help growing pods

[neptune]

I wanted to create a secondary supply of pods for my mandarin. Once this supply is good I want to purchase a female. My sump is not big enough so I set up a separate 20 gallon tank to hold cheato some LR and a basic LED light on top. I have a HOB filter and a powerhead for circulation. I put in Tisbe pods... I am feeding tank Pytoplankton 4 capfuls every 2 days and I drop in some live worms every day or every other day.

I am two weeks into this and I would have thought my pop population would be strong by now! but I see a few pods.. nothing on the glass? Some of my cheato is falling to the bottom of the tank and not staying in a ball? I have few CUC that hitch hiked from the rock. I am seeing snails and tiny starfish explode.

Suggestions? I wanted a huge population of pods...? I ordered an entire bottle of tisbe pods to help start this.

Neptune

and if anyone sees a female mandarin or a female red ruby dragonet I am looking!! The last female mandarin I purchased passed.. I think she was to skinny to save even tho I hatched BBS for her.. she didn't make again.

 

[mrjantzen]

Bump, I am curious about this as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Aquatic Nerd]

Are you trying to pair dragonettes? It can be tough if they werent bought together due to size difference.

As far as the pods go...are you running at the appropriate temp to aid breeding, I'd remove the power head. Lower flow the better imo

Edit: nice super bump

 

[Chris A.]

I thought they had a different dorsal fin or something , that you could make out there sexes

 

[Dioscrummy]

You don't need much for pods. I grew tons and tons in a 2 gallon bowl. Airstone and a halogen bulb(added warmth). I started it with higher nitrate tank water from a water change and threw in some food here and there to keep the nitrates up. Once it's cycled I ran the light damn near 20hrs/day.

 

[Aquatic Nerd]

I thought they had a different dorsal fin or something , that you could make out there sexes

It is based on dorsal fin however dragonettes choose their mates based on size. Usually if there is a difference in size they will fight.

Next spring try throwing a bucket of water off to the size with some macro and cover it up to keep the rain out. Give it some phyto every now and then and you're golden. There is a lady in a group I'm in on Facebook who leaves her cultures outside to freeze and each spring the culture starts back up

 

[Deafasa]

I am going to try the bucket outside in the summer. Heck, I wonder if I could put one in my boiler room.