# copepods and bristleworms gone?



## 4pokguy (Apr 27, 2011)

I have a 5.5G tank that i turned into an all-in-one. When the tank was first established (May of last year) it was teeming with copepods. You could easily spot them on the glass. And the bristleworms would poke their heads out of their holes whenever they smelled food. 
Now I don't see any copepods nor bristleworms. I see some amphipods occasionally though. The tank is stocked with corals, a small "nano-tank rasied" clown, a couple of blue legged hermits, a trochus snail, and I recently added some nassarius snails and a firefish about 10 days ago.

I want to place some of the live rock from my 5.5G into a 14G Biocube that I just set up and would like to have some of those critters in there too, but I don't even know if I have any left in my 5.5G to seed the Biocube. Should I even be concerned about this? Should I go to BA's and get a pound of live rock to seed the tanks (no reefer stores in Brampton)? or is there another source that I can get these copepods and bristleworms from?


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

There has to be someone in the area that could give you some sand. Although a nano that size is always going to have problems with stability. I had a 6 gallon and I could never keep it very stable.


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## Tim (Dec 11, 2011)

Save yourself buying the rock.

There is someone here who has a herd of bristleworms running rampant in their tank so you could probably get some from them. I think it may have been a seahorse tank? Anyways do a search and you should find it. Posted within the last couple of weeks.

I am sort of breeding them in my refugium but they are all piled into one rock right now. If I can manage to get a couple to move into another rock I will let you know.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

Tim said:


> S
> I am sort of breeding them in my refugium but they are all piled into one rock you know.




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## Tim (Dec 11, 2011)

lol

yes that wasn't a mis-type. I am going to have a nutrient heavy tank so I am getting it ready.

here is the link to the seahrse/bristle worm thread
http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30822


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## disman_ca (Nov 12, 2011)

Tim said:


> Save yourself buying the rock.
> 
> There is someone here who has a herd of bristleworms running rampant in their tank so you could probably get some from them. I think it may have been a seahorse tank? Anyways do a search and you should find it. Posted within the last couple of weeks.....


That would be my seahorse tank. I'd be willing to catch some but I'm on the other side of the GTA, north of Claremont.


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## JulieFish (Apr 8, 2011)

I'm in Brampton and have tons of bristleworms in my tank... You are free to take a bunch but I have no idea how to catch them for you. I don't really see copepods in my tank. Maybe the fish eat them.


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## disman_ca (Nov 12, 2011)

Read page 2 for a DIY trap Deadly worms.pdf. You can also use a piece of pantyhose/nylon with bait inside at night. Supposedly they get stuck to it so just remove it in the morning.


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## JulieFish (Apr 8, 2011)

I do have lots of bristleworms but I don't consider them an infestation or a problem... they are just another part of my CUC. I guess if they are wanted to seed someone else's tank I will try the pipe or bottle method of trapping them. I'm sure there will be tons of brittle stars caught too.


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

Check your temperature stability. If the temperature swings too much (esp. high) you can cook your poor pods. I've done it before


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## 4pokguy (Apr 27, 2011)

Thanks for the replies everyone. I don't really NEED the bristleworms. I'm more concerned now that there's something just not right with the tank and that's why the copepods and BW have gone missing.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

It's probably just more a function that they're no longer the only creatures so they have less things to eat, less places to hide, and more things eating them. 

But trust me, they're there. If you looked in my tank, you'd never see them, but here and there they pop up


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

I've seen these guys feeding on pods...

http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5836


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

i have a tonne of bristles and amphipods, not many copes, and a few small planaria on the front glass (and only the front glass)


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

pods do need a safe place and low flow like a refugium to grow and they don't get eaten by the fish. do you add phytoplanktons? if you have a refugium you'll see all the pods in there and not in the main tank.


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## darthvictor (Aug 16, 2011)

I think your copes just got eat by all your fishes.. I've seen ton of them on my glass before I added my fish and now I don't see a single one... But I am sure there are some of them hiding in your rocks, so using your rock to seed the other tank should not be a problem at all.


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## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

They are around. I notice mine come and go in poulation size.


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