Q&A with Keith, 7/2/09

QUESTION
I want to start a copepod culture to prepare for a future mandarin goby purchase. Any tips?

ANSWER
One of the best ways to grow a copepod population is by setting up a refugium. A refugium will provide your copepods an area free of predation so they grow and reproduce quicker.

If your refugium is large enough to accommodate live rock, place a few baseball to softball-sized pieces of live rock inside it. Every week or two, put your refugium rocks into your main/display tank. This will replenish your tank with copepods as a food source. Keep swapping out pieces of live rock every week or so.

You do not have to use a refugium to grow copepods. You can setup a separate, smaller tank with just live rock and no fish to grow and reproduce copepods. Just swap out the live rock on a regular basis for feeding as described earlier.

If you have any additional questions, concerns or comments, let us know! We're happy to help.

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