Apocyclops panamensis — the water column feeder that corals crave. Planktonic and free-swimming, Reef Cipher delivers live nutrition directly to SPS, LPS, and filter feeders where they need it most. Small enough for coral polyps, significant enough to transform your reef.
Price range: $19.00 through $159.00
Apocyclops panamensis | G² Reef Cipher occupies a unique ecological niche that Tigriopus and Tisbe cannot fill — the open water column. As a planktonic copepod, Reef Cipher remains suspended in the water column where SPS corals, LPS polyps, clams, feather dusters, and other filter feeders actively feed. Their small size makes them ideal prey for coral polyps and juvenile fish that cannot consume larger pod species.
Apocyclops panamensis | G² Reef Cipher are also exceptionally valuable for aquaculture and advanced reef systems — their rapid reproduction rate and planktonic nature make them the preferred species for professional coral farms, fish hatcheries, and reefers running high-biodiversity systems.
Ideal for: SPS and LPS coral feeding, filter feeders, clams, seahorses, professional aquaculture, fish hatcheries, advanced reefers
Live Arrival Guarantee (LAG) We take immense pride in our cultivation process. We guarantee that all live cultures (Copepods and Phytoplankton) will arrive alive and healthy.
Claims Process In the rare event of a DOA (Dead on Arrival):
Non-Returnable Items Due to the biological nature of our products and strict biosecurity protocols, we cannot accept returns on live cultures once they have been delivered. This ensures that no outside contaminants ever enter our facility.
Cancellations Orders can be cancelled for a full refund at any time before the shipping label has been created. Once a live order is in the hands of the carrier, it is final.
Biological Shipping Schedule To ensure the highest viability of our live cultures, we ship Monday through Wednesday. Orders placed Thursday–Sunday will be dispatched the following Monday. This prevents your Phyto or Copepods from being held in carrier facilities over the weekend.
Transit Times
Weather Monitoring We monitor temperatures across the country daily. If your region is experiencing extreme heat (over 90°F) or cold (under 35°F), we may hold your shipment for 24-48 hours for the safety of the organisms. We will notify you via email if a weather delay occurs.
Tracking Your Culture Once your order is packed, you will receive a tracking number via email. Please arrange to be present for delivery to ensure your live cultures are brought indoors immediately.
A silica-shelled diatom powerhouse rich in EPA and essential amino acids. Thalassiosira weissflogii is the preferred strain for bivalves, sea urchins, and corals that thrive on diatom nutrition — and a critical feed for building dense, healthy copepod cultures.
Price range: $24.99 through $114.99
The rarest and most sought-after phytoplankton strain in reef aquaculture. Rhodomonas salina is packed with astaxanthin, phycoerythrin, and DHA — delivering coral color enhancement and antioxidant protection unavailable in any green or golden strain.
Price range: $24.99 through $114.99
Tisbe biminiensis — the reef’s ultimate self-sustaining cleanup crew. Nocturnal, benthic, and rapid-reproducing, these pods colonize rockwork and sand beds to create a living food source your tank replenishes itself. Harvested fresh, shipped alive.
Price range: $19.00 through $159.00
