Saltwater
AlgaeBarn Live Copepod Pods — 5280+ Tigriopus, Tisbe & Apocyclops
Product description
Product contents and species
This product is a mixed culture containing three copepod species: Tigriopus, Tisbe, and Apocyclops. Each pack contains at least 5,280 live copepods in a single jar, with individuals present across life stages from nauplii (microscopic juveniles) to adult sizes.
Why a mixed-size population?
The intentional mix of life stages helps establish a lasting population in your aquarium. Visible adults are available immediately as live food for predators, while the much smaller juveniles migrate into rockwork, macroalgae and sponges where they feed on detritus and reproduce. Supplying only adults would likely result in a one-time food pulse that predators consume quickly, leaving no survivors to repopulate the tank.
Intended uses
These copepods are marketed as a live food and clean-up crew: they are commonly used to feed mandarin dragonets, seahorses, small wrasses, anthias, pipefish, clownfish, blennies, filter-feeding clams, and many LPS, SPS and non-photosynthetic corals. They also contribute to natural tank maintenance by grazing on detritus, waste particles and some nuisance microalgae.
Seeding and refugiums
Tanks and refugiums benefit from adding this culture to jump-start or boost existing copepod populations. When established, a healthy copepod community provides continuous natural food and helps keep substrate and rockwork cleaner.
Shipping and guarantees
The product is aquacultured and promoted as sustainable. Packs are prepared to arrive alive, and the seller provides an arrival guarantee; if live arrival fails due to shipping conditions the company offers replacement support. Customers in very hot climates may want additional cold protection during transit.
Care and cultivation notes
Because the culture contains juveniles, some of the population will be minute and hard to see until they mature. If you intend to culture them further, provide sheltered microhabitats (live rock, macroalgae, sponge sections) and supplemental feeding to reduce cannibalism and increase reproduction.
Pros
- Three-species mix for varied sizes and diets
- Seeds refugiums and provides ongoing live food
- Aquacultured and backed by a live-arrival guarantee
Cons
- Many individuals are microscopic and hard to spot
- Shipment can fail in extreme heat without extra cold packs
- Keeping multiple species together can require extra feeding to limit cannibalism
VerdictThis mixed copepod culture is well-suited for hobbyists wanting to establish a self-sustaining clean-up crew and an on-going live food source. The three-species blend supplies a variety of sizes so predators find feedable adults while juveniles hide and reproduce among rockwork and macroalgae. Shipping can be a weak point in extreme heat unless extra cold packs are used, but replacements are avail
Reviews
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DonR 3/5
Couldn’t locate many in the jar
I held the jar to a bright light for several minutes and only noticed a few tiny shells on the bottom. After two poor orders I’m disappointed and will try another supplier next time.
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DEMOND STUBBS 5/5
Tank inhabitants are thriving
I’m thrilled — adding these pods made a noticeable difference. My reef inhabitants are grazing on them regularly.
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johnny 4/5
Healthy-looking pods and fast delivery
Arrived quickly and very well packed. The individuals looked lively and were easy to transfer into my display tank.
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Adrianna 5/5
Handy size and easy to use
Jar size is convenient and introducing them to the tank was straightforward. Good for routine use.
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Pegasus 5/5
Plenty of tiny juveniles if you look closely
At first glance I only saw a handful of adults, but under magnification there were vast numbers of nauplii. I split them into two 1.5 gal cultures, fed them while they matured, and have already harvested one container and split the other for another run. Feeding helped reduce cannibalism among the mixed species.
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Nori 5/5
Arrived alive and performed well
Recommend these; shipment was prompt and the copepods were lively. Longevity in my tank has been excellent and they serve the intended purpose.
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Beverley Simon 5/5
Responsive seller replaced a dead shipment quickly
My earlier orders arrived fine, but a hot summer delivery left the first jar DOA. I messaged the seller about using more cold packs for southern deliveries and they replied quickly, sent a replacement the next day and offered a discount on my next order. The replacement arrived cold and the pods looked healthy.
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Chrysler Technician 1/5
Not what I expected — few visible pods
The listing promised 5,280+ pods but after two weeks I saw almost nothing. If there were juveniles they were so minute they were invisible without strong magnification. I got better results from local macroalgae. End result: not what I hoped for and I won’t reorder.
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