Pack-a-Pods™ contain both copepods and phytoplankton, in a clear bottle so that the copepod colony can feed on the phytoplankton, while the phytoplankton can reproduce using sunlight, resulting in a colony that grows in the time between our tank and yours.
 
Because of this, Pack-a-Pods™ allow the flow of energy from sunlight to the primary producers (phyto) and through the food web to the secondary consumer (copepods). Contain both Copepods (tisbe harpacticoid copepods), and Copepod food, phytoplankton (nannochloropsis (genus)). As phytoplankton require sunlight for photosynthesis, our bottles are clear and minimally labelled to assist the introduction of energy to the food web via photosynthesis, prolonging the shelf-life of the Copepods.
 
Why do Mandarin Gobys require Copepods?
While a Mandarin Goby can eat general marine foods, the Mandarin is a very slow eater (similar to a seahorse) who will always be outcompeted for food when tanked with other marine species such as clownfish, tangs, angelfish or wrasses . Adding to this, our colourful Mandarins tend to graze, eating up to 2,000 pods a day, rather than having one or two meals a day like other marine species. As a result, our beautiful little friends can often starve, taking months to show symptoms of starvation and even longer to die if not properly supported. Pack-a-Pods™ your reef so your Mandarin can live as close to how he would in the wild.
 
The Mandarin Goby primarily feeds on small invertebrates such as copepods and amphipods found in live rock and substrate, however these pods require food too as they are primary consumers (herbivores). Because of this, Pack-a-Pods™ contains both Copepods and phytoplankton, while being minimally labelled in a clear bottle to assist the phytoplankton in photosynthesis.