Help! brine Shrimps

[Wingman001]

Hi Guys,

I am almost giving up. Got some shrimp eggs, darn expensive. took a 2 liter bottle and cut the bottom off, put it in my tank at 80 F and then added 2 teaspoons of salt rock and a pinch of bi-carb!

out of a bunch of eggs on 1/4 hatch!

Am I doing something wrong?

[lithosza]

Were those eggs in a fridge or freezer when you bought them? If not then that might explain why. I couldn't also hatch any from those expensive ones at the pet shops. They should not keep them on the shelves. I ordered a massive container full of brine shrimp from brine shrimp direct in the US and I always get billions hatching. I keep the eggs in the freezer

[JaguarCichlid]

I just have mine on the windowsill of my office / fishroom, I am using sea water, but keep the eggs in the freezer, they seem to give me a very high hatch rate.
Did you get the shelf packet or a bottle from the freezer?
I have found that the ones from the freezer seems to give me the best results.

Keep trying....

[Wingman001]

I got them out a bottel from the shelf, How much solt to a 2 leter?

[lithosza]

Hi Wingman,

I can't seem to send a PM reply, because I don't have enough posts yet. lol


I got them out a bottel from the shelf, How much solt to a 2 leter?

I'm not sure how much to use. I use a hydrometer to figure out how much salt to add.

[Wingman001]

Cool, where do you buy them. I think I need a fresh batch. Been to two shops and no one has them.

[lithosza]

Best place to buy brine shrimp is from brineshrimp.com, but shipping can take long and it can be expensive. How far is Bonaero Park from where you live?

[Wingman001]

about 2 km

[lithosza]

Cool, I'll send a PM

[Zafgak]

Hey Wingman - 1,5 teaspoons salt to a litre - do you have an airstone in your bottle - you need to keep the suckers moving - Why did everybody mention the freezer - Now I am in Cuc cause I kept mine out of the freezer (when veegal said put them in He He He)

[Wingman001]

Thanks guys

[veegal]

Why did everybody mention the freezer - Now I am in Cuc cause I kept mine out of the freezer (when veegal said put them in He He He)

Need I say more???? :bigsmile:

[TyroneGenade]

The KISS method of hatching brine shrimp:

Obtain 1 1.5 L bottle. To this add 2 TABLEspoons of rock salt (I use Kosher salt) and 1 1/2 teaspoon epson salts (magnesium sulfate).

Mix until all dissolves.

Obtain shallow platic tray (like what Woolworths sells its dried fruit in---I like the pears, yummy :eating: ) and pour water to depth of 1.5 to 2 cm. Sprinkle enough brine shrimp eggs to cover about 70% of the surface (take a good guess).

Wait.

Over the next 18 to 36 hours the shrimp will hatch. These will accumulate in the brightest corner of the tray. Siphon them out with a pipette or dropper etc... And feed directly to fish.

Store the tin of eggs in the fridge. allow it to warm to room temperature BEFORE opening else water from the air will condense on the eggs and ruin them. I divide the eggs into portions useful for about a weeks feeding. These I store in the fridge, only taking out what I use. Once it is out the fridge, it stays out the fridge.

If you are going to go the whole upside down coke bottle route then first add fresh water, then the eggs. Aerate vigourously and only after 1 hour add 2 Tablespoons of salt and half a teaspoon of MgSO4. Make sure the total volume is 1.5 L else you will need different salt concentrations. If you live near the sea, get sea water.

I keep and breed killifish which means I have to prepare load of brine shrimp nauplii... I can't afford to waste eggs.

Having a microworm culture helps... Any takers?

If you want brine shrimp eggs, ask the Professor. :-)

[Jenny]

Heloo

As a noob in fish keeping, I used this website:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_brineshrimp_hatchery.php

I was quite surprised to see that almost all of the brine shrimp eggs hatched after my first attempt. According to that website, you have to use non-iodized salt and I used iodized salt which made me sceptic about my results.

I had some mason jars ofcourse, but I bet the 2l bottle works just as well.

Happy fish keeping :bigsmile:

[JaguarCichlid]

Hey Wingman - 1,5 teaspoons salt to a litre - do you have an airstone in your bottle - you need to keep the suckers moving - Why did everybody mention the freezer - Now I am in Cuc cause I kept mine out of the freezer (when veegal said put them in He He He)

oops, sorry......:p

[veegal]

oops, sorry......:p


Not at all - I LOVE it when others prove my point for me :p:p:p hahahaa

[veegal]

Tyrone in your KISS method, do you not aerate??

[JaguarCichlid]

Not at all - I LOVE it when others prove my point for me :p:p:p hahahaa

Its a Gal thