Are There Pods in Your Reef?
Copepods are an integral part of nearly all natural marine ecosystems, and it’s likely that a large, stable population of copepods can benefit any reef aquarium. The surest way to establish a lasting copepod population in your reef tank is by seeding the aquarium system with a healthy, mixed-species starter culture.
The benefits of adding pods don’t end there. It’s equally important to periodically boost an established population with supplementary cultures. Each addition of a quality mixed-species and mixed-life stage product, such as 5280 Pods, provides a surge of food energy to filter-feeding invertebrates (e.g., corals) and pod-eating fish (e.g., mandarin fish and seahorses). Moreover, new pods that escape predation contribute biomass and genetic diversity to your existing population, helping to ensure its long-term stability.
[Copepods]
How to Start a Population of Copepods in Your Reef Tank
When receiving a copepod starter culture, it’s normal to expect a few dead individuals due to their short lifespan. A healthy culture will show signs of movement, especially under a bright light. Mixed-life stage products, such as Poseidon’s Feast, include both larger, visible adults and smaller individuals from earlier life stages, promoting rapid establishment of large, stable populations.
After introducing a fresh culture into your reef, give the pods time to adjust. Some will inevitably fall prey to fish or other invertebrates, but many will settle onto the rock or substrate, feeding on detritus and avoiding predators. It takes 4-6 weeks for the first generation of pods to become visible, and it may take several months for the population to grow large enough for observable activity in the tank.
Signs of an Established Copepod Population
A thriving copepod population will result in various signs of improved reef health. Corals should expand their feeding tentacles at night, and small pod-eating fish like flame wrasses and scooter blennies will appear well-fed and active. You may also notice reduced microalgae growth, slower detritus accumulation, and cleaner live rock and sand.
Despite these benefits, copepods can be hard to spot. They are small and tend to be more active at night. To find them, use a flashlight to scan the sand surface and water column at night. Look for tiny beige or reddish dots moving about. A microscope can offer even greater insight, allowing you to observe copepods of all life stages. Collect a water sample from the detritus during routine tank cleaning for observation.
[Copepods]
Copepod Starter Cultures: A Growing Investment
The rate at which a starter culture grows depends on several factors, including predation and food availability. To minimize predation, introduce the culture at night or into the refugium, if possible. Growth also depends on the amount and quality of food available.
Do you want your resident copepods to thrive? Feed them. While copepods will naturally feed on detritus and microalgae, most species also rely on phytoplankton during their planktonic life stages. Supplement their diet with a live phytoplankton product like OceanMagik, a live, multispecies blend that enhances copepod productivity. Many essential vitamins and fatty acids are synthesized by phytoplankton and transferred up the food chain from phyto to pods to fish and invertebrates. Learn more here.
Adding copepods to your reef is simple. Purchase a quality live copepod product, introduce it at the right time and place, and wait. If your tank has detritus or film algae, and places for the pods to hide, a population will likely establish within a few months. Regular boosts will ensure that the population continues to clean the tank, provide food for other tank inhabitants, and thrive for as long as your system is running.
steve4 says
If you get the copepods and the phytoplankton, should you combine them separately for a while before adding to the aquarium, to give the copepods time to eat?
If you want to look at them under a microscope, will sucking up some water into a pipette pick them up, or are they too big to fit in?
How do copepods do in brackish water (15 ppm salt)?
polygonreef says
Love these guys!
Michael says
Well worth the effort to establish a population, especially in a mixed reef.
Compy Ginorio says
Since the beginning of the setting I seed pods, I still see some at the refugium. And once I don’t see them I add more to the display and the refugium. They are great scavengers and my corals and fishes love them. It’s part of my biodiversity.
Jeremy says
Pods
Jose says
Thanks for the info
robert vice says
there better be about 2 bags of 5280s
Taylor hahn says
Wow very cool!
Cole Presley says
I feel like the 2 times I have added pods, they all just disappear lol I haven’t seen any but there has to be some in there somewhere
Cole Presley says
I hope the pods I dosed like a year ago are still in there doing their thing
Cole Presley says
I need to re pod my reef and start regularly dosing phyto
Cole B Presley says
I LOVE PODS – testing comment to see if it will work this time lol – love you algaebarn
Jose Pacheco says
Wow nice info, thanks algae barn!!
sally says
Oh man! This is great! I can see an army of little ant-like creatures swarming in the dark! Ocean Majik is the greatest too!
!
John key says
This will be my next step for my tank. I need to get a good pod population going. Thanks Algae Barn!
Steven Lombardi says
I hardly see pods out in my tank. I am pretty sure I have a healthy population the big ones are just picked off by my fish.
artaa1988 says
love seeing them on my glass
Robert says
Can I send you a media brick have you cut it open so I can see the bactira and pod life I have in refugium I do not have a microscope but so bad want to see
Martin Oldham says
awesome
RICHARD W SMITH JR says
I’m working on it
Gabriel L Nguyen says
2057 Miller Road
CHRISTOPHER SHELTON THOMAS says
923 HIGHLAND DRIVE
Tiki says
So much useful information. Thanks!
Ryan mcmillon says
I noticed a big difference since we dose the green stuff everyday
Karen Johnston Nation says
does dosing this cause higher nitrates and phosphates? i know that happened once I got corals and started feeding reef roids and occasionally mysis shrimp! do you think they could stay alive on reefroids which is zooplankton? I dont have a skimmer so some of it stays in my tank! Small 10 gallon’ I have a yellow clown goby that wont eat and I have noticed i am getting pods just from tank maturing but probably not enough to keep him norised. I dont want to spoil him though, prefer no pods and him eatting pllets like the 2 clowns do but i defiently want pods in my bigger system that has a sump and is almost cycled!
