Copepods

[bassman]

Originally Posted by Treebeard

My significant other picked up a couple of nice surprises on the way from home work yesterday. She picked up a Green Mandarin Goby and a Tang (she forgot the name, but think it is a Powder Brown, or Naso).

About the Mandarin, from what I have read he will prefer copepods. Do they grow naturally in a sump? If not, where can I purchase them and how does one propagate them? Are they easily visible to the naked eye?

Generally they grow in macro algae and live rock. They need a place to hide or the mandarin will whipe them out.

Most people use a refugium to house them in. Either remotely from the sump or in a section of the sump.

Yes you can see some of them with the naked eye, they can get pretty big.

Most people will tell you that you should not purchase a mandarin until your tank is atleast one year old and have a substantial pod population. Otherwise it will starve to death.

I agree and am currently waiting to get mine, 6 months to go.