Where to buy Reef Copepods
ReefDock searches the following reef retailers for this invertebrate. Click through to see the live price.
- Search Saltwaterfish
Saltwaterfish
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- Search Amazon
Amazon
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- Search Petco
Petco
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About Reef Copepods
Tigriopus californicus are minute crustaceans typically 0.5–1 mm long with a compact, rounded body. They display red, orange, or brownish coloration and possess long antennae and swimming legs adapted for rapid movement through reef rubble and sediment.
Key facts
- Origin
- Pacific coast of North America, particularly California tide pools and rocky intertidal zones.
- Category
- Filter Feeder
- Diet Details
- Filter feeders consuming phytoplankton, detritus, and organic matter in the water column. They require established biofilms and minimal supplemental feeding in mature tanks.
- Max Size
- 0.1
- Type
- Other
- Appearance Description
- Tigriopus californicus are minute crustaceans typically 0.5–1 mm long with a compact, rounded body. They display red, orange, or brownish coloration and possess long antennae and swimming legs adapted for rapid movement through reef rubble and sediment.
- Min tank size
- 5 gallons
- Water Parameters
- Temperature: 60-75°F pH: 8-8.3 Salinity: 1.02-1.025
- Family
- Harpacticidae
- Compatibility
- Copepods are microscopic and non-predatory, posing no threat to fish or corals. They thrive best in established reef systems with stable flow.
- Notes
- • Minimum 5 gallon tank for copepod cultures; nuisance populations establish naturally in established systems • Maintain temperature range 60–75°F with stable salinity 1.020–1.025 SG • Thrive in areas with detritus, macroalgae, and organic matter; no special feeding required in reef systems • Excellent natural food source for small fish, seahorses, and filter-feeding corals • Avoid strong water flow; they prefer calmer zones near substrate and rockwork
- Care Level
- Easy
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