Description

Copepods

The Ultimate Dual-Action Microfauna Seed for Reef Systems

In wild marine environments, a diverse mix of pelagic and benthic plankton sustains the aquatic food chain. Live Tigger & Tisbe Copepods bring this multi-species synergy directly to your reef display, combining two of the most beneficial and complementary micro-crustacean species in the marine hobby.

Key Benefits & Species Breakdown

1. Tigger Pods (Tigriopus californicus): The Swimming Powerhouse

• Size & Appearance: Larger (adults ~1.0 mm to 2.0 mm), highly visible, vibrant reddish-orange body.

• Behavior: Highly active, jerky swimming motion that stays suspended in the water column and near surface lighting.

• Nutritional Benefit: Rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and natural carotenoids (astaxanthin). Their bold swimming style triggers hunting instincts in Wrasses, Anthias, Gobies, and juvenile fish, enhancing natural tissue pigmentation and overall color brilliance.

2. Tisbe Pods (Tisbe biminiensis): The Stealthy Benthic Breeder

• Size & Appearance: Tiny to microscopic (adults ~0.5 mm to 1.0 mm; nauplii larvae ~50 µm).

• Behavior: Benthic crawlers that colonize deep crevices inside live rock, sandbed grains, and macroalgae.

• Nutritional Benefit: Prolific breeders that produce vast quantities of micro-nauplii, perfect for small-polyp stony (SPS) corals, soft corals, and specialized live-food feeders like Mandarin Dragonets (Synchiropus splendidus), Pipefish, and Seahorses.

3. Dual-Action Cleanup & Biological Balance

While Tigger Pods feed pelagic hunters in open water, Tisbe Pods work non-stop inside your aquascape as microscopic detritivores. Tisbe copepods graze on diatoms, organic detritus, and film algae before organic matter breaks down into nitrates and phosphates.

Product Specifications

• Culture Blend: Live Tigriopus californicus (Tigger) and Tisbe biminiensis (Tisbe)

• Application: Marine reef aquariums, nano tanks, refugiums, and live-rock seeding

• Target Livestock: Mandarins, Pipefish, Wrasses, Seahorses, SPS/LPS Corals, and Invertebrates

Recommended Seeding & Dosing Instructions

1. Turn Off Equipment: Turn off your protein skimmer, UV sterilizer, carbon reactors, and main return pumps for 30 to 45 minutes during addition.

2. Nighttime Addition: Add the copepod culture after aquarium lights have turned off. Nighttime seeding allows Tisbe pods to safely crawl into the rockwork and sandbed before visual hunters emerge.

3. Refugium Seeding: Pour a portion of the culture directly into your sump or refugium over macroalgae (such as Chaetomorpha) to establish an unmolested breeding population.

4. Sustaining the Colony: Dose live marine phytoplankton regularly to supply your Tigger and Tisbe pods with the essential micro-algae needed for rapid reproduction.