Are you looking for pets that are more on the unusual side? Have considered trying out aquatic creatures?
Have you considered raising copepods? These creatures are small but mighty. Let’s go through how to set up a copepod culture at home.
What Is A Copepod Culture?
Copepods are a tiny form of crustacean. You can raise them to feed your other, bigger creatures, like fish. Or, you can raise them to observe on their own. These creatures are usually smaller than the size of a flea.
Starting A Copepod Culture
First, you’ll need to start by gathering the materials you need to set up a tank. This will ensure that your copepods are safe and sound in their new environment.
Of course, you’ll need an actual tank. a 10-gallon tank is a good starting size. You should also gather up an air pump, gang air valves, a rigid tube divided into two, a lid with holes for the tube, and air lines.
Attach the air pumps to the air valves, using some of the air line. Connect the valves to two air line sections, and connect each to the rigid tubing. Then, put the tubes through the holes of the lid.
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You’ll also need to think about the lighting you want to install on the tank. Depending on your options, you may need some ambient light for around twelve hours a day. However, you probably don’t want to go overboard on the lighting, either.
Filling Up The Tank
You’ll need a food source for your copepods. That means you’ll have to add a source of phytoplankton into your tank. You can culture phytoplankton separately, or you can cultivate them from a commercial source.
You need to be very careful when you’re adding your phytoplankton culture to your copepod culture tank. Ideally, the tank should be less than half full of phytoplankton culture.
If you’re putting copepods in an existing tank, you’ll still want to be careful. Copepods can feed on things like algae that cause problems for other creatures. But, you still don’t want to go overboard. If you’re out of your depth, talk to a professional and see what they recommend when adding copepods to an existing fish tank, so that you don’t cause damage to your other fish.
But, no matter what, you need to take maintenance seriously. Keep all the creatures in your tank properly fed, and ensure that they have everything they need to thrive.
Start Your Own Copepod Culture Today
It’s not as tricky as you think to start a copepod culture, as long as you follow the correct steps.
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