Using Copepods in Your Aquarium: A Natural Food Source for Healthy Fish

Copepods have become one of the most popular live foods for marine aquariums, especially in reef tanks and systems housing picky eaters like mandarin dragonets, scooter blennies, and certain wrasses. These tiny crustaceans provide a sustainable and nutritious live food source that helps maintain healthy fish populations, improve coloration, and support natural feeding behaviors. At Aquarium Specialty, we currently offer refrigerated copepods for sale and we are currently looking at offering live copepods to our online and local customers.

Why Copepods Are Important for Marine Aquariums

In the wild, copepods make up a significant portion of many reef fish diets. Copepods in aquarium settings provide several benefits:

• Natural food source – Ideal for finicky species such as mandarins, anthias, seahorses, and pipefish.

• Nutritional value – Packed with protein and essential fatty acids, copepods help improve fish coloration and energy.

• Coral and invertebrate support – Some corals and filter feeders also consume copepods, benefiting From the extra nutrition.

• Biological balance – Copepods can help manage nuisance algae by grazing on film algae and detritus in the tank.

Live vs. Refrigerated Copepods

At Aquarium Specialty, we provide both live aquarium copepods and refrigerated copepods, each with its own advantages.

• Live Copepods:
  These are introduced directly into the tank or refugium, where they reproduce and establish a self-sustaining population. They are especially valuable for long-term feeding of dragonets and other pod-dependent fish. Live copepods also contribute to the tank’s biodiversity and can help seed new systems.

• Refrigerated Copepods:
  Refrigerated options provide convenience and extended shelf life while still offering the same high-quality nutrition. These are an excellent choice for regular feeding or supplementing fish diets when live copepods are not available. Refrigerated pods used in an aquarium are also easy to store and use as needed.

Brands We Carry at Aquarium Specialty

Aquarium Specialty is proud to carry a wide selection of premium copepod products to fit every aquarist’s needs:

• Dr. G's - Refrigerated, Economical, Concentrated and easy to use. Produced in the USA.

• Nyos Goldpods - Refrigerated, Economical, Concentrated and easy to use.

• Reef Nutrition (Tigger-Pods and Arcti-Pods) – Known for high-quality live and refrigerated copepods, including the popular Tigger-Pods (Tigriopus californicus) and refrigerated Arcti-Pods (Arctic copepods). Coming Soon.

• AlgaeBarn – Specializes in eco-friendly aquaculture of  phytoplankton copepods, offering blends like EcoPods that provide multiple species for biodiversity. Coming Soon.

These brands are chosen for their reliability, nutrition quality, and ability to support long-term aquarium health.

Supporting Fish Health with Copepods

Whether you’re maintaining a mixed reef tank or a species-specific aquarium, copepods can make a significant difference in fish health and success. By offering copepods as a staple food source, aquarists can reduce the challenges of feeding picky fish and promote a more natural, thriving environment.

At Aquarium Specialty, we are committed to providing the highest quality live foods, including copepods, to help you succeed in your reef-keeping journey. Explore our full selection of copepods From Dr. G's, Nyos, Reef Nutrition, and AlgaeBarn to keep your fish healthy and your reef ecosystem thriving.