• Skip to main content
AlgaeBarn

AlgaeBarn

Marine Aquariums Made Easy!

  • Sign In
  • Cart
    • Shop See All
      • Ultimate Packs See All
      • Ultimate Refugium Starter
      • Clam Keeper Kits
      • Ultimate Ecopack
      • Mandarin Feeder Kit
      • Hair Algae Killer Kit
      • See All Ultimate Packs
      • Live Foods See All
      • Copepods
        • Ecopods
        • 5280 Pods
        • Galaxy Pods
        • Poseidon's Feast
        • Tisbe Pods
        • Tig Pods
      • Food Combos
        • Ecopods & Phyto
        • Galaxy Pods & Phyto
        • Poseidon's & Phyto
        • Tig Pods & Phyto
        • Tisbe Pods & Phyto
      • Phytoplankton
        • Oceanmagik
      • Brine Shrimp
        • Simple Brine
        • Nano Brine Shrimp
      • Most Popular Products See All
        • Galaxy Pods 5 Species Copepod Blend

          Galaxy Pods

          $66 – $139
          Shop Now
        • Ecopods 4 Pack Special

          $99
          Shop Now
        • Galaxy Pods & Phyto Combo

          $80
          Shop Now
        • 5280 Pods

          $45
          Shop Now
      • Macroalgae See All
      • Clean Macro Series
        • Clean Chaeto
        • Clean Sea Lettuce
        • Clean Green Ogo
        • Clean Mocha Ogo
        • Clean Mocha Spike Sphere
        • Pom Pom
        • Red Ogo
        • Red Spike Sphere
        • Red Spaghetti
        • Red Mangrove
      • Premium Rare Macro
        • Leafy Ogo
        • Blue Hypnea
        • Dragon's Tongue
        • Thick Ogo
      • Most Popular Products See All
        • Clean Chaeto

          $40 – $125
          Shop Now
        • Clean Sea Lettuce

          $30 – $95
          Notify Me When in Stock
        • Red Ogo

          $30 – $80
          Notify Me When in Stock
        • Red Mangrove

          $13
          Shop Now
      • Captive Bred Fish See All
      • Gobies
        • Green Mandarin
        • Court Jester Goby
        • Watchman Goby
        • White Spotted Goby
      • AngelFish
        • Biota Coral Beauty
        • Maculosus Angel
        • Majestic Angel
        • Swallowtail Angel
      • Tangs
        • Yellow Tang
        • Blue Tang
      • More Species
        • Grammas
        • FileFish
        • Blennies
        • Damsel
        • ClownFish
        • RabbitFish
      • Most Popular Products See All
        • Blue Mandarin

          BIOTA Green Mandarin

          $99
          Notify Me When in Stock
        • ORA Neon Goby

          $35
          Shop Now
        • Captive Bred Yellow Tangs by BIOTA

          BIOTA Yellow Tang

          $239
          Notify Me When in Stock
        • ORA Premium Picasso

          $145 – $300
          Shop Now
      • Captive Bred Invertebrates See All
      • Clams
        • Ora Derasa Clam
        • Squamosa Clam
        • Ora Gigas Clam
        • Ora Maxima Clam
        • Ora Hippopus Clam
      • Shrimp
        • Ora Peppermint Shrimp
        • Harlequin Shrimp
      • Snails
        • Cerith Snails
        • Trochus Snail
        • Nassarius Snails
      • Urchins
        • Ora Tuxedo Urchin
        • Ora Pincushion Urchin
      • Most Popular Products See All
        • Animated gif of peppermint shrimp

          Peppermint Shrimp

          $49 – $119
          Shop Now
        • 10 Cerith Snails

          Cerith Snail

          $25 – $39
          Shop Now
        • pincushion urchin lytechinus variegatus reef safe and captive bred by ora for sale at algaebarn

