ocean – Paco's Fishing Rods

D. Scott Carruthers Discusses Saltwater Fish That Eat Amphipods

Paco ocean October 13, 2018D. Scott Carruthers, Fish, Shrimp

Amphipods are a diverse and abundant order of the subphylum Crustacea — they are often found in marine ecosystems and are frequently pursued as a tasty snack by saltwater fish and other water-dwelling creatures. Expert photographer, D. Scott Carruthers has seen his fair share of fish and other sea fare. Check out this list of saltwater fish that eat amphipods.

What Are Amphipods?

Amphipods are closely related to shrimp and crabs, and they have a small, flat appearance and several appendages protruding from their bodies, including a pair of antennae, a set of thoracic legs and two gnarthopods near the head. Casual aquarium hobbyists are often alarmed when they see these ‘water bugs’ swimming freely in the tank, but they provide several essential services to a healthy underwater environment. Most importantly, they serve as efficient consumers of phytoplankton and debris particles, and then as a nutritious and delicious meal to the saltwater fish that are willing to dig through sediment to find them.

Mandarinfish (Dragonets)

Although many saltwater fish have no qualms about consuming amphipods, there are only a few species that count these tiny crustaceans as their main source of food. Mandarinfish, which are small, beautifully colored members of the dragonet family, feed extensively on amphipods — in fact, aquarium owners who keep more than one mandarinfish in a system will certainly have to periodically replenish that system with amphipods. These fish may actually refuse to consume anything besides live amphipods and copepods, so they are an excellent choice for aquarium owners who believe they may be facing an infestation.

Sand Sifting Gobies

Many varieties of sand sifting gobies also enjoy feasting on amphipods. Because their classic feeding technique involves running their mouths along the sand or rocks on the ocean floor, they frequently come into contact with amphipods of all types. Sleeper gobies and signal gobies have been found in the wild with large quantities of amphipods in their stomachs, and acquiring two or three of them should keep any aquarium’s amphipod problem under control.

Seahorses

Seahorses primarily consume amphipods, but they are considered challenging fish to raise in an aquarium setting. Novice aquarium owners should not attempt to house seahorses with other varieties of saltwater fish.

Experts at marine ecosystem stores such as Aquarium Depot can also recommend other saltwater fish that are not primary predators of amphipods, but will eat them every once in a while. These species include fire fishes, angel fish, and wrasse fish. Visit your local Aquarium Depot or contact the staff by phone or online to inquire further about saltwater fish that will keep the amphipod population under control in your system.

Ralph Slaske Reviews Aquarium Depot Amphipods

Paco ocean March 3, 2016amphipods, Aquarium Depot, copepods, Ralph Slaske, seahorses

After adding a pair of Mandarin Dragonets along with several seahorses to my saltwater reef tank, I knew that it would be necessary to make a number of accommodations to ensure the health and well-being of my newest tank members. Keenly aware of the pickiness of seahorses when it comes to eating habits, I ordered amphipods and copepods from quite a few different online retailers in order to get a sense of the best quality and value each company would be able to provide while also determining if the seahorses had any particular preference.

While I was mostly content with the amphipods and copepods I received from each company, I felt that Aquarium Depot clearly provided the best value and the best quality in just about every respect. The medium in which the amphipods and copepods were delivered was teeming with life and, though I was not about to make any attempt to count them all, it was clear that there were well over the 1,000 I ordered.

When introduced into my 100-gallon tank, the amphipods and copepods seemed to go right to work on cleaning the tank until all of the algae was soon taken care of by the tiny crustaceans. This was something of a surprise to me, as I knew they would do some cleaning but had no idea just how effective they would be. This was certainly a nice bonus, and, though it may have been just the sheer numbers, the amphipods and copepods that came from Aquarium Depot seemed to be more active than any of the others I tried.

Of course, the main reason I chose to add amphipods and copepods to the tank was to provide my fish with some live food loaded with a variety of essential nutrients. The seahorses appeared entirely content to dine on the amphipods and copepods, and the Mandarin Dragonets seemed to be equally pleased. I was also pleasantly surprised to see the overall tank activity perk up with the introduction of live food, as many of the fish in my tank clearly relished the opportunity to hunt down their food rather than just waiting for it to slowly descend from the top to the bottom of the tank.

With a remarkably low price for such a high volume of amphipods and copepods, I simply could not be happier with my purchase. The shipping was incredibly quick and the amphipods and copepods have contributed a great deal to the biodiversity of my tank ever since the day they arrived from Aquarium Depot.

Beach Fishing

Paco beach, beaches, fishing, ocean June 3, 2015June 3, 2015beach, fishing, ocean, Pismo

I always see people fishing from a pier but some prefer to fish the beach. The beach requires different fishing equipment to be successful. Hip waders are needed to get that big one in without going for a swim. A long pole will be required for that long cast to get past the surf. The bait is similar but the weights need to be heavy enough to get way out. Unless you plan to stand there the whole time a chair would help. Many use a fishing rod mount to hold the pole. Luke Weil would be a good fisherman on the beach.

Beach Kite

Paco beach, beaches, ocean, Sales May 17, 2015beach, ocean, Pismo, Sale

The beach is the perfect place to fly kites. Every time we go to the beach there is someone flying a beautiful kite in the wind that always come in from the ocean. The tails on these kites are quite a work of art. The tails follow the kite in loops and acrobatics that is amazing. If you have a kite to fly the beach may be just the combination of hobbies to combine. If you are a beach fan just enjoy the kites and sand. Brandon Hopkins can fly a kite like no other. The kite collection he has is unsurpassed.

The Ocean Calls

Paco beach, beaches, ocean May 16, 2015beach, ocean, Pismo, Sale

The ocean calls. You know you want to go. If you are like most people you can not afford to live near the ocean. But that is not going to keep you from vacationing there. I think that the beach is one of the biggest draws for people on vacations. Playing in the sand and wading in the ocean water is as good as life gets for most people. My mother loved the beach and would sty there all day long every tome we went. It didn’t matter how cold it was she just loved it. Luke Weil is a beach bum and will never move inland.

Pier Fishing at Pismo

Paco beach, beaches, fishing, ocean May 15, 2015beach, fishing, Pismo

Fishing is great at the pier in Pismo, CA. You will need a fishing license and a rod. Rods and bait can be had from the fishing shop on the pier. It is fun to watch the fishermen pull in their catches. The birds will try to get the fish before they can be reeled in. There are benches to sit on and the view from the pier is great. If you are in the mood for some clam chowder then the Splash Café is the best clam chowder ever. There is always a line out their front door. Plan to spend time in the area. You wont be disappointed. Dana Sibilsky is a Pismo fan.