Feeding mysis in the refugium

[CAT]

What do mysis shrimp eat? I've noticed that the mysis shrimp in my refugium are very tiny. I know they can get bigger because I've seen the odd one that is much larger.

I feed phytoplankton every now and then but I'm wondering if they need anything else. Most of the food from the main tank gets eaten before it gets to the fuge. I'm trying not to feed too much because I now have a decent population of red planaria in the refugium that hitch-hiked on a bunch of caulerpa I bought from the lfs. :(

Can I feed one without feeding the other?

Thanks,
Cherry

[griss]

Cherry,

I usually just put a pinch of flake food into the fuge every other day or so. This seems to keep the pods, Mysis and worms happy.

Griss

[rshimek]

Originally posted by CAT

Hi Cherry,

What do mysis shrimp eat? I've noticed that the mysis shrimp in my refugium are very tiny. I know they can get bigger because I've seen the odd one that is much larger.

Small mysids are typically phytoplankton or particulate feeders, larger ones are generally zooplankton feeders, and they are often carnivorous.

I feed phytoplankton every now and then but I'm wondering if they need anything else.

Yes, as Griss indicates other foods are a benefit.

Can I feed one without feeding the other?

Not really. Any food that the mysids don't eat will eventually become food for the worms, or dissolved nutrient to fuel their zoox.

[CAT]

Thanks for the replies :)

Guess I'll feed the fuge more and keep syphoning out as many planaria as I can during water changes :rolleyes:

Interesting note: So far, the planaria has not made it into the display. This surprises me. I do have 3 green chromis, a firefish, a bangaii and a fire shrimp in there -maybe one or more of them is snacking on them :D

Cherry

[rshimek]

Originally posted by CAT

Hi Cherry,

Interesting note: So far, the planaria has not made it into the display. This surprises me.

It surprises me, too. If I were you, I would break down, sterilize, and re-establish the refugium before the infestation gets into the main tank. Such pests are damm near impossible to control once they get established.

:D

[Mike_Noren]

Originally posted by CAT
Interesting note: So far, the planaria has not made it into the display.

Oh it's a pretty safe bet they've made it in there, even if you have a powerhead in between. Something, god knows what, is presently keeping them from flourishing in the main tank. Whatever it is, I doubt its any of the fishes you listed, other than possibly indirectly.

Just out of personal curiosity - were your sump and display tank set up at the same time, or was the sump started more recently?

[CAT]

If I were you, I would break down, sterilize, and re-establish the refugium before the infestation gets into the main tank


Dr. Ron: Ouch! :( I can see your point though -
Not quite sure what you mean by 'stelilize'. Freshwater dip everything, or throw it all out and start again?

Mike, I see no signs of them in the display though you may be right and they're just not visible yet. The display is about 1 1/2 years old. I added the fuge about 6 months ago so it's newer than the display.

The fuge is below the tank so the water is going through a pump to get to the display - maybe the planaria is being chewed up before they get through...:confused:

Cherry

[rshimek]

Originally posted by CAT

Hi Cherry,

Dr. Ron: Ouch! :( I can see your point though -
Not quite sure what you mean by 'stelilize'. Freshwater dip everything, or throw it all out and start again?

By sterilize, I really mean just that. Remove and discard everything from the refugium, and then clean out the tank and all plumbing with strong bleach rinse. This will kill everything in contact with the bleach. Then dechlorinate and re-establish the refugium.

- maybe the planaria is being chewed up before they get through...

Flatworms are amazing animals (probably the reason Mike studies them :D) and as a group they have amazing powers of regeneration. Small fragments may regenerate to form whole worms. However, also, small animals can often pass through pumps with absolutely no damage, so... Mike is undoubtedly correct, they are in your main system. But, I would surely remove the supply of new recruits by redoing the refugium.

:strooper: