What Do Copepods Eat?

[Theplatymaster]

To start, i understand this is a strange question, and not many people probably have expertise on it.

But i have an odd fascination with the freshwater crustaceans Copepods (as well as MANY other things).

They ended up in my infusoria culture, and i just love to watch them move around.

but whenever i look, there are like 1 or 2 i can see, not a large colony. (more is better).

I am blaming this on food, so what do they eat?

I know they are purposely added to the NYC water supply, so they eat some sort of waste?

Or are they like dafnia and eat green water?

 

[Theplatymaster]

On 3/19/2023 at 7:06 AM, Pepere said:

Algae and rotting detritus.

what types of algae?

I happen to have a hair algae outbreak, and...

i cleaned my HOB into the culture today for some mulm.

[Theplatymaster]

On 3/19/2023 at 7:15 AM, Pepere said:

And if you have lots of copepods, you might see that followed up by a hydra explosion too.  Hydra love eating infusoria in addition to baby brine shrimp…

the idea isi the copepods in a designated culture, not in the main tank.

Hydra will just be another fun thing for me to watch in there.

[Theplatymaster]

On 3/19/2023 at 7:15 AM, Pepere said:

Microalgae and phtoplankton.  Not so much the algae we see…

so green water would work?

[Theplatymaster]

On 3/19/2023 at 9:49 AM, Pepere said:

It would, but it is likely not complete nutrition…

yeah well...

i like these guys because they are little things i can observe moving, and its free.

Edited March 19, 2023 by Theplatymaster

[Theplatymaster]

On 3/19/2023 at 9:52 AM, Pepere said:

No need to,  adding some detritus, dead leaves etc would help diversify.

ive cleaned my HOB into there, to give it some mulm, and a leave from a crypt.

i guess its good and bad that i dont have dead leaves from my plants.

id add leaves from other things (like trees), but im worried about tannins.

[Theplatymaster]

On 3/19/2023 at 10:07 AM, Pepere said:

I am guessing you trim/prune plants from time to time.  Next time you do pull some leaves and drop them in…

not really...

i grow mostly anubias, and while the rhizomes grow fast, i dont trim the leaves.

my amazon sword is still small, though i probably have some dying java fern leaves i could throw in there.