Brine Shrimp

[CoPz]

I didn't know where to post this so I hope you guys can help....I am thinking of getting a brine shrimp hatchery. I would like to know how much hassle this is to do and will any of my fish eat them?? Do I submerse the hatchery in my tank or do I keep it outside of the tank and just add water?? Are the shrimp good for my fish and will this effect anything in my tank - like water quality, water levels (ammonia, etc.)...anything that will make my tank go bad?? I will appreciate the replies!! Thanks!!

 

[rsz]

i don't know about raising your own hatchery, but it sounds like a good challenge

i do know that my fish go mad for brine shrimp... so maybe yours will i give mine that tetra delica stuff (it looks like a long pink brine shrimp worm!! )

 

[yhbae]

What is this hatchery? It sounds like some setup that will allow you to raise brine shrimps?

I was always curious myself since I hatch baby brine shrimps pretty much every day, but I wasn't sure how to raise them to larger size...

 

[smb]

I have a link that might help you. HTH.

Hatching Brine Shrimp

 

[yhbae]

Ok, I thought it was something else ...

I thought there is a system that hatches BBS, raises them and feed them slowly into the main tank without mixing the salt and the fresh water in the aquarium! (I guess I was smoking pots!)

For me, I cut 2L coke bottle into two pieces and it seems to work great... My fries get to eat baby brine shrimps about 4 to 5 days per week...

 

[smb]

No, there might be. I haven't ever done it so that's all I know.

maybe others will be able to help you with the info you're looking for.

 

[yhbae]

Copz, if you like you can do what I did rather than buying a hatchery. It's not that much of a hassle.

All of the above are made from 2L coke bottles, and I use a regular coffee filter for training salt water from BBS. I always add some aquarium salt and baking soda into the hatchery mix.

Of course you will need the air pump and some air tubes...

 

[CoPz]

Thank you all for the advice!!

 

[Cian McLiam]

I have used newly hatched brine shrimp with all the fry from a pair of Apisto. Cacatuoides and found it an excellent food, even the angels go shrimp hunting, it really brings out a wild streak in the fish thats great to watch. The neons also ate them and because they live for a few hours in the tank, they have much less chance of decomposing.
I used a San Francisco Bay hatchery at first, then the old fashioned bottle with the airstone technique, with the bottle in the smaller tank. They hatch within a day in the 25-27C range and continue hatching for up to two days. I put a bright lamp over the San Francisco hatchery to entice them out into the collecting bottle.
Its important with fry to wash the shrimps in running water to remove salt traces as hte fry's organs wont be able to cope with it, for other fish, its not so critical but advised.

Ken

 

[yhbae]

There's one small difference to my method of hatchering. Most recomends 25C, but since my room temp rarely goes above 20C, I left it as is... During the first day, I get little hatching, then I get much more during the second day, and about the same amount during the 3rd day. It appears that I can stretch it to 3 days probably since the temperature is lower.

This works better for me since I only need to start 2 times per week as oppose to 3 times per week...

 

[Laughncat]

I thought there is a system that hatches BBS, raises them and feed them slowly into the main tank without mixing the salt and the fresh water in the aquarium! (I guess I was smoking pots!)

Hey, all. I know this is an old topic, but while browsing the net this morning (it's a bit slow at work at the moment ) I came across this item over at Liveaquaria.com. Don't know if it really works as well as it claims but at least it's a starting point.

If nothing else, at least now everyone knows you weren't smoking pot, yhbae. OR at least not this time when

http/www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...=9&N=2004+62741

 

[yhbae]

Hmm... How would that work? I guess since salt water is heavier than fresh water, with no disturbance, it might be possible...

But with all the cories and pl*cos in my tank, I don't want to be the first one to find out if it works or not...

It would be VERY interesting if it somehow works - great auto-feeder for a week ro two...

 

[fisherman9844]

In addition to what's already been said, keep in mind that baby brine lose most of their nutritional value about 24 hours after they hatch. The shrimp are born with an egg sack which they feed on for the first day or so. When fry eat the shrimp, they eat the sack which is about as nutritious as it gets. But after the sack has been consumed, the nutritional value of the shrimp is dramatically reduced. Your fish will still love them but in the case of fry, they need the nutrition.

 

[yhbae]

Well, hopefully if such a device works, free swiming shrimp will swim towards the light and will be eaten quickly, in significantly less than 24 hours.

Still, its a wishful thinking - I just don't see how this would work. What happens to all the hatched shells?

 

[fisherman9844]

The shells float and the newly hatched shrimp sink/swim to the bottom toward the light. It definitely works. I have two 18g tanks right now full of gold marbled angel fry that will be eight weeks old on Thursday. I bought two hatcheries at my LFS that are just a plastic base with a small trough in the bottom and a connector for the airline. You screw the cut off 2 liter bottle into the base add water, salt, and shrimp eggs. I heat both with a single 60w bare bulb. When it comes feeding time, I turn off the air to the hatchery I'm going to feed from and wait about 15 minutes. The shrimp congregate in the trough on the bottom, I suck 'em out with a turkey baster, squirt 'em into a coffee filter, rinse and feed. My angel fry love them and are growing at an unbelievable rate. I feed from one one day, then switch to the second one the next day, and so on. It's harder to explain that it is to do. Really is simple and an ideal food for fry.