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You are here: Home / Copepods / Benefits of Live Copepods / Using Live Copepods to Feed Your Fish
A copepod

Using Live Copepods to Feed Your Fish

by Sean Tadjeran

It’s important to get live food for fish if you want them to live longer, healthier lives—particularly if they are carnivorous fish. Live copepods, for example, help to ensure that your fish are getting the right nutrients and digestive enzymes. Moreover, you are able to get your order delivered right to your door! Live saltwater fish food are a much better experience for the fish for several reasons.

Copepods Close UpFirst, amphipods and copepods are full of nutrition your fish and corals need to thrive. They don’t always get those same nutrients from frozen food or flake food. In fact, many of the nutrients are taken out of these types of food, in order to have a longer shelf-life. Additionally, live fish food doesn’t decay in the tank the same way if it’s not eaten, keeping your fish’s environment cleaner and healthier as well. Amphipods and copepods even clean the tank, eating significant amounts of detritus and nuisance algae.

Copepods for sale online have shown to be more economical as well. A major advantage to live fish food is that it gives your fish a chance to “hunt” for its food. That might seem silly or crazy, but fish often display predatory behaviors in their natural habitat, and they don’t always get to exercise that in a tank.

Where Can You Buy Copepods?

Copepods for sale online are probably the easiest way to get live food for fish without stressing out over different types or actually going out to get it. Keep it off your do-do list and just order online. Vendors on the internet guarantee fresh, live fish food will be delivered right to your door, without any issue. It will probably be even fresher than in the store, considering it’s handled carefully and not sitting on a shelf for days at a time.

Don’t worry that getting live food for fish from AlgaeBarn will ever end with rotten amphipods and copepods in your possession. You will get exactly what you paid for—or your money back. There are a few different options when it comes to live saltwater fish food and you can choose which one you want for your fish. Browse through the different amphipods and copepods online to see what you want. Just do a little research before you decide what to buy.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Arnab Mukherjee says

    September 1, 2016 at 9:50 pm

    Dear Team,

    Is it possible for you ship live copepods and phytoplankton to India ? Or does algaebarn has any resource in India for procurement ?
    If yes, what would be the minimum order value and quantity ?

    Waiting for an affirmative reply

    Reply
    • Sean T says

      November 5, 2016 at 2:44 pm

      Hi Arnab,

      We do not currently ship to India. Please email us your information through the contact form. If you can help with importing, than we can investigate that route.

      Cheers,
      Sean

      Reply
    • Noah says

      August 7, 2019 at 6:34 pm

      ?

      Reply
  2. Genaro H says

    February 18, 2017 at 9:49 am

    Is it possible to order copepods / brine shrimp online and then store / refrigerate them for later use when they arrive?

    Reply
    • Jon Dimitri Andrianos says

      August 12, 2019 at 4:12 pm

      ?

      Reply
  3. Anthony says

    August 7, 2019 at 4:00 pm

    When ordering copepods, should you introduce them in conjunction with brine shrimp?

    Reply
    • greg.chernoff says

      August 7, 2019 at 4:07 pm

      The brine shrimp you might put in the tank will not be able to breed or reproduce, they are normally just a food product. Pods on the other hand will grow in good conditions to a large colony size!

      Reply
  4. Josh Hiltabiddle says

    August 7, 2019 at 4:10 pm

    I now have pods everywhere.

    Reply
    • ian m mahoney says

      August 20, 2019 at 11:26 am

      🙂

      Reply
  5. esear14 says

    August 7, 2019 at 4:12 pm

    what’s the storage life on these?

    Reply
  6. robert vice says

    August 7, 2019 at 4:14 pm

    I originally got them cause j wanted a mandarin I’m glad you all were local cause I started with algeabarn fist instead of just adult size but all stages to see the tank

    Reply
  7. Terrence Harrison says

    August 7, 2019 at 4:22 pm

    Can I order and have them shipped to me when ready??

    Reply
  8. Tony Mutti says

    August 7, 2019 at 4:24 pm

    I’ve been happy with your pods. Unlike other brands, I think you get more than you advertise.

    Reply
  9. devon says

    August 7, 2019 at 4:27 pm

    the internet makes things easy

    Reply
  10. artaa1988 says

    August 7, 2019 at 5:06 pm

    cant wait to order some when i set up my first fuge

    Reply
  11. mohamad says

    August 7, 2019 at 5:26 pm

    international shipping available?

    Reply
  12. James says

    August 7, 2019 at 5:30 pm

    I add monthly for the fish I should start a colony

    Reply
  13. James says

    August 7, 2019 at 5:31 pm

    I really need to start a colony

    Reply
  14. James says

    August 7, 2019 at 5:32 pm

    How do you start a colony to be sustainable

    Reply
  15. Carl Brown says

    August 7, 2019 at 5:46 pm

    Best pods

    Reply
  16. Allen Fagard says

    August 7, 2019 at 5:48 pm

    Waiting on mine now

    Reply
  17. Allen Fagard says

    August 7, 2019 at 5:52 pm

    Great stuff

    Reply
  18. Andy says

    August 7, 2019 at 6:21 pm

    I have to buy copepods, I can’t sustain a population as I’m without a refugium.

