Copepods for the Tropical Marine Aquarium
Critical Live Food for Saltwater Aquarium Fishes and Corals
Dec 4, 2008
Copepods are small crustaceans that can be used as live food for saltwater aquarium fishes, corals and other invertebrates. There are seven orders of copepods, but only a couple are appropriate for aquarium use. The seven orders are:
- Calanoida
- Harpacticoida
- Cyclopoida
- Misophrioida
- Monstrilloida
- Siphonostomotoida
- Poecilostomatoida
Marine aquarists are, not surprisingly, most interested in copepods that can be used as non-detrimental food sources for their animals and which are readily available. The most common copepods available to marine aquarists are from the orders Calanoida and Harpacticoida. Copepods are available in commercial products such as AlgaGen’s ReefPods™ and are generally inexpensive (under $20).
Calanoids Copepods
Calanoids copepods are free-swimming copepods that spend their time in the water column (“pelagic copepods”). These copepods are an excellent source of essential fatty acids and, in the wild, are critical to any marine organism that feeds in the water column. Adding these copepods to a saltwater marine aquarium provides this essential food source to captive fishes, corals and other invertebrates. Calanoids generally do not survive long-term in the aquarium, and so many aquarists add them once a month (or more) directly to their display tanks.
Harpacticoids
Harpacticoids copepods are the most commonly available copepods on the market (e.g. ReefPods™). They are substrate-dwelling copepods (“benthis" copepods). They feed on microalgae, detritus and even flake fish food. Some harpacticoids are cannibalistic and will eat other copepods if no other food source is present in the aquarium.
One reason harpacticoids are so great for use in the saltwater aquarium is because they are quite hardy and can survive in a bottle or bag during shipping. They also tend to do well in a reef aquarium where they can find safety in the substrate and multiply if the conditions are right. Many aquarists regularly add harpacticoids copepods to their sump, refugium or display tank on a regular basis.
Who Should Use Copepods?
Almost any marine aquarium will benefit from the addition of copepods, but tanks with mandarinfishes, anthias and seahorses may well require the regular addition of copepods for optimal results. Aquarists that maintain refugia as a part of their overall system should definitely add copepods directly to their refugia on a regular basis.
How to Use Copepods
Copepods are usually shipped in a bag or bottle. To add them to the system, simply pour the bag or bottle directly into the system. If a refugium is present, it may be best to add at least some of the copepods to the refugium where they will not be eaten. If no refugium is present, the aquarist may add some of the copepods directly to the sump (consider shutting off the protein skimmer for a time if one is present). If the system does not have a refugium or a sump, consider adding at least some of the copepods when the aquarium lights are off.
Copepods can be added as frequently as the aquarist chooses to add them. Copepods added to the refugium or sump may well reproduce there if food is present. In addition to detritus and microalgae present in the aquarium, microalgae starter cultures are available to the hobbyists from companies such as a AlgaGen. Copepods reproducing in a sump or refugium will make their way to the display tank by way of the pump.
Additional Resources
An Interview with AlgaGen’s Founder, Erik Stenn (AlgaGen is a leading producer of aquacultured copepods for marine aquarists)
 |
 |
