Copepods

[andersoned14]

how many is too many? And how big have you seen these guys get? I have removed all my fish, to try and rid the DT of ich. So there population has exploded which I believe is a good thing. Some of the pods look to be 1/4 long. Almost like a little shrimp IMO just wondering if this is something I should be grateful for or worried about. Still have 3 weeks before I add my clown and firefish back to tank and then will be adding other fish.

 

[andersoned14]

on a side note will a uv kill them before new ones can make it from the fug to the DT.

 

[yote]

While some type of isopods are fish predators,99.9% of the pods are good for your tank.The more the merrier.
And any pods that go through the UV will be nuked.

 

[andersoned14]

And any pods that go through the UV will be nuked.

would it be a good idea to turn the uv off every once in a while to get more to the tank. Maybe run uv all week and weekends off--what would you do?

 

[yote]

Personally,I wouldn't run the UV unless I having a problem like a bad algae outbreak or sick fish.JMO
We tend to forget that there are a lot of micro organisms that our corals any filters feeder use as food.And a UV will kill those right along with anything else.

 

[VAreef]

your UV won't make much of a diff to your pod population. Your pods will live on even with your UV light. Basically ask yourself this. Do your fish like eating live food or microwaved?

 

[andersoned14]

[Personally,I wouldn't run the UV unless I having a problem like a bad algae outbreak or sick fish.JMO/QUOTE]
Right now I have/had an ich problem, and would like to get tangs when I do add fish which is why I got the uv. Biff says to keep high quailty water to get rid of or at least keep the ich down. What are better options

 

[VAreef]

UV won't cure ich. Biff is right in keeping high quality water though as this means less stress on the fish. Almost all fish have ich. It's just only visible when fish get stressed out. Tangs get stressed m uch eassier than other fish. Add your tangs in later when your tank is more established and you have more experience in keeping the fish and you won't lose as many.

 

[Cathic]

Va is right, UV wont cure ich, but it does help with ich in the "free-floating" stage of life, your DT will need to be empty for several weeks. And your fish need to be dipped in either hypo for a few weeks, or in a Copper solution.

 

[Ulta]

how many is too many? And how big have you seen these guys get? I have removed all my fish, to try and rid the DT of ich. So there population has exploded which I believe is a good thing. Some of the pods look to be 1/4 long. Almost like a little shrimp IMO just wondering if this is something I should be grateful for or worried about. Still have 3 weeks before I add my clown and firefish back to tank and then will be adding other fish.

Those pods that are 1/4" long are Amphipods, that was the first inhabitant I had in my tank =D They are pretty hardy, they can live through the cycle. I just found one today when I dipped my coral he came out, I sucked him up with the turkey baster and spit him back out in the tank and he became lunch for my hawkfish:shock:

I have another question though in regards to copepods;

How fast do they reproduce any1 know??

I sear I annihilated my pop population with my tank cycle from my die-off mishap while I was in California. But my ammonia and nitrites have only been zero for about a week and a half (maybe 2 weeks) and my pods are already b00ming back to the point where I can see them crawling all over the front glass in my DT!!?

 

[yote]

They multiply faster than any rabbit ever thought of.:D
It seem like my tank swarms with pods about every 3 or 4 nights.I can always tell because all my fish will be out feeding after the tank lights are gone off.