Thisbe copepods

Thisbe Copepods

Living benthic copepods Thisbe sp. in bottle.

Laboratory grown and fed exclusively with phytoplankton.

Natural predator of dinoflagellates.

DESCRIPTION

Genre: Thisbe

Animalia Kingdom

Phylum: Arthropoda

Subphylum: Crustacea

Class: Maxillopoda

Subclass: Copepoda

Order: Harpacticoid

General characteristics

These small crustaceans constitute more than 70% of the zooplankton components in all seas and are free-living organisms.

Its size ranges between 0.2-2.5mm.

They are capable of swimming but due to their small size they cannot define their own destiny and are carried away by water currents, which is why they are part of the plankton.

They feed on phytoplankton (microalgae) and serve as food for organisms at higher trophic levels, including, among others, fish.

They have benthic habits, which allows them to be kept at high densities

High reproductive potential (high fertility and short generations)

Its characteristic zig-zag movement is an important visual stimulus for many fish.

They reproduce sexually (separate sexes) and go through six nauplius larval stages and five copepodite stages before molting into adults.

Nutritional value

Copepods are the organisms that have given the best results in feeding fish larvae of many species in aquaculture, above brine shrimp or rotifers. This is due to the high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as DHA, EPA or arachidonic acid. The level of DHA in wild copepods can be up to ten times higher than in enriched Artemia. They do not need to be enriched like other organisms (Artemias or rotifers) to have nutrients, innately they already contain a high and optimal nutritional quality

They have high levels of protein (42-52%) with an adequate amino acid and fatty acid profile. It is important what they are fed to have the appropriate nutritional profile for the purpose we pursue.

Advantages of copepods as food

Enhances the natural color of fish and crustaceans.

Strengthens the body's immune system.

They are especially useful with some aquarium inhabitants who are more sensitive to their diet, either because they are sick or because they do not accept inert food.

It has been shown that copepods in larval culture of marine fish ensure normal development with improvements in growth and survival, considerably reducing diseases, malformations and abnormal pigmentation.

As it is benthic and therefore attaches itself to the substrate it finds (rocks, glass, bottom, etc.), it facilitates the feeding of slow-swimming fish such as Synchiropus.

When to use copepods and why

They are an excellent source of food for somewhat more delicate fish: corals and other invertebrates such as anemones, fish larvae, seahorses, mandarin fish and Anthias fish.

If our goal is to create more zooplankton in our aquarium, we will have to add them at night so that they are not eaten immediately after adding them.

They are the best option to restore appetite in sick or non-eating fish, especially mandarins, pipefish, seahorses and fish that do not accept inert food.

They feed on aquarium detritus, microalgae, crushed feed,…

Always add the contents of the bag to the end opposite the water outlet of the tank.