This listing is for:
- Freshly harvested Live Copepods - 8oz
- (Tisbe Biminiensis & Tigriopus Californicus & Apocyclops Mix)
- High Quality Feeder/Dosing Phytoplankton - 8oz
- Live Macro Algae/macroalgae ( Ulva lactuca ) - Sea Lettuce 1/2 cup
Live Marine Rotifers - 8 oz
L-Strain
Live Starter Kit - (8oz pods | 8oz Phytoplankton | 1/2cup Ulva | 8oz Rotifers)
NOTE: If your system is a new or unstable/low nutrient system (includes low bio load) we recommend running the Rotifers through a filter to remove the water and backwash contents using water from your tank/reef system. The reason for this is to ensure the water that is included does not introduce nitrates/phosphates too fast into your system. If however this is what you want, meaning to introduce the nitrate/phosphates a healthy reef system needs to function then dump contents into your system as usual. Rotifers alone produce nitrates on their own very well which is why we recommend this if your system is new or not very stable yet. Many want to introduce nitrates early on but it really is situation dependent.
Phytoplankton are small single cell organisms that are essential to the growth and sustainment of corals, copepods, and several other species of marine life. If you are looking for high quality Phytoplankton for your copepods, or if you want to culture your own Phytoplankton, you're in the right place!
Live Copepods are a fantastic way of adding biodiversity to your reef aquarium. They serve as members of your cleanup crew, eating detritus and improving water quality. In addition, their small size makes them excellent at getting into the tiniest crevices in your live rock and eating waste inaccessible to snails or crabs.
Pods are also the only food some picky fish will eat; examples include mandarins, pipefish, and some wrasses. These fish generally won't eat anything but live food, and copepods are their preferred menu item! Your corals also love to eat copepods, which helps them gain the nutrients they need to grow and maintain optimum health.
Tisbe are the smallest of the three types of copepods we stock. Tisbe pods are nocturnal, which helps protect them from predation (allowing them to build a robust, self-sustaining colony in your tank). Adults of this species prefer to live in your live rock and on your glass, eating detritus all night. Mandarins, in particular, love to eat Tisbe pods. Live copepods are a great natural reef aquarium food for your fish and corals.
Tigriopus are the largest type of copepod we offer. This live copepod species is a pelagic, or free-swimming, copepod. The large size and peculiar swimming motion of the Tigriopus make it easy to catch and are perfect for feeding your coral and fish.
Apocylops are a little bit smaller and harder for fish to catch than Tigriopus. Combined with the fact that it is a prolific breeder, it is easier for Apocyclops to begin a self-sustaining colony in your tank. Young Apocyclops prefer to live in your rocks and eat detritus; as they grow into adults, they become free-swimming and make an excellent target for fish and corals. Apocyclops are prolific breeders and will quickly form a self-sustaining colony in your tank.Rotifers an essential element of the food chain and critical to Marine Life in your tank and great for feeding larval fish and coral.
Once your tank is seeded with Rotifers, daily dosing of Live Phytoplankton will ensure the extended life and reproduction of the your rotifers, so definitely check out our Live Phytoplankton to add to your order!
Rotifers reproduce quickly and are naturally found in diverse habitats where they have adapted to tolerate wide ranges in temperature, oxygen, and salinity, making them robust in culture.
These can be refrigerated for several weeks before using to start a culture or as a live feed.
Chaeto (CHAETOMORPHA ) algae for your reef tank (saltwater only). This is an absolute must when it comes to running a sump or refugium and will assist with absorption of excess phosphate/nitrate levels. Not only can it be useful for reduction of excess nutrients but is a great home for any copepods or amphipods that live in the sump/refugium. With the correct grow light and nutrients, chaeto should have consistent growth (times will vary).
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Label content will vary and change, please look for the checkbox on left of the label for actual contents of bottle. Care instructions for the item will be on the right side. Please refer to listing images, for example of bottle label and use.
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Live items cannot be returned as they are sensitive to shipping, so all sales are final.
Buyer agrees to check and report issues with any live item purchased within 1 hour of delivery (based on carrier delivery time).
*Florida Reef Labs will review any claim and upon approval, will credit buyers account for future purchases.
(DOA), please contact us and provide a photo AND video of the shipment, along with original packaging (bottle and shipping container) WITHIN 1 HOUR of carrier recorded delivery time.
We ship all live products in an insulated bag with cold/heat packs to ensure alive arrival. Due to colder temperatures, the product may go into a hibernation state (not moving/or slowly moving). Please allow them to remain in room temperature for 1 hour before use.
There are approximately a 1 ounce air pocket in each bottle; we intentionally leave an air pocket so the animals can breathe in transit.
We ship in insulated bag with cold/heat packs to ensure live arrival.
We ship Monday - Wednesday ONLY - For any orders placed after Wednesday, you may receive notification of shipment, but that is just the generation of the shipping label. Shipping will proceed on that following Monday unless it's a holiday ***
If weather is a factor in shipping, cold/heat/hurricane, we will ship on next available Monday - Wednesday window to ensure live arrival.