    Reply
  19. mikerosa1965 says

    August 7, 2019 at 6:46 pm

    Just received my first order from you tonight.

    Reply
  20. Brandi says

    August 7, 2019 at 6:47 pm

    how often do pods need to be fed?

    Reply
  21. Alex says

    August 7, 2019 at 7:00 pm

    My fish love to eat pods!

    Reply
  22. Christopher Burns says

    August 7, 2019 at 7:17 pm

    great read

    Reply
  23. Tara says

    August 7, 2019 at 7:37 pm

    Definitely gonna order some.

    Reply
  24. Sean Simkins says

    August 7, 2019 at 7:43 pm

    Lots of copepod articles

    Reply
  25. professorcanswanky says

    August 7, 2019 at 7:49 pm

    Amazing info

    Reply
  26. Hailey Weir says

    August 7, 2019 at 7:50 pm

    [email protected]

    Reply
  27. Christian Musselman says

    August 7, 2019 at 8:02 pm

    I purchased some phytoplankton, when I went in vacation and my fish feeder overfed my fish…. rather than the nitrates going up … the plankton bloomed. I couldn’t see the other side of the tank. With that I have thousands of fairly large copepods.. or amphpods. Do I still need to feed my clown fish regular food.. or are these live critters enough?

    Reply
  28. ANDREW WELSH says

    August 7, 2019 at 8:02 pm

    Another good pod article

    Reply
  29. Ross Bennett says

    August 7, 2019 at 8:21 pm

    Ordering very soon

    Reply
  30. David says

    August 7, 2019 at 8:48 pm

    Copepods are amazing in the tank. All my fish look healthy as can be since I started feeding.

    Reply
  31. Doug Smith says

    August 7, 2019 at 8:52 pm

    If you want to keep a mandarin or CB you need pods. If you need pods you need algae Barn.

    Reply
  32. darksorcerer0530 says

    August 7, 2019 at 9:01 pm

    *Only buy your pods from here!*

    Reply
  33. Angela Revell says

    August 7, 2019 at 10:09 pm

    Love it

    Reply
  34. Marc Raupp says

    August 7, 2019 at 11:12 pm

    Algae Barn. If i am putting together a refugium, i come here first. They have everything you could need and its always good.

    Reply
  35. Juan Gonzalez says

    August 8, 2019 at 12:34 am

    I have been using flake food less after introducing the pods. Thank You AlgaeBarn for the informative article

    Reply
  36. Anthony Ferrelli says

    August 8, 2019 at 3:35 am

    Bring on the pods

    Reply
  37. Michael Kessler says

    August 8, 2019 at 8:02 am

    Great info

    Reply
  38. Timothy b says

    August 8, 2019 at 8:05 am

    Been ordering mine from you guys for my mandarin and it’s going great .

    Reply
  39. Andrew Bilodeau says

    August 8, 2019 at 8:06 am

    Purchased!!!!!!!

    Reply
  40. Christopher says

    August 8, 2019 at 8:15 am

    Best pods ever

    Reply
  41. Alexandra says

    August 8, 2019 at 8:44 am

    My Mandarin goby told me that these are the best!

    Reply
  42. kalihankerd says

    August 8, 2019 at 9:38 am

    Purchased for my mandarin and wrasse–they love them!

    Reply
  43. Savoury Kem says

    August 8, 2019 at 10:11 am

    Whoa

    Reply
  44. Deborah says

    August 8, 2019 at 10:51 am

    Gyrados our mandarin is looking forward to more copepods!

    Reply
  45. Ricardo Munoz says

    August 8, 2019 at 1:06 pm

    Copepods ftw

    Reply
  46. erik says

    August 8, 2019 at 9:00 pm

    love the pods!

    Reply
  47. Gino says

    August 9, 2019 at 3:34 am

    Only from AlgarBarn!

    Reply
    • Stefan Bladen says

      August 28, 2019 at 6:05 am

      Thanks for all the info

      Reply
  48. Tim Jones says

    August 9, 2019 at 4:47 am

    Pods are fantastic goby loves them

    Reply
  49. James says

    August 9, 2019 at 5:29 am

    Makes sense

    Reply
  50. garethb9 says

    August 9, 2019 at 10:57 am

    Looking to get a Mandarin so need to get lots of pods!

    Reply
  51. Brent Cox says

    August 9, 2019 at 11:54 am

    Can’t wait to watch all mine grow into a nice colony.

    Reply
  52. Robert Paniagua says

    August 9, 2019 at 1:04 pm

    My number 1 place for my copepods and refugium supply

    Reply
  53. brent says

    August 9, 2019 at 2:37 pm

    What microfoods are best for pods?

    Reply
  54. jeffreyfelter says

    August 9, 2019 at 2:57 pm

    I need to order more pods

    Reply
  55. John Worthington says

    August 9, 2019 at 5:49 pm

    I find that when I have an established colony of pods in my tank my tank does a lot better

    Reply
  56. anxsar says

    August 9, 2019 at 10:25 pm

    I fully intend to buy and grow pods and phyto from you, I just need to get the rest of my system together.. this would go a long ways..

