Nutramar Tigrio Live Copepods 4oz

Nutramar Tigrio Live Copepods 4oz is a concentrated bottle of live Tigriopus californicus — the gold-standard live food for mandarins, dragonets, seahorses, jawfish, and any picky reef fish that refuses prepared diets. Tigriopus pods are vivid orange, rich in HUFAs (DHA/EPA) and astaxanthin, and small enough for fry yet meaty enough to attract adult predators in a fully-stocked reef.

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What's in the Bottle

• Species: Tigriopus californicus — harpacticoid copepods.
• Quantity: 4 fluid ounces of live, gut-loaded pods in saltwater.
• Nutrition: Naturally high in DHA, EPA, and astaxanthin — the same carotenoid that gives wild-caught reef fish their vivid color.
• Pod size: Mix of adults, juveniles, and nauplii — suitable from fish fry through adult mandarins.

Who Needs Live Pods

• Mandarins & dragonets: Most won't accept frozen food when they arrive — live pods are often the difference between a thriving fish and a slow starvation.
• Seahorses & pipefish: Picky planktivores that target moving prey.
• Jawfish: Hover-and-snap feeders that love target-feeding pods.
• Anthias & fry: Constant grazers that benefit from a steady pod population.
• Refugium seeding: Add the entire bottle to your sump or refugium to establish a self-sustaining breeding colony that drips pods into the display tank 24/7.

How to Use

• Direct feeding: Turn off the return pump, pour the desired amount near your target fish with a turkey baster or pipette, wait 10–15 minutes, then resume flow.
• Refugium dosing: Pour the entire bottle into a chaeto-bedded refugium with low flow and no fish predation. Pods will breed continuously and drip into the display.
• Storage: Refrigerate the bottle immediately. Loosen (don't remove) the cap so pods can breathe. Use within 7–10 days for best results, or seed your refugium right away.
• Gentle pour: Don't shake hard — copepods are tougher than rotifers but you can still bruise a percentage. A few gentle swirls before pouring distributes them evenly.

Specifications

Recommended Pairings

• Red Mandarin Goby — classic pod-dependent reef fish.
• Spotted Mandarin Goby — same nutritional needs.
• Bulldawg Copepod Mix — multi-species blend to diversify your refugium colony.
• Bulldawg Reef Juice Elite — live phytoplankton to feed and sustain your pod culture.
• Adaptive Reef Copepod Habitat — sump-safe shelter that lets a colony establish without being eaten.

FAQ

Will Tigriopus breed in my tank?
Yes, in a fish-free refugium with phytoplankton and gentle flow. In the display, they'll get eaten before they can establish a sustainable colony — which is exactly what you want for picky fish.

How often should I dose?
For a mandarin or dragonet in a tank with no refugium, plan on a 4 oz bottle every 1–2 weeks until the fish accepts prepared foods. With a working refugium, one bottle to seed and you may never need to buy more.

Are they reef safe?
Completely. Pods are reef-tank staples and help corals by reducing detritus and providing micro-feedings.

Why are the pods orange?
Astaxanthin — a natural carotenoid pigment that's also a powerful antioxidant. It's what makes wild reef fish color up so vividly, and it transfers when they eat the pods.