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Wanted: Brackish water Copepods

PostPosted:11 Nov 2020 17:30
by Johnny Max
I am wanting to buy live copepods/amphipods to start in a small container. I can get freshwater copepods, but I am not sure if they are the same type that Vorteil had. I tried to contact him, but no response. I can always just go to the beach and get a bunch in the seaweed that floats up on the beach, but not sure they will survive in brackish water.
Vortei called them "Scuds."
Any advice is welcomed.
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Re: Wanted: Brackish water Copepods

PostPosted:11 Nov 2020 21:34
by Shrimpkeeper
Sorry, no experience keeping these. I have heard they can easily take over a freshwater aquarium though but I am not sure if they do well in brackish.
Also have heard some people keeping freshwater isopods as an alternative, but again not sure how these do in brackish.
Best of luck. :grin2:

Re: Wanted: Brackish water Copepods

PostPosted:12 Nov 2020 08:04
by Vorteil
What's the interest or goal?

Re: Wanted: Brackish water Copepods

PostPosted:12 Nov 2020 13:39
by Johnny Max
Vorteil wrote: 12 Nov 2020 08:04 What's the interest or goal?
I am going to grow then in their own tank(s). I just want a new aquatic pet to observe and learn about.
I have always been fascinated with micro aquatic life since I got a small microscope for Christmas when I was 10 years old. If I end up with more than I know what to do with, I will start feeding them to my tilapia as a treat.

Re: Wanted: Brackish water Copepods

PostPosted:21 Nov 2020 01:19
by Johnny Max
"Scud Monkeys!"
I got some Scuds from Vortiel.
They arrived Tuesday. Most are in a bigger container, but I put a few in a small Sea Monkey aquarium I still had.
I will put them on my desk at work when I get back.
Not a very good picture of the Scuds.
They will live on my desk right next to my Opae Ula tank.
Thanks Vortiel!
Since they are scuds in a sea monkey aquarium, I am calling it my

"Scud Monkey Tank." :lol:
Much more entertaining that brine shrimp.
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Re: Wanted: Brackish water Copepods

PostPosted:23 Nov 2020 23:38
by Vorteil
I had mixed results when keeping scuds in a small container. In a tank with sponge filters they thrive and I've had the population grow like crazy. In a smaller set up they didn't do well. Sometimes they just died off for some reason. They are doing great in a 5 gallon brackish tank and in a few other FW 10 gallon tanks.

Re: Wanted: Brackish water Copepods

PostPosted:24 Nov 2020 18:30
by Johnny Max
Vorteil wrote: 23 Nov 2020 23:38 I had mixed results when keeping scuds in a small container. In a tank with sponge filters they thrive and I've had the population grow like crazy. In a smaller set up they didn't do well. Sometimes they just died off for some reason. They are doing great in a 5 gallon brackish tank and in a few other FW 10 gallon tanks.
Thanks for the tip, I will put the rest in a 5 gallon tank with a sponge filter and get them multiplying. I want to feed them to my tilapia.

Re: Wanted: Brackish water Copepods

PostPosted:24 Nov 2020 20:38
by Vorteil
Very cool. These thrive on dried Indian Almond leaves & raw vegetables. I feed them vegetable scraps. The leaves don't pollute the water and over time eaten up. There are other leaves you can use. Anything FW shrimp can eat these can too.

Re: Wanted: Brackish water Copepods

PostPosted:14 Dec 2020 15:00
by Johnny Max
Making Scud food.
Is it okay to feed scuds potatoes, bananas and zucchini?
I am thinking about slicing them up and dehydrating them.
I think it will be an easy way to store long term.
Any advise welcomed.
Could I feed it to my Opae Ula?

Re: Wanted: Brackish water Copepods

PostPosted:14 Dec 2020 20:15
by odin
Give it a go! Just be sure to remove any uneaten food after a hour or so. You don't want to pollute the water in anyway.