Colonization experiments were conducted in a tropical lagoon (Zanzibar Island, off the coast of Tanzania) to investigate thetemporal dynamics and mode of colonization of the harpacticoid copepods community on dead coral fragments. There wasfast colonization of the coral fragments attaining a substantial diversity after only two days. The ability to colonize dead coralfragments is thought to be related to the morphology and life style of different harpacticoid species. Phytal taxa (e.g. Tisbidae)were fast colonizers, reaching high abundances during the initial colonization phase. Sediment-associated and eurytopic taxa(e.g. Ameiridae, Miraciidae and Ectinosomatidae) showed lower colonization rates and became the dominant group duringthe later colonization phase. Most species are able to colonize the coral fragments through the water column. However,colonization along the substrate surface is also considered to be an important colonization mode, especially forsediment-associated taxa, which showed lower colonization rates when migration through the sediment was hindered.