Dr. Michael Taxacher, Deutschland
Info
Our special thanks for the first two pictures of this planktonic live food go to Dr Michael Taxacher.
In general, copepods are the natural first food for many fish and crustacean larvae. No additional enrichment is necessary, in contrast to Artemia and Brachionus.
The copepod is smaller than Brachionus and can also be a good food for very small fish or sea dragon larvae or seahorse larvae.
Pre-requisite for keeping.
Density 1.017 to 1.021, weak coarse bubble aeration 2-3 bubbles per sec, artificial lighting not necessary.
Suggestion:
Start in reactor (10 - 20cm diameter + min. 30cm height) to ensure better population control.
Normal inexpensive keeping in buckets 10l, 20l or 30l with lids for evaporation
Tubs with a larger bottom surface + height of at least 30 cm are advantageous.
Deposit should not exceed max. 2 - 3 mm - Caution do not vacuum and destroy, but use the vacuumed substrate/detritus (contains adult copeops) for a new batch or for expansion.
Size
nauplii approx. 35 - 80 µm - pelagic (free-swimming)
Adult cops approx. 200 - 600 µm - benthic (living on the bottom).
This copepod belongs to the marine zooplankton and is an ideal free-swimming rearing food for small fish larvae due to its nauplii size 35 µm to 150 µm, as the nutritional value is higher than that of other plankers such as artemia without enrichment.
Caution:
Too large and too many copepods in the larval / rearing tank will attack fish larvae and may kill them.
Food for optimal copepod reproduction.
The copepod contains valuable unsaturated fatty acids, the nutritional value of the small crustaceans can be further enhanced by feeding them various phytoplankton species such as Isochrysis, Tetraselmis, Rhodomonas and diatoms among others, dried Spirulina algae are also accepted.
Due to a fast reproduction rate, under optimal conditions the culture can double in 2 to 3 days, fresh zooplankton is regularly available.
Use as rearing food.
Initial feeding of copepods to fish and crustacean larvae has a better starting point in skeletal deformations, pigmentation, survival rate and the growth rate in the larval stage.
The copepods generally have.... a higher content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) than Brachionus and Artemia with enrichment. Of course, feeding different types of algae to copepods can still bring improved nutrient requirements per larval species.
Reproduction rate or population dynamics.
Reproduction rate is based on density/salinity, food quality, food density and temperature.
Contamination
Contamination with Brachionus plicatilis cannot be done by filtering it out with a sieve, as both species live in the same size spectrum. It is best to start a new culture, either with new acquisition via the trade or a separation of individual copepods, but is only advisable with a microscope so that no Brachionus is pipetted along.
Breeding kits are not always available in stationary or internet trade.
Further interesting information can be obtained via the links.
In general, copepods are the natural first food for many fish and crustacean larvae. No additional enrichment is necessary, in contrast to Artemia and Brachionus.
The copepod is smaller than Brachionus and can also be a good food for very small fish or sea dragon larvae or seahorse larvae.
Pre-requisite for keeping.
Density 1.017 to 1.021, weak coarse bubble aeration 2-3 bubbles per sec, artificial lighting not necessary.
Suggestion:
Start in reactor (10 - 20cm diameter + min. 30cm height) to ensure better population control.
Normal inexpensive keeping in buckets 10l, 20l or 30l with lids for evaporation
Tubs with a larger bottom surface + height of at least 30 cm are advantageous.
Deposit should not exceed max. 2 - 3 mm - Caution do not vacuum and destroy, but use the vacuumed substrate/detritus (contains adult copeops) for a new batch or for expansion.
Size
nauplii approx. 35 - 80 µm - pelagic (free-swimming)
Adult cops approx. 200 - 600 µm - benthic (living on the bottom).
This copepod belongs to the marine zooplankton and is an ideal free-swimming rearing food for small fish larvae due to its nauplii size 35 µm to 150 µm, as the nutritional value is higher than that of other plankers such as artemia without enrichment.
Caution:
Too large and too many copepods in the larval / rearing tank will attack fish larvae and may kill them.
Food for optimal copepod reproduction.
The copepod contains valuable unsaturated fatty acids, the nutritional value of the small crustaceans can be further enhanced by feeding them various phytoplankton species such as Isochrysis, Tetraselmis, Rhodomonas and diatoms among others, dried Spirulina algae are also accepted.
Due to a fast reproduction rate, under optimal conditions the culture can double in 2 to 3 days, fresh zooplankton is regularly available.
Use as rearing food.
Initial feeding of copepods to fish and crustacean larvae has a better starting point in skeletal deformations, pigmentation, survival rate and the growth rate in the larval stage.
The copepods generally have.... a higher content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) than Brachionus and Artemia with enrichment. Of course, feeding different types of algae to copepods can still bring improved nutrient requirements per larval species.
Reproduction rate or population dynamics.
Reproduction rate is based on density/salinity, food quality, food density and temperature.
Contamination
Contamination with Brachionus plicatilis cannot be done by filtering it out with a sieve, as both species live in the same size spectrum. It is best to start a new culture, either with new acquisition via the trade or a separation of individual copepods, but is only advisable with a microscope so that no Brachionus is pipetted along.
Breeding kits are not always available in stationary or internet trade.
Further interesting information can be obtained via the links.
