my pods are out of control

[NanoAmyDee]

ok...I think I have a major flaw here.

 

I have TONS of pods in my tank, and the bi color and clown only eat a little if I only feed once a week. Nothing else will eat them, and now they are starting to grow bigger. It looks like a I have a flea infested tank!

 

Any ideas of something that will control the pod population? It is a 20g with a AC500 fuge. The bi color is about 1.5 inches long and the clown is 1.5 inches as well. So I guess I have enough room for one more fish MAX.

[birdman204]

Time will control it. The natural competition for food will slow down reproduction survival rates. Your tank is less than 6 mos old? I have noticed after about 4-6 months they boom and level off. after that, the level stays pretty steady due to available food. Don't worry, something will eat the excess

[Cellenzweig]

Get a Red Scooter Blenny (it's actually a dragonet). A scooter will easily keep pods in check!!

[NanoAmyDee]

I am torn between something that will control the pod population and something that will munch on feather algae and alike. I am sure that if I get rid of the algae the pods population will get under control some as well. I can see em breeding in there! LOL

[Quash]

I dont think I have any more pods. When I had my fish, I think he ate em all

[Hwarang]

Normally, I'd be with birdman204 on this one. But I think the tank probably generates too much waste and detritus for them to equalize / reach max capacity and start the die-off.

 

Also, I think the tank probably generates enough waste and food for pods that they could dominate the tank, squishing out everything else and making it really look like hell.

[Cellenzweig]

Usually when a species takes off like that, there is an inbalance in the system - maybe too much phyto in this case? Pods eat phyto & phyto feeds off nutrients. If you can eliminate the nutrients, it should, in turn reduce the phyto in your system and thus reduce the pod population.

 

How are your nutrients? Do you have high nitrates or phosphates?

[birdman204]

Hwarang, you ever seen a tank where everything is squished by pods That would rule. I think there is a saturation point for everything. You know, pods get bothered by thier neighbors just like us humans do too I suspect her boom will level off. Most people come back in a month saying " where'd all my pods go! "

I would opt against any type of dragonet or copepod muncher in almost ANY nano ( notice I said almost people).

I wouldn't worry, even with excess nutrients and available food, other competition will move in, breeding places will be few and far between..... They should level off. We are dealing with a new tank right? Algae coming in huh? Yeah the pods love to hide and use it as a breeding ground, but they will also eat it.

[brahm]

There is nothing wrong with having alot of pods, good for you.. If you were in san diego, i would be happy to spyhon every last one out and put it in my tank.

[NanoAmyDee]

My nutrient levels aren't high. I think the pods are causing a terrible cycle that I now don't know how to deal with. I am trying to cut back the algae that is growing, I trim it almost every 3 days. They also eat it and breed in it and live in it. When I trim the algae there is an explosion of all these pods running for cover.

 

I have tested everything, its all in check. The slimey algae is going away quite quickly. We put the refugium in to help with nitrates and to produce pods. I have a lot of algae in the fuge and in the tank for the pods. We did this because it was going to be food for the two fish, but the bastages won't eat em. I think the only one I have seen eat them is the Sebae.

 

Oh well, I am sure that something will level out. Maybe if they don't get under control we'll move one of the fish into another tank and get a wrasse or something.

[HumblePie]

Amy,

 

I think you live pretty close to me (on the Eastside in WA). If you have some method of catching those little buggers (siphon through a strainer, etc), I'd be happy to take some off your hands.

[Cellenzweig]

People pay A LOT for pods! I've never seen anyone consider them a problem before.

[sox]

All it took was 1 nite and my take was podland - it lasted about a week. When I woke up one morning, they were mostly gone (easy come easy go). Its best to just wait it out.

[SaltyMist]

My tank got "infested" with them by adding grape caleurpa one day from my LFS. The next morning I had hundreds of these things all over the place. I guess thats one way of getting them, to buy a cheap bunch of some macro algae and swish it around the tank for a while.

[DitchPlains]

I had pods galour when I first started my nano, they overran the tank, basiclaly looked like a flea circus, bug central, PodPlanet, you name it I thought it. Eventually that ended once my green hair dissapeared and most of my diatoms, its all part of the cycle, unless your water is bad news, (are you over feeding??) Most fish can survive n thrive with very little food, its in our nature ot fatten everything up like we do with our dogs n cats, a plump fish usally means tank problems. I want a Dragonet in my tank, but I doubt my pods could handle it, considering I don't have any algae or phyto for them to breed, and my clowns already munch on them likje candy. ok good luck, just let it be, make sure to feed properly and not too much.