[Sulla]

I'd like to add some scuds (or something similar) to my tank for a little more biological diversity and to provide a good snack for the fish. Currently, the 36g bow front tank has the following stock:
- Breeding Endler colony (10-50 fish, depending on how recently I took some to my LFS)
- Corydoras Aeneas (12? They lay a lot of eggs and at least some survive)
- Otocinclus (5? Mostly hidden)
- Dwarf Puffers (3)
- Rivulus Killifish, exact species undetermined, will be added in a week or two when I source what I want

The tank is heavily planted with dwarf swords and has a partial cover of water lettuce (trying to expand that).

Would everything eat scuds? Are they likely to boom? Will my plants be okay? I had Rams, I may add some again if I can figure out how well they'd play with the puffers.

 

[thedood]

I dont think you will sustain a population in that setup for even a few days. What I have done is have a separate planted tank with shrimp, scuds, and even nematodes that I harvest and feed my carnivores.

 

[Sulla]

Well, I'd rather see the scuds get munched than become a problem. I have no sense of scale with these guys though, how many should I dump in the tank at once if I want to try? How many will overwhelm my fat, gluttonous fishes? 100?

 

[thedood]

I dont think you could overwhelm dwarf puffers with scuds, and scuds are small, I dont think 100 wouldnt be an issue at all and they will get muched and quick. Scuds do go into the substrate and when the pop out the corydora will eat them as well. I have heard of people using corydora to eliminate scud populations. Dump 100 in and depending on the number of fish they will be gone in no time. Let me put it this way, I have 2 Altolamprologus calvus in a 55g that are maybe two inches and I am feeding them however many scuds I can net, however many nematodes I can net, and 3 or 4 small shrimp daily. I never see living scuds, shrimp, or nematodes in the tank. Even with the hiding places you would think I would see a few from time to time since I have been doing this for awhile which tells me they are being consumed.

 

[Sulla]

Then I guess I need as many as I can find. Anyone getting rid of several hundred?

 

[garfieldnfish]

If you would not have the corys, scuds would do ok. But corys will root them out and eliminate them. I have 2 tanks with thriving colonies of scuds, no corys, but CPDs and plecos. I trap them all the time and sell the extras on AB. But in a third tank with habrosus corys they are having a hard time getting a good colony going even so I add some new ones now and then. I already promised the batch I currently have in a holding container to someone in my local fish club or I could have send you 100+.

 

[Sulla]

I don't need a wildly prolific colony, just enough to keep things interesting and provide consistent snacks. Would 200 or so likely do that?

 

[AquaAurora]

From your stock list and what others have said. I'd suggest you set up a small scud culture tank with a simple sponge filter and toss in some tank plants, leaf litter, harvest scuds for the fish tank periodically-they won't last long with the fish you have.