Karen Johnston Nation says
does dosing this cause higher nitrates and phosphates? i know that happened once I got corals and started feeding reef roids and occasionally mysis shrimp! do you think they could stay alive on reefroids which is zooplankton? I dont have a skimmer so some of it stays in my tank! Small 10 gallon’ I have a yellow clown goby that wont eat and I have noticed i am getting pods just from tank maturing but probably not enough to keep him norised. I dont want to spoil him though, prefer no pods and him eatting pllets like the 2 clowns do but i defiently want pods in my bigger system that has a sump and is almost cycled!
giddetm says
nice
Ellen S Imbrie says
I swear I have none
ScottPletcher says
Can pods be added during the first days of a new tank?
snowseifert says
nice
snowseifert says
nice
Evan says
Wow
Matt Moline says
Once a month i add pods
david says
I just added some of your pods. Looking forward to my reef benefiting from them.
david says
Looking forward to the benefits my reef will get.
angelyrojas23 says
Some of my pods don’t even hide on daylight and my fish hunt them down from my glass .
Drew says
Awesome!
Jeff B says
I’ve been noticing fewer and fewer, need to order some more to seed my tank again.
Jered Hedrick says
Big pod order coming. Wednesday! Can’t wait.
Yakov Elizarov says
I was able to seed my aquarium and maintain with your product
Tyler.gore.90 says
I wish I had more of the knowledge that is in these articles when I started out in the hobby.
motor795 says
Just waiting nice info
Adam says
Never really noticed a strong population outside of my refugium until I up-sized my tank. Kinda took me by surprise when I noticed my DT walls crawling with them.
sdemarco62 says
Recently seeded my tank and will do so for the next three months. Hopefully that will give me a great starting off point.
Cole Goracke says
2565 Hobblebrush Drive
ReeferReefer says
Not sure if I need to reseed. Seems like my population is doing great. I think that adding phyto would help a lot though.
Finn says
There are pods in my reef
Justin says
Need to get some pods added!
David Hillen says
I place the 5280 pods in my sump every other month
Chas Johnson says
I want a prize
WILLIAM WAHL says
Pods are amazing! I like to have a variety in every tank I own!
WILLIAM WAHL says
Pods are amazing! I like to have a variety in every tank I own!
chris.singelman says
Great article. I learned a lot ??
zadok jollie says
Thanks for the tips. These blogs are a wealth of information.
Brandon Romani says
Cant wait to get some pods to seed my tank!
Shawn Benton says
I think I have some. They are very small right now.
Shawn Benton says
Great to know. I think I have some. They are very small right now.
Shawn Benton says
I believe I do have pods in my tank
Sean Simkins says
Wouldn’t it be great if the numbers were trackable lol
Steven Semeniuk says
Thanks for all the great info!!!
Doug putt says
nice stuff
David says
I have some in my tank that came in on rocks. They took a few months to populate, but I seem to have a lot now. I do wonder if adding one of your mixes would still be a good idea since I don’t know what kinds I have.
Michael Wahl says
I have tons of pods, all types!
danieoue says
useful information. Thanks!
Scott Chase says
I never see mine during the day but late at night they are everywhere
JW says
I can’t wait to try this
eric m sear says
i have crabs
Darell says
I probabky should reseed some pods. Its been a while since i noticed and scurrying about.
james says
Mine is very busy with all sorts of things swimming around don’t know if it would help or hurt my tank
Becky says
True cuc members.
Becky says
True cuc members.
Allen says
I see pods everywhere
Tara Fuller says
Was not sure what pods real until recently!
Tara Fuller says
Was not sure what pods were until recently. I guess they are good.
Tara Fuller says
Wasn’t sure what they were at first when I seen them in my tank!
Joanne says
There has to be some pods hiding somewhere lol
allison Dale lisney says
I need to seed my tank!
mamucher says
Great information
Carey says
Cool
Ak Reefer says
There are definitely pods in my reef
Kelly Tompkins says
I have all types of pods, I have pods that eat pods. This article helped me to really understand them at a deeper level!
Joshua Andersen says
I like! Good info
Stacey says
I dropped 2 jars of posd in my fuge months ago and have a booming population. It’s awesome. I actually got into reefkeeping because of pods, I was raising them for betta fry and just decided to add more to the pod tank. Now I’ve got multiple tanks and fuges going. Pods are my gateway critter ?
Brett says
I used to have so many copepods they were all over my glass, now I only see my isopods. I might have to dose more
CANDICE FONG says
I always forget to feed the pods! thanks for the reminder!
Matthew Lucero says
the biodiversity is amazing
Tim J says
Live phyto really helps these populations explode.
Bobby Daniels says
Thanks for the info
CHRIS MATHIS says
Good info. Thanks
Melanie says
Interesting watching them move around in the rocks. You can also see them at night if you shine a flashlight on the rocks.
Tami says
#gotpods
Alex Lin says
I got tons!!
lawrence zapata says
I love looking at my pods in my tank.
lawrence zapata says
I see my pods moving all over my rock work.
Justin says
Thank you!
Tony Holliday says
Ah the hidden nutrition of a reef tank.