Bulldawg Copepod Mix is a live, multi-species marinecopepod cultureready to seed your refugium or pour straight into the display. Copepods are the foundation of a healthy reef food web — they clean detritus, control diatoms and film algae, and they’re the only food many mandarins, dragonets, and scooter blennies will hunt and eat. A diverse pod culture (vs. single-species) gives you small, medium, and larger pods so corals, larval fish, and pod-eaters all benefit.
Local Georgia brand.Bulldawg is a Georgia-based reef supplement brand, and so are we — by stocking Bulldawg you’re supporting a small local business right here in GA. Same state, same hobby, same goal: healthy reef tanks.
Available in8 oz and 16 ozbottles — please select your preferred size from the variant options above.
Pickup Only — In-Store Only:This product is available for in-store pickup at Squeaky’s Aquatics,1885 Braselton Hwy, Suite D, Lawrenceville GA. Live copepod cultures are best handled locally for freshness and survival. Please contact us before traveling to confirm availability.
Looking for more reef nutrition? Browse our Nutrition, Additives & Supplements, and Saltwater Supplies.
Features
- Live multi-species copepods— typically includesTigriopus,Tisbe, and other reef-safe species in mixed life stages
- Mandarin & dragonet food— the natural live food these fish are evolved to hunt
- Refugium seed— establish or replenish a self-sustaining pod population
- Reef-safe— pods control detritus, film algae, and diatoms while feeding corals and larvae
- Made in Georgia— supports a local small business; same state as Squeaky’s Aquatics
- Saltwater reef use only
How To Use
- Acclimate— float the bottle in the tank for 15–20 minutes to temperature-match before adding.
- Where to add:Pour into the refugium for best long-term population establishment, or directly into the display at lights-out so pods can settle into rockwork before predators find them.
- Skimmer:Turn the protein skimmer off for 30–60 minutes after adding so pods aren’t pulled out before they settle.
- Feed your pods:Pods need phytoplankton to grow and reproduce. Pair this with a live phyto blend (Diatom Blend,Rhodomonas, or Clam Blend) and dose phyto regularly.
- For mandarins:Seed the tank weeks before adding the fish, run a healthy refugium, and continue topping up pods every 1–2 weeks.
- Storage:Refrigerate immediately upon receiving. Keep tightly sealed. Do not freeze. Use within the freshness window on the bottle.
Specifications
| Brand | Bulldawg (Georgia, USA) |
| Product | Copepod Mix |
| Type | Live multi-species marine copepod culture |
| Use For | Mandarins, dragonets, refugium seed, larval fish food, reef pod population |
| Sizes Available | 8 oz, 16 oz (select above) |
| Suitable For | Saltwater reef tanks, refugiums, breeding setups |
| Storage | Refrigerate (do not freeze) |
| Made In | Georgia, USA |
| Condition | New (live) |
Recommended Pairings
- Live phytoplankton — the food that keeps your pod population reproducing (try the Diatom Blend,Rhodomonas, or Clam Blend)
- Reef additives & supplements — alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, trace elements
- Reef salt mixes — for stable parameters during water changes
- Water testing kits — track parameters as feeding increases bioload
FAQ
Will this feed my mandarin?
It will help, but a single bottle isn’t a long-term diet. Mandarins eat hundreds of pods per day. The right approach is to seed the tank with pods, run a healthy refugium that produces pods continuously, and top up every 1–2 weeks. Many mandarins can also be trained onto frozen mysis with patience.
Why a “mix” of species?
Different copepod species occupy different niches — some live on rocks (Tisbe), some swim in the water column (Tigriopus), some are smaller (Apocyclops). A mix gives your tank pods of various sizes and behaviors so corals, larval fish, and pod-eaters all benefit.
How do I keep them alive in my tank?
Feed your pods with live phytoplankton — they need food to reproduce. Run a refugium with chaeto and rock rubble for shelter and breeding habitat. Avoid heavy filtration immediately after dosing.
How do I store the bottle?
Refrigerate as soon as you get home — never freeze. Use within the freshness window. Acclimate temperature-wise before adding to your tank.
Are pods reef-safe?
Yes — they’re a native part of a healthy reef ecosystem and benefit corals, fish, and water quality. They will not harm anything in the tank.
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