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Arctic sourced Planktonic Copepods, an alternative to Brine Shrimp
Copepods are a type of tiny crustacean zooplankton that is considered as the world’s largest bio-resource. Most aquatic species are dependent on copepods during parts of or their whole life cycle. They are eaten by fishes, larval fishes, corals, jellyfish, shrimps, filter feeders and many more.
Ocean Prime Copepods have a nutritional profile that meets the requirements of fish, crustaceans, invertebrates, and corals. The typical lipid content is 10-15%, and a protein content of about 50% of dry weight. The lipids are rich in essential fatty acids as DHA and EPA bound to phospholipids and also contain high levels of pigments like astaxanthin.
Ocean Prime Copepods are harvested in clean, unpolluted Arctic waters, with eco-friendly harvesting methods. The preservation technique involves no harmful additives which make the nutritional quality far better compared to frozen feed. Ocean Prime Copepods are 100% clean, thus not needing pre-rinsing before use. The product is sterilized for bio-security, and sealed, minimizing nutrient leakage. No added preservatives either.
Suitable for fresh and saltwater fish, corals, invertebrates and crustaceans. When used as a supplement feed, Ocean Prime will play a vital role in the coloration, growth, and survivability of your livestock. Through its buoyancy, Ocean Prime has an excellent capture rate by reef invertebrates like corals and crustaceans, and fish also eagerly accept this unique food. Ocean Prime can be used as a complete artemia/brine shrimp replacement. By feeding your fish with a diet comprising up to 25% Ocean Prime they will reward you with increased immune-resistance, and enhanced sexual maturity.
Ocean Prime is available in 2mm size copepods. Each pouch contains 50 grams of whole / intact copepods.
Technical analysis:
| Content: | 100% whole planktonic species |
| Size of species: | 2 mm |
| Species: | Copepods (Calanus, Temora, Pseudocalanus, Paracalanus, Acartia, Centropages and Oithona) |
| Shelf life: | The product is sterile and contains no bacteria. The shelf life of an unopened package is 3 years at room temperature, but can have a good quality beyond this date (best before date is printed on the package). An open package needs to be refrigerated and can be kept refrigerated for several days. It can also be frozen and kept frozen for up to 3 months. |
Average nutritional content of preserved plankton:
| Content: | Amount |
| Water: | 85.00% |
| Lipid: | 12 % of dry weight |
| Protein: | 51 % of dry weight |
| Carbohydrate: | 27 % of dry weight |
| Ash: | 10 % of dry weight |
| Omega-3 fatty acids: | 30 mg/g dry weight |
| Astaxantin: | 20 µg/g dry weight |
After opening:
As long as the aluminum pouch is closed, you can store the copepods at room temperature for up to 3 years. Once opened, you must treat the contents as a fresh product. Only use clean tools (e.g. a spoon) and try to avoid cross-contamination. Close the pouch with a rubber band or bag clamp to keep bacteria and oxygen out and place the pouch in the refrigerator. Use the copepods within 1-3 weeks.
For smaller aquariums or to avoid fishy smells in the refrigerator, it is better to store the copepods in the freezer. Empty the pouch into portions and put it in the freezer. Use the copepods within 3 months.
*Feed only as much as your aquarium will consume in 3-5 min
