You will see all sorts of little things moving around. Keep in mind as you shine the light they will hide.

[Ram_Puppy]

have you seen little white specs on your glass? Pods... what about something that looks like a very tiny shrimp, a few mm long? thats a pod too. reef roaches. :)

[NaCl_H2O]

I'll do a little closer inspection.

I do have two Mandarins that are happy & healthy, so they must be eating something!

Thanks!

[::pete::]

Definitely if you have something that feeds on them they wont be as visible. I have nothing in my tank that feeds directly on them so its like a snow storm when I shine the lights as they scury to hide.

[Ram_Puppy]

are your mandarins a mated pair? both females? My understanding is males will fight each other in tank as they set out territories of several square meters.

[NaCl_H2O]

are your mandarins a mated pair?

Nope! They are in two different tanks

[Ram_Puppy]

Ahh! that would explain the compatibility! :)

[MikeDeL]

If you wanted to you could watch the tank at night with a red flash light, that way the pods dont duck for cover. I keep one of those lights you strap to your head in the cabinet under my tank. It has a red LED so I can sit there in the dark and watch the night life in my tank. Really cool.


Mike

[Ram_Puppy]

or, invest in a moonlight, and not worry about supplimental illumination.

[StephenA]

In my old tank I had tons of pods, then I added a mandarin. The pods when down, then no pods then no mandarin.

[::pete::]

How did it go? Did you look for pods last night?

[NaCl_H2O]

How did it go? Did you look for pods last night?

Yes I did - actually I have a system with moon lites, and that helps. I did see some of what I assume are "Pods", but not in any huge quantities, just an occasional glimpse. Maybe this is due to my Mandirin's apetite?

Anyway, my new system will have a fuge - how do I get a good pod population started in a fuge?

Meanwhile, I'll keep up the midnight Pod watch!
Maybe I just need a new set of Bifocals? ;)

[StephenA]

how do get a good pod population started in a fuge?

Seed with live sand from as many different tanks as you can.

[NaCl_H2O]

OK, for the first time I can honestly say I've got tiny "somethings" in my tank. I guess I caught them in the middle of a "Pod Party" or something, but tonight I saw thousands of tiny swarms all over the glass and swirling in the currents. The light actually seemed to "attract" them rather than make them swim for cover as suggested above.

Tiny white "things", about 4x the size of a grain of sugar, maybe with a little "tail".

:-D :grin: :-D :grin: :D

[Ram_Puppy]

that alsmot sounds like something spawned rather than pods... interesting!