          Pincushion Urchin

          $29 – $55
          Shop Now
        • Gold Maxima Clam Bed

          ORA Maxima Clam

          $80 – $150
          Shop Now
      • Corals See All
      • LPS Corals
        • Biota Pearl Bubble
        • ORA Pearl Bubble
        • ORA Marshall Island Goniopora
        • ORA Marshall Island Hammer
      • SPS Corals
        • ORA Pearlberry Acropora
        • ORA Micronesian Imperial Acropora
        • ORA Turquoise Acropora
        • ORA Micronesian Yellow Porites
      • Soft Corals
        • BIOTA White Polyp Toadstool
        • ORA Long Polyp Leather Coral
        • ORA Silver Xenia
        • ORA Pulsing Xenia
      • Frag Packs
      • Most Popular Products See All
        • Biota Pearl Bubble Coral

          $65
          Shop Now
        • ORA Pearlberry Acropora

          $290
          Notify Me When in Stock
        • BIOTA White Polyp Toadstool

          $65
          Notify Me When in Stock
      • Additives & Bacteria See All
      • Live Cultures & Bacteria
        • Turbostart 900 Saltwater
        • Aquarium Cycle Kit
        • Coralline Algae
        • PNS Yellosno
        • PNS Probio™
      • Additives & Chemicals
        • Nitrocycle
        • Clarifier
        • Fritz A.C.C.R
        • Fritz RPM Salt
      • Most Popular Products See All
        • Mandarin Feeder Kit by Algaebarn

          Mandarin Feeder Kit

          $66
          Shop Now
        • MarinePure 10 Cubes

          2″ Cubes

          $5 – $99
          Shop Now
        • Coralline Algae in a Bottle, In Pink or Purple!

          Coralline Algae

          $22 – $44
          Shop Now
        • Ultimate Refugium Starter Pack

          $120 – $450
          Shop Now
      • Aquarium Supplies See All
      • Fuge Lighting
        • AI Fuge 16HD Light
        • Kessil A360X Fuge Light
        • Kessil H160
        • Kessil H80
        • Chaetomax
      • Biomedia
        • Marinepure Gems
        • Marinepure Rocks
        • Marinepure Plate
        • Marinepure Cubes
        • Marinepure Spheres
      • Foods
        • Dragon Roe
        • Simple Brine
        • Can'O Cyclops
        • Benereef™
        • Fresco Cyclops
      • Rock & Sand
        • Dry Rock
        • Clam Rocks
      • Most Popular Products See All
        • Mandarin Feeder Kit by Algaebarn

          Mandarin Feeder Kit

          $66
          Shop Now
        • MarinePure 10 Cubes

          2″ Cubes

          $5 – $99
          Shop Now
        • Coralline Algae in a Bottle, In Pink or Purple!

          Coralline Algae

          $22 – $44
          Shop Now
        • Ultimate Refugium Starter Pack

          $120 – $450
          Shop Now
      • CADE Aquariums See All
      • Reef Series
        • CADE REEF 500 S2
        • CADE REEF 600 S2
        • CADE REEF 900 S2
        • CADE REEF 1200 S2
        • CADE REEF 1500 S2
        • CADE REEF 1800 S2
        • CADE REEF 2100 S2
      • Frag Series
        • CADE Frag 600 S2/F
        • CADE Frag 900 S2/F
        • CADE Frag 1200 S2/F
        • CADE Frag 1500 S2/F
      • Peninsula Series
        • CADE Peninsula 1200 S2/P
        • CADE Peninsula 1500 S2/P
        • CADE Peninsula 1800 S2/P
      • Most Popular Products See All
        • CADE REEF 2100 S2

          $7,225
          Shop Now
        • CADE Peninsula 1500 S2/P

          $5,525
          Shop Now
        • CADE REEF 1200 S2

          $4,125
          Shop Now
        • CADE Frag 900 S2/F

          $3,275
          Shop Now
    • Contests Win Free Aquarium Supplies!
      No Purchase Necessary*
    • Top Deals Huge Savings!
    • AlgaeBarn Heroes Discount for Military,
      First Responders and more!
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact
  • Shipping

