Shrimp Hatchery For Egg Tumbler

[ICEEGRL]

I finally got one of those shrimp hatcherys to use for an egg tumbler. It is a little square black base that you put a 2 liter bottle on run by an air pump. I have it all hooked up and eggs added, but there are a few issues.
1) It sits outside the tank. How do you keep the water warm? It is impossible to put a heater in it, and if I am constantly adding warm water that puts me also constantly adding meds in unknown amounts. I tried putting a light over it, but that isn't working.

2) I now have the meth blue to prevent the eggs from getting fungus like they always do, but I have no idea how much to add. The bottle has about 6 cups of water in it. I need to know also if I do a 1 or 2 cup water change how much to add to that to keep my med level constant. I can't figure out how much per cup. My mind just refuses to work today! Also it says drops and it isn't in a dropper bottle! I can't count drops if it isn't in a bottle that does drops!

Thanks for helping!

 

[Coryologist]

2) I now have the meth blue to prevent the eggs from getting fungus like they always do, but I have no idea how much to add. The bottle has about 6 cups of water in it. I need to know also if I do a 1 or 2 cup water change how much to add to that to keep my med level constant. I can't figure out how much per cup. My mind just refuses to work today! Also it says drops and it isn't in a dropper bottle! I can't count drops if it isn't in a bottle that does drops!

Thanks for helping!

MB is generally used at 1 drop per gallon. Make a one-gallon batch with 1 drop, fill your egg tumbler and trash the rest. Easy-peasy. - Frank

P.S. All my MB bottles have a dropper built into the cap. Never seen one without a dropper top. You can also buy a pediatric eye dropper, just about anywhere.

 

[ICEEGRL]

Ok... I did that. Then I waited to see what it would do...
I have to get a pic. I don't think this is what is supposed to happen.
The eggs turned blue!
I will add pics in just a minute...

 

[Coryologist]

The eggs turned blue!

That's not a problem. You can see in the attached image that as the wiggler is exiting the egg, the egg is still blue.

 

[ICEEGRL]

This is the set up, bottle, and blue eggs.
View attachment 46717


View attachment 46716


View attachment 46714
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Is this normal? It is pretty, but I don't remember anyone saying the eggs turn blue.
It looks like the eggs sucked up all the meth out of the water!
Are they still good? Will they still hatch?

Thanks for looking and helping!

 

[ICEEGRL]

Thank You!
I feel much better now. I was really worried. I have been trying so hard to get fry from these corys. I haven't had much luck yet. I really hope it works this time.
Thanks again!

 

[ICEEGRL]

How do I keep the water from getting too cold while I am waiting for them to hatch?
I have a heater in the fry tank, but I can't put one in the bubbler.
Since I am mixing the water seperate I went ahead and used a 1 liter bottle. It moves them around much better.
Thanks!

 

[Coryologist]

How do I keep the water from getting too cold while I am waiting for them to hatch?
I have a heater in the fry tank, but I can't put one in the bubbler.
Since I am mixing the water seperate I went ahead and used a 1 liter bottle. It moves them around much better.
Thanks!

After seeing that picture, I am in shock. Something went very wrong, somewhere. The water should be blue, the eggs should still look white, but if you took one out and looked closely, you would see a faint blue tint. This is a first timer for me, so I'm afraid I can't supply you with any assistance. All I know iz, I ain't never seen nuttin' like that, ever! - Frank

P.S. From looking at the label, it says "Solution." indicating dilution. As in Formalin 3 being 3% formaldehyde. That's also why you dont have a dropper top. Suggest you find straight MB. That is what most use. Never seen the solution before. New product maybe.

All you can do is wait and see if the eggs hatch. Nothing to lose.

 

[ICEEGRL]

The directions say 10 drops per gallon(3.78 liters)
That gives me 2.65 drops per liter. So... about 2 drops in my 1 liter bottle. Does that sound right? I am using a baby medicine dropper. Will that work or is it too big? How small should the dropper be?
Thanks!

 

[Coryologist]

The directions say 10 drops per gallon(3.78 liters)
That gives me 2.65 drops per liter. So... about 2 drops in my 1 liter bottle. Does that sound right? I am using a baby medicine dropper. Will that work or is it too big? How small should the dropper be?
Thanks!

Hi. This is the product most people use. One drop per gallon with a dropper top. - Frank

Methylene Blue

 

[ICEEGRL]

That is what I thought I was getting. I hope this works.
Thanks

 

[ICEEGRL]

The water keeps dropping down to about 70. I can't get it to stay up. I wrapped it with a towel trying to hold heat in and covered the top with a measuring cup, but that didn't work either.
Any ideas on how to keep this thing warmer?
Thanks

 

[NEONCORY]

Just get a spare tank(like 5 or 10G) set up with a heater and fill with some water then place the brine shrimp hatchery inside the tank. Set the heater little higher than your target temperature for the solution inside the hatchery. I don't use the shrimp hatchery in the picture but it should be heavy enough to stand in the water. If not, you can always tie it or pin it or something so it won't move.
If the heater have thermostat, the solution inside temperature shouldn't swing too much either.
Hope this help to attain your goal.

 

[ICEEGRL]

I have a 10g fry tank. I guess I could move a few things around and set it in there. There are only a few fry in it right now. That wouldn't work once there are more fry though.
I really don't want to have to run a whole tank just for this to set in though. There is also the fact that I would have to take it in and out a lot to change the water and meds and check on the eggs. That could run into a lot of work.
It would be really great if I could find a tiny heater that I could just float in there like the thermometer.

I transferred my blue eggs to a net in the fry tank for them to hatch. They have turned back the natural color, but not even one has tried to hatch yet. It is 5 days now I think. They should be hatching if they are going to.
The temp in the fry tank is 78 to 80. I have found a few that have started to fungus though. I have got to find a better way to do this.
I took them out of the bubbler so the high water flow wouldn't kill them when they hatched.
Should I leave them in the meds until after they hatch? I guess I could float a bowl or something.

Thanks for helping.

 

[Bozza]

Over in Aus, you can get a 25watt heater. Its the smallest you can buy. It might suit your needs. But im not sure if you could buy any in the US