Any way to catch pods?

[markl]

Wondering if there was a trap or anything to catch pods?

 

[dartfrog]

I have put some rock rubble in a mesh bag, and left it in the fuge for a week or so, then transfered that to anouther empty container with tank water. I imagine you could shake them off the rock and then strain them through a fine mesh net.

 

[drnecropolis]

They love to hang out in chaeto..

 

[jef4y]

A wad of chaeto or rock rubble in loose netting can grab some, but I've also had luck using a turkey baster in areas where I see them hanging out. I can vacuum out quite a few and relocate them.

I don't generally mess with them anymore though. The pod population in the sump is way back up, and they end up making their way to the return pump and into the display. I can see them grouping around in the chamber where the return pump is, and they can't all be lucky enough to not get shot up top.

 

[shadow6]

I know how not to..... I just built a stand alone refugium for the sole purpose of growing a source of pods. Small clear acrylic cube, 3 gallons. I filled it, got a small airstone set up, threw in a ball of Chaeto. I used a little Cycle, just in case. Two days later I introduced a batch of DT's live pods. I figured it would take a while for the Larvae to grow big enough to see. I did notice that any of the pods that came in on the Chaeto were floating on the top of the water.

I figured I'd toss in a piece of Live rock rubble out of the main tank. When I did, all the pods on board lept off the rock screaming and immediately started doing the kickin chicken dance and died.....

Just out of idle curiosity, I whipped out the test kits. The water could not be bad in just a weeks time. All the param's came up straight, except an odd neutral PH.

My refractometer told a completly different story though. My salininty was .000000000001 Apparently, when I filled my buckets at the Fish store, (I always get two salt, and one fresh) I ether got a barrell that had no salt, or I managed to fill all my jugs from entirely the R/O fresh side. Needless to say my $20 jar of DT's was toast, but at least I did not change the water on my nano with it.......disaster averted....

 

[brianjfinn]

Mark, what's your reason for trying to catch them? Are you trying to seed another system?

 

[markl]

My biocube is full of them but im not trying to add any rock from my bicube to my new 120 set up.I bleached all the rock in the 120 .I just dont want the little critters the biocube has in my new tank.

 

[brianjfinn]

I'd try putting some chaeto in your display, maybe trapping it between a couple rocks. After a week or so, you should have a small amount of pods, enough to seed your 120. I'd do this a few times just to ensure a decent population in the 120.

 

[demifelix]

You can try to vacuum them from within the overflow. I didn't know that until I cleaned my overflow the other day and sucking a whole load of pods from the overflow out.

 

[brianjfinn]

Good idea, I just wonder how fruitful that would be from a biocube. I imagine that would make it a little more difficult.

 

[demifelix]

I would insert a small 5/8" tubing into that compartment and pump water into it with a MJ or something from a bucket down below, then unplug the pump and the water will be drawn out. I did that to mine and it completely drained all debris out of the overflow.

 

[mikesommers]

MarkL;551838 wrote: My biocube is full of them but im not trying to add any rock from my bicube to my new 120 set up.I bleached all the rock in the 120 .I just dont want the little critters the biocube has in my new tank.

10 min fresh water dip it all. It will be fine. all the pods die in about 5. I have SOOOO many pods in my 90. Let me know if you want 100,000 or so. I remove 100's a week in my filter sock. I am going to purchase another Mandrin or something. I have no choice. There going to carry the tank off:sad:

 

[delpni]

I always look in my tank at night with a flashlight and can never see ANYTHING other than my fish and the obvious things (sand, rock, etc.) :sad: My tank is almost a year old (9 months), params are right on, fish and other livestock are great...is it unusual to not see copepods? I added an entire bag of "Pods" two months ago but alas, nothing. Assuming</em> they began to populate (I'm going to look in my sump tonight..not done that yet), will a UV light on the return trip from my sump to my tank decimate them? I am desperately trying to raise a decent population of pods for my Mandarin Dragonet. I have had him for three months and he looks and acts healthy, but I want to fatten him up a bit more. :lol2:I'm afraid he will eventually (from what I've read) go down hill if I don't have the right food source for him..Copepods... Any advice how to get these guys growing in my tank? *I do not have a refugium.

 

[brianjfinn]

delpni;553316 wrote: My tank is almost a year old (9 months)... I am desperately trying to raise a decent population of pods for my Mandarin Dragonet. I have had him for three months ...

THAT'S probably why you don't see any pods. You put a mandarin in a six month old tank. How big is your system? Even if it was huge, it takes a long time to develop enough pods to support a mandarin, even if they've been weened onto prepared foods. These guys eat constantly. If they're not sleeping, they're searching for food. I'd consider re-homing the mandarin.