    Reply
  57. Tom Giddens says

    August 10, 2019 at 6:18 am

    i am a repeat customer

    Reply
  58. John Key says

    August 12, 2019 at 2:48 pm

    I’m a firm believer in Copepod being important for a happy aquarium 🙂

    Reply
  59. Kristoffer Hamann says

    August 12, 2019 at 3:28 pm

    Need to restock

    Reply
  60. Isaac Alves says

    August 12, 2019 at 3:29 pm

    I use copepods to feed my mandarin. I can’t until you guys carry Amphipods.

    Reply
  61. Chris Head says

    August 12, 2019 at 5:06 pm

    Very good artacle

    Reply
  62. danieoue says

    August 12, 2019 at 5:15 pm

    ?

    Reply
  63. Matt yeager says

    August 12, 2019 at 7:59 pm

    Will be purchasing soon

    Reply
  64. Sean Beaver says

    August 12, 2019 at 9:00 pm

    My fish love my pods.

    Reply
  65. Itzel says

    August 12, 2019 at 10:28 pm

    What are copepods

    Reply
  66. blk250r says

    August 12, 2019 at 11:18 pm

    Order up

    Reply
  67. Kristopher Kasarda says

    August 13, 2019 at 5:37 am

    Great information! Thank you!

    Reply
  68. Steve Offutt says

    August 13, 2019 at 5:41 am

    How beneficial would a healthy Pod population be in a FOWLR setup?

    Reply
  69. Derek says

    August 13, 2019 at 6:31 am

    We do! Our mandarin and green spot love em!

    Reply
  70. Justin says

    August 13, 2019 at 7:43 am

    Good I fo

    Reply
  71. Jeremy Hunsberger says

    August 13, 2019 at 10:55 am

    Sweet

    Reply
  72. Bennett Sheppard says

    August 13, 2019 at 11:55 am

    Absolutely recommend buying pods!

    Reply
  73. Kris Hamann says

    August 13, 2019 at 2:25 pm

    Need to restock

    Reply
  74. Jennifer Sledge says

    August 13, 2019 at 6:06 pm

    Great info! I get a new batch to refresh my fuge and tank about once a quarter.

    Reply
  75. Krish says

    August 13, 2019 at 10:20 pm

    Looking to get some

    Reply
  76. William Schimmel says

    August 14, 2019 at 11:26 pm

    Pods Pods Pods and more Pods

    Reply
  77. Ellen S Imbrie says

    August 15, 2019 at 2:23 pm

    Can’t have too many pods

    Reply
  78. btack206 says

    August 18, 2019 at 3:23 pm

    We’re lucky that our local fish store keeps them in stock. That way we can get some in an emergency!

    Reply
  79. Ryan M. Vaughan says

    August 19, 2019 at 4:21 pm

    The copepods from algae barn are some of the best quality I have found

    Reply
  80. stoph70 says

    August 20, 2019 at 8:25 am

    This is exactly right!

    Reply
  81. glenzemke says

    August 23, 2019 at 8:35 pm

    My mandarin would love these!

    Reply
  82. George says

    August 23, 2019 at 10:43 pm

    No BS. This really works!! I have very little experience and my tank is only 2 months old and I’ve been able to keep my Mandarin since the first week. I have a healthy population of PODs thanks to these guys. Only wish I had more room for a real Refugium but for now the back of my tank is doing the trick.

    Reply
  83. FRANK says

    August 24, 2019 at 6:44 am

    I have purchased copepods from Algae Barn a couple of times in the past and I need to do it again.

    Reply
  84. Logan Kreider says

    August 24, 2019 at 7:56 am

    Good read

    Reply
  85. Kyle Frame says

    August 24, 2019 at 8:29 am

    Sign up for auto delivery and always have live food at the ready

    Reply
  86. Nicholas says

    August 24, 2019 at 1:10 pm

    ?

    Reply
  87. Jose Pacheco says

    August 26, 2019 at 12:12 pm

    Best pods ever

    Reply
  88. Dylan says

    August 26, 2019 at 8:50 pm

    Awesome

    Reply
  89. Jason L Anderson says

    August 26, 2019 at 9:43 pm

    Best pods in the biz

    Reply
  90. Malynda says

    August 27, 2019 at 8:41 am

    I need these! Thank you for the info!

    Reply
  91. Ricardo Munoz says

    August 27, 2019 at 3:30 pm

    Sure could use a boost of pods. Time to order some!

    Reply
  92. Sean Hodel says

    August 28, 2019 at 7:35 am

    ?

    Reply
  93. Lisa says

    August 29, 2019 at 3:25 pm

    Thanks for the great copepod info!

    Reply
  94. castrommaritza says

    August 30, 2019 at 10:57 pm

    Doing it now!

    Reply
  95. Vicki says

    December 14, 2021 at 2:13 pm

    Do you ship to New Zealand ?

    Reply

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