Description
5280 Pods
Whether you are trying to seed a new aquarium or looking to boost Pod populations in your established system, 5280 Pods will get the job done. With 5280+ live copepods in every 16oz jar of 5280 Pods, you can rest assured that finicky feeders such as Mandarin Dragonets, Seahorses, Anthias, Corals, Clams, and other Filter-Feeding Invertebrates will always have a continuous supply of live, nutritious food. Our pods are 100% viable to reproduce within a marine environment. They grow and carry out their natural lifecycle in your aquarium. As some of the smallest mouths in a balanced ecosystem, a healthy population of Copepods is a critical, yet often overlooked part of any “Clean Up Crew”.
We recommend using with our high-quality OceanMagik LIVE Phytoplankton Blend to establish and maintain the healthiest copepod populations.
Tigriopus californicus
Packed with omega-3 fatty and amino acids, Tigriopus copepods make a nutritious meal for even the pickiest of fish. These Pods inhabit the water column and jerk around when they move, making them an easy target for your critters. Females will lay hundreds of eggs during their life cycle. They add to your “Clean Up Crew” by consuming detritus, invasive algae, and phytoplankton in your aquarium.
Tisbe biminiensis
These small and hardy tisbe copepods tend to inhabit the cracks and crevasses of live rock and macroalgae. Hiding helps them to maintain their population in marine aquaria. Their nocturnal nature makes them a sustainable food source in your tank and keeps your fish entertained and “on the hunt”. Tisbe copepods make for a highly nutritious treat for your fish, while adding to your “Clean Up Crew” by consuming detritus, phytoplankton and invasive algae in your aquarium. Think of these guys as the smallest mouths in your food chain.
Apocyclops panamensis
These hardy copepods are slightly larger than Tisbe pods and slightly smaller than Tigriopus copepods. This intermediate size makes them a healthy live snack for your finicky fish and coral. Apocyclops copepods are extremely nutritious with a very high amino acid and protein content. Apocyclops copepods contain high amounts of Astaxanthin which can enhance and brighten the colors of your fish and coral. These warm water copepods reproduce extremely quickly by laying eggs every 4-6 days, about twice the rate of Tisbe and Tigriopus! Apocyclops copepods feed on phytoplankton, fish waste, and other detritus in your tank, making them a critical part of any clean-up crew.
As juveniles, Apocyclops copepods are benthic, staying hidden in the rockwork, macroalgae, and glass in your aquarium. As Apocyclops copepods mature into adults, they lay eggs before becoming pelagic and making their way into the water column. Once in the water column, they provide a sustainable and nutritious live food source for your fish and corals.
PLEASE NOTE: 5280 Pods contains a range of juvenile to adult copepods. Juvenile copepods are difficult to see with the naked eye upon arrival, but are best for establishing sustainable copepod populations. This is because livestock do not consume the copepods immediately after you add them into your tank!
