Renewable food sources

[greenfish]

I like the idea of a couple of shrimp reproducing making food for others in the tank. What other things can I put in the tank or fuge to help turn it into a "bio sphere" type environment?

[Aiptasia]

Algae, a couple of pieces of LR and a little light over the refugium will help create a good place for copepods, amphipods and other little shrimps to grow and make a constant supply of zooplankton for your main tank.

[greenfish]

I asssume these things will originate as hitchhikers. Should I place the shrimp in the refugium or with the little shrimp (from my pair) make it there on their own?

[mogurnda]

In my opinion, shrimp shouldn't be in a fuge. They will be perfectly happy to make eggs in the main tank, and can prey on small creatures that you want to reproduce. You will probably get some 'pods with the live rock, but a detritivore kit from Indo Pacific Sea Farms or Inland Aquatics will be even better.

[greenfish]

Do you think I could ever get the tank to feed itself or even close?

[Arden]

I have a fuge with a couple of peppermint shrimp and a lot of macro algae and I believe it comes pretty close to feeding all th FILTER FEEDERS in my tank. The fuge is brimming with copapods, amphipods and whateverpods but i wouldn't trust it to feed my fish and the larger of my Mobil invertebrates. I have neglected to feed my corals polychaetes and clams for 6 months and they still grew healthily.

[Arden]

If you live anywhere nere LA you can buy gracilaria that is packed with large amphipods.

[greenfish]

So all that would be left would be to try to figure out what can reproduce in such a quantity to sustain a small fish population. Obviously the fish population could not exceed the food production capabilities. Since this is the beginner’s discussion I am obviously not and expert on food possibilities. I would assume you would need at least 2 types of food, one that would exist in the sand and one that would move throughout the water column.

 

I am likely to have some type of clown and goby in my tank. However I think this discussion should look at a range of live stock options for other livestock options.

 

I would say that the sand food population would not be at risk of being eaten all at once because it is semi-protected.

 

It seems likely that the water column type food would be at risk to be over eaten, as the fish would probably not be concerned about watching its weight.

 

Last a vitamin supplement would still probably be necessary.