Brine Shrimp Hatchery Question

[KillieLover]

Hello,

I'm having a little trouble with a Tom aquarium "Hatch n' Feeder" (Brine Shrimp Hatchery kit), has anyone used one of these before?

First time I set it up in my Betta tank, most of the eggs settled into a curve in the hatchery, and I didn't notice any hatched the next day. I had an air pump hooked up to it, that wasn't very powerful. So thinking that maybe I needed something that would agitate the water more and keep the eggs swirling around. I switched to a more powerful pump and after cleaning the hatchery tried again. But unfortunately once again, most of them sank (a few less then last time, but alas still a lot). And again I didn't see any hatched (that I noticed).

Now the zero hatch rate is probably due to the fact that the BBS eggs are about 5 years old, so that's probably too old. I'm going to try again with some fresh ones, but if anyone has any tips on how to keep most of the eggs swirling (instead of sinking)...I'd appreciate any help.

 

[ainsy]

You may be correct - I have never used eggs that old so it could be the issue.

You are using salt water aren't you?

 

[sausagewinkle]

I would probably say that the eggs are a little old, I may be wrong.

I hatch my eggs (for my betta fry) in a 2 litre pop bottle with the top cut off. Dechlorinated water, 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt and a airstone.
I have had no problems with the way I do it

 

[KillieLover]

You may be correct - I have never used eggs that old so it could be the issue.

You are using salt water aren't you?

Yes, I'm using salt water, they claim that the salt water is kept separate from the fresh water (in the tank). Somehow I guess the saltwater creates a pocket where it doesn't go past that mark and then from there up is the fresh water.

 

[KillieLover]

I would probably say that the eggs are a little old, I may be wrong.

I hatch my eggs (for my betta fry) in a 2 litre pop bottle with the top cut off. Dechlorinated water, 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt and a airstone.
I have had no problems with the way I do it

Thank you for the replies, Sausagewinkle and Ainsy!

I have hatched BBS in a pop bottle like you before, but my problem was straining and rinsing them, before putting them in a freshwater tank. The only methods I've heard of, lose a lot of the BBS. So I was hoping with this setup, all I'd have to do is put the stuff in it and let them hatch, turn off the air pump and they would automatically be fed to my fish. I am hoping I can sort this hatchery thing out, because it wasn't very cheap.

Do you strain and rinse yours, or do you just fill up an eye dropper with them and squirt them into the tank like that? I've heard you can do it that way, and if this doesn't work with new eggs, I might just try that. I'm just a little concerned with the saltwater I'd be sucking up, and I'm hoping to not only feed these to Bettas (for conditioning) but to their fry and Killifish fry as well.

Got any suggestions?

 

[sausagewinkle]

I actually took pictures of the way I done it not long back to help a friend wanting to use them for her betta fry.

I use the bottle as mention earlier, When i want the shrimp out I take the airline out and leave it for a good 10-15 minutes to settle, I shine a torch at the bottom of the bottle to attract all the shrimp.
i use a air line, a plastic pint glass, and a pop sock (feet tights). The tights are over the pint glass and then i syphon the shrimp from the bottom.

When I have enough I pour water from my tank over the shrimp to rinse them of the saltwater, I then dip the shrimp end of the tights in a pot of water (tank water again) and then pipette it to my fry, or just pour it in..


SHRIMP AT THE BOTTOM AND EGGS AT THE TOP

PLASTIC GLASS WITH TIGHTS

SHRIMP IN THE TIGHTS

'SWISHED' IN THE WATER

BRINE SHRIMP

 

[KillieLover]

Hmm, interesting. I might give that a try if the hatchery doesn't work out. Thanks for the pics.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

probably due to the fact that the BBS eggs are about 5 years old, so that's probably too old.

Uhm.... Back in 1974, I bought myself a 5 Liter tin of Brine shrimp eggs..... I've been using this on & off since then and I still have a 750g Mayonaise jar full of these eggs left...... (kept in the deepfreeze when not being used)

As recent as yesterday...... I hatched Quarter teaspoon of them (for my Killi fry) in real seawater (which I collected in 1996) whilst on holiday at the sea..... So.... personally..... I do not think the age of the eggs has anything to do with it.....

I've just wiped some of the frost from the jar so you can see the eggs and the 500g butter dish is to confirm size relevance...

 

[KillieLover]

probably due to the fact that the BBS eggs are about 5 years old, so that's probably too old.

Uhm.... Back in 1974, I bought myself a 5 Liter tin of Brine shrimp eggs..... I've been using this on & off since then and I still have a 750g Mayonaise jar full of these eggs left...... (kept in the deepfreeze when not being used)

As recent as yesterday...... I hatched Quarter teaspoon of them (for my Killi fry) in real seawater (which I collected in 1996) whilst on holiday at the sea..... So.... personally..... I do not think the age of the eggs has anything to do with it.....

I've just wiped some of the frost from the jar so you can see the eggs and the 500g butter dish is to confirm size relevance...

Hmm, that's very interesting! I didn't know they'd keep that long. I've stored mine in their bottle inside of my dresser for all these years though, so do you think they'd go bad that way?

Thanks for the response.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

I've stored mine in their bottle inside of my dresser for all these years though, so do you think they'd go bad that way?

I'm not sure..... I just stored mine refrigerated as it was the instructions on the tin.... I think they'll still be fine in a 100 years??... and will hatch as soon as in contact with salty (sea) water..... I know temperature has a lot to do with the time in which they hatch.... Mine hatch in 24 hours at 28 deg +..... When it is colder..... I've even had them hatch after 3 days.....

 

[KillieLover]

I've stored mine in their bottle inside of my dresser for all these years though, so do you think they'd go bad that way?

I'm not sure..... I just stored mine refrigerated as it was the instructions on the tin.... I think they'll still be fine in a 100 years??... and will hatch as soon as in contact with salty (sea) water..... I know temperature has a lot to do with the time in which they hatch.... Mine hatch in 24 hours at 28 deg +..... When it is colder..... I've even had them hatch after 3 days.....

Hmm, okay. Well since I've tried twice with these eggs then I think I'll get some fresh ones. Thanks for the responses!