Benefits of Live Copepods

Challenges are good. For most of us, the considerable trials of keeping a tankful of healthy aquarium livestock keep us interested and engaged in the hobby. That being said, some of the regular problems encountered by aquarium hobbyists can be quite intimidating; arguably, the greatest challenges of keeping healthy marine aquarium systems are (1) meeting the nutritional demands of finicky/specialized eaters and (2) controlling detritus build-up and nuisance algae growth. Fortunately, both of these constantly pressing issues are effectively approached with the use of live copepods.
Extremely nutritional and capable of reaching extraordinarily high population densities, copepods are nature’s consummate food packets. They range from important to critical in pretty much all aquatic/marine ecosystems, transferring nutrients and food energy from algal/bacterial primary producers up the food chain to filter-feeding fishes and invertebrates. Their role as trophic intermediaries is entirely replicable in captive systems.
Two major groups of copepods, harpacticoids and cyclopoids, both work well for these purposes in aquaria. However, the former work best as scavengers and the latter work best as a zooplanktonic live food. Even within each of these groups, different individual species work best as specific types of cleaners, food items, etc. Thus, a well-balanced community of “pods” seems to be ideal. Maintaining a large, diverse community of copepods is possible with (1) the availability of safe space within a refugium and (2) the regular, generous feedings of wholesome phytoplankton.
In this section, you will learn which species are best additions to your pod community as well as how to maximally boost pod productivity by installing refugia and feeding phyto.

48 Posts

Copepoda: The Ocean’s Cornucopia

In 1905, an engineering mishap caused the Colorado River to flood a shallow basin over the San Andreas Fault in California. With
Read More about Copepoda: The Ocean’s Cornucopia

Eliminating Detritus in the Refugium

Ever feel like no matter how much time you spend cleaning your tank, it can never really ever get clean? Detritus build-ups can be
Read More about Eliminating Detritus in the Refugium

Copepods

Imagine for a second how food energy from grass, a primary producer, is transferred to a bluebird. The bluebirds don’t eat grass.
Read More about Copepods

Tig Pods: A Food for Many

The reef aquarium hobby continues to reach new heights. This is most evident by the extraordinarily beautiful systems we see on display
Read More about Tig Pods: A Food for Many

A Copepod Cornucopia: How to Maintain a Continuous Live Food Source in Your Reef Aquarium

Some of us aquarists are satisfied just to find a pod or two in our systems—just to know that they’re still there! Then again, some of
Read More about A Copepod Cornucopia: How to Maintain a Continuous Live Food Source in Your Reef Aquarium

Amphipods and/or Copepods: Can They Peacefully Coexist?

Detritus and algal films compromise the aesthetic appearance and environmental quality of any saltwater aquarium. For sure, they
Read More about Amphipods and/or Copepods: Can They Peacefully Coexist?

Mangroves in refugium

The Refugium: A Home for Your Pods

It just isn’t enough to say that a refugium is “a tank on a tank” or “a sump with some macroalgae in it.” When used to their full
Read More about The Refugium: A Home for Your Pods

From Detritus to Delicacy: Using Harpacticoid Copepods for Natural Nutrient Cycling

Pretty much nobody wants their marine aquarium to be covered with filth and green slime. Yet, mulm and benthic microalgae show up (at
Read More about From Detritus to Delicacy: Using Harpacticoid Copepods for Natural Nutrient Cycling

How to Seed Your Reef Tank

Seed (and Re-Seeding) Copepods in the Marine Aquarium It’s understandable—totally natural, even—to want to see what we’re buying when
Read More about How to Seed Your Reef Tank

Pods in Reef Tank

Are There Copepods in Your Reef?

Are There Pods in Your Reef? Considering that they are an integral component of pretty much all natural marine ecosystems, it is
Read More about Are There Copepods in Your Reef?

