What Are Copepods?

Copepods are small crustaceans that can be used as live food for saltwater aquarium fishes, corals and other invertebrates.

Who Should Use Copepods?

Almost any marine aquarium will benefit from the addition of copepods, but tanks with mandarin fish, anthias and seahorses may well require the regular addition of copepods for optimal results. Aquarists that maintain refugium as a part of their overall system should definitely add copepods directly to their refugium on a regular basis.

How To Use Copepods

We ship our copepods in a 100ml bottle. To add them to your system, simply pour the bottle directly into the Aquarium. If a refugium is present, it may be best to add at least some of the copepods to the refugium where they will not be eaten. If no refugium is present, you may add all of the copepods directly to the sump (consider shutting off the protein skimmer for a time if one is present). If the system does not have a refugium or a sump, consider adding at least some of the copepods when the aquarium lights are off.

Which Copepods Do You Stock?

We stock Harpacticoids copepods which are the most commonly available copepods on the market today. They are substrate-dwelling copepods (“benthic" copepods). They feed on micro algae, detritus and even flake fish food. Some harpacticoids are cannibalistic and will eat other copepods if no other food source is present in the aquarium.

Why Can't I See Copepods In My Aquarium?

Over time, the population of the copepods in your aquarium will decline as they are grazed by the corals, anemones, fish and shrimp in the tank.

How Do Copepods Help My Aquarium?

As well as being an excellent food source for finicky fish eaters, they are "detritivores", meaning they will scavenge leftover fish food, fish poop, and bacteria in the tank. They can help control the water quality by eating the unused food which can eventually lead to bacteria overload in your tank.

When you receive your copepods you don't have to use them straight away as they will store in your fridge for up to 6-8 weeks.