'Pod tank. INPUT PLEASE!

[gennet]

Hi all, Im planning on getting some seahorses from OR sometime in the near future (3-4 months?), but before i did, i thought it'd be a good idea to start an amphipod breeding tank in advance. Im planning on using a standard 10 gal tank, with caulerpa. As far as circulation, filtration (?), and set-up goes, im stumped. Do i need anything else? Any proposed set-ups? Im shooting for the highest pod porduction. Any and all help appreciated! :D

TIA, Kent

[Bigjohn]

I usually just take a 5 gallon bucket with tank water from a water change, add some hair algae, a small airstone, and feed it with some sort of fertilzer. I use a product called roti-rich to raise my bbs and rotifers. I have some 2 1/2 gallon clear buckets that I raise my rotifers in and there are all kinds of 'bugs' in it.

You can create a nice bucket of green water this way in just a few days if you don't let any rotifers get in it!

Probably not the info you were wanting, but this is what I do and I raise seahorses and clowns this way.

John

[gennet]

Thanks for the reply John, but not exactly what i was looking for :) Specifically, i wanted to culture amphipods. I was thinking about having a 10 gal stocked with macroalgae (ulva, caulerpa, etc) lit by a 27w PC, a heater, and a small powerhead for circulation. Im shooting for max population density within the smallest amount of space. Can anyone else help me out? Please post!

Kent

[Airel]

Hi Kent,

I do not know much about pod tanks but I'll give my opinion. Your 10gal sounds fine, but I think you could go much smaller. I would also use some LR and all you need is an airstone. You can feed the tank a pinch of crushed flake food.

HTH,
DeAnne:D

[LiquidShaneo]

I think what you're looking for is Frank Hoff's Plankton Culture Manual, 5th Edition. He explains how to culture many different live foods: phyto, rotifers, ciliates, artemia, copepods, daphnia, amphipods, mysid, and microworms. It's available from Florida Sea Farms for somewhere around $35:

http://www.florida-aqua-farms.com/

This book is the bible of rearing live foods IMHO. The portion of the book where Hoff discusses amphipod culturing is only 2 pages so if you'd like I can scan in those 2 pages so you can see what he has to say about culturing them. I'm assuming that your e-mail is in your profile, so I will send it to that address.

FWIW, Hoff recommends tanks of around 50 - 80 L for their culture (approx 10-20 gal).

You have mail. :)

Shane
liquid on #reefcentral, #reefs

[gennet]

Hello Shane,

Yes, i do have a copy myself, but i was looking for something more in depth (the culture manual is a bit too...general). Thanks for the help though (and the e-mail!). By the way, would anyone happen to know of a cheap source for an amphipod culture? Im looking to purchase a few hundred or so. Keep the posts coming!

Kent

[Bigjohn]

When you say amphipods, are you talking about grammarus shrimp?

I have loads of them in my filters and live rock. If not shrimp, what kind?

John

[LiquidShaneo]

Nope, grammus shrimp are different. Here's what an amphipod is:

Amphipods by Ron Shimek:

http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish/library/articleview2.asp?Section=&RecordNo=331

FWIW, Kevin Done has an EXCELLENT Aquarium Frontiers Index found here: http://www.aquariumfrontiers.net/

Shane
liquid on #reefcentral, #reefs

[LiquidShaneo]

FWIW, here's a link to raising copepods: http://www.seahorse.org/articles/copepods.html

Shane

[gennet]

Specifically, im talking about gammeridean amphipods. They are about 1/4 inch long, resemble shrimp, and tuck in their tails when not swimming.

Kent

[cephalopoder]

I experiment with cultureing and collecting food for baby cephalopods. The one thing with amphipods is they take a long time establish a population big enough to replenish what you take out of the culture for feeders. They do breed no problem though if they are well fed and on a 12/12 light cycle. I use a 5 gallon bucket with water from a tank change in it. I them place a large 6" air stone on the botton and macro alges in the bucket. I use ulva and tang heaven I got from ipsf and a real curly turf alge that I have. I think you could use any macro algae as long as it floats. The air stone keeps the algae floating and I feed the pods a product called golden pearls that they use in shrimp hatcheries.
I just spinkle a little on top every other day and they come out of the algae to skim it of the top of the water and feed. I see tons of molts on the surface so they seem to grow fast this way and reproduce.
I am fortunate in the fact I live close to the ocean and can collect my own pods. At night I can collect about 1-2 thousand in a hour with a fine net and dive light.
You migtht try getting a bunch of pepermint shrimp too.
They breed every 9 days and when the eggs hatch you get a ton of fry. I bet they would be great baby seahorse food.

[glh7767]

florida aqua farms has amphipod cultures for purchase. a ten gallon tank loaded with macroalgae will produce all that you want. i make no special effort to breed them, other than seeding my refugia with deep sand beds, loads of multiple caulerpa, and time. they are almost a no brainer, requiring no special treatment. feed them spirulina, flake is fine, or any other algae base and they will grow.

[crossover]

FWIW, I think crushed coral provides great shelter for the little critters.