Pod Size Matters: Feeding and Seeding with Copepod Cultures of All Life Stages

No matter how or when you do it, adding live copepod cultures to a reef aquarium has numerous benefits and absolutely no drawbacks.
Read More about Pod Size Matters: Feeding and Seeding with Copepod Cultures of All Life Stages

Mandarin Fish

Feeding the Mandarin Fish

For so many aquarists, the green mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus) is a must-have species. Its endearing personality, exquisite
Read More about Feeding the Mandarin Fish

pods in your reef, here is a tigriopus copepod

Pods In Your Reef: Seeding a Marine Aquarium with Copepods

Benefits of Pods In Your Reef: Microcrustaceans (or “pods”) in general, and copepods in particular, are an integral component of
Read More about Pods In Your Reef: Seeding a Marine Aquarium with Copepods

A green mandarin on the substrate hunting for algaebarn copepods that make mandarin goby fish care easy

Mandarin Goby Fish Care | Using Copepods to keep a Mandarin Dragonet

Mandarin Fish Care 101: Foods and feeding are the foremost concern for any aquarist wishing to keep a Green Mandarin Dragonet
Read More about Mandarin Goby Fish Care | Using Copepods to keep a Mandarin Dragonet

Feeding Your Hungry Pods

Marine aquarists are really attempting to accomplish several goals when introducing copepods to their systems. These undoubtedly
Read More about Feeding Your Hungry Pods

Exoskeletons, Roughage and Digestive Health

Unlike marine animals, who use chitin, we humans, and most other terrestrial animals, benefit greatly from dietary fiber. Consisting of
Read More about Exoskeletons, Roughage and Digestive Health

At the Top of the Bottom: Harpacticoid Copepods and Aquarium Substrates

There are quite a few options out there for marine aquarium substrate. From rubble to mud, aquarists have tried all of them. Many have
Read More about At the Top of the Bottom: Harpacticoid Copepods and Aquarium Substrates

The Hardy Copepod

The ocean is not always a hospitable place to be for an animal. This is especially so in the shallows, where unstable temperatures,
Read More about The Hardy Copepod

A Closer Look at the Harpacticoid Copepod Tisbe Biminiensis

There are many different reasons to add copepods to one’s marine aquarium system. Each copepod species has its own set of attributes
Read More about A Closer Look at the Harpacticoid Copepod Tisbe Biminiensis

Blue Mandarin

Keeping and Feeding the Mandarin Fishes

Mandarins are undoubtedly among the most popular of all marine aquarium fishes. Conspicuous for their small size, they have an
Read More about Keeping and Feeding the Mandarin Fishes

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Go to Next Page »

Didn't find what you were looking for?

Browse the AlgaeLab by Category

  • Advanced Education
  • Beginners Education
  • CADE Aquariums
  • Captive Bred Fish
  • Clean Up Crew
  • Company News
  • Copepods
  • Corals
  • Freshwater
  • Freshwater Aquariums
  • Intermediate Education
  • Invertebrates
  • Live foods
  • Macroalgae
  • Our Oceans
  • Phytoplankton
  • Product Info
  • Refugium Education
  • Rock and Substrate
  • Saltwater Aquariums
  • Wholesale

Company

  • About Us
  • The AlgaeLab Blog
  • Our Team
  • Careers
  • FAQ

Get in Touch

  • Contact Us
  • AOA Claim Form
  • Press Inquiries
  • Call Us: 772-444-7637

Policies

  • Legendary AOA Guarantee
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Other

  • Store Locator
  • Wholesale & B2B inquired
  • Business Location

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Join our mission to build a more sustainable aquarium hobby, one tank at a time!

Copyright 2023, AlgaeBarn LLC - Live Copepods and Phytoplankton

0

Your Cart is Empty

adroll_adv_id = "RWFLKG57L5GR7KGYSOEUOK"; adroll_pix_id = "CH2QRUFHXZELLLCMHAB5GI"; adroll_version = "2.0"; adroll_current_page = "other"; adroll_currency = "USD"; adroll_language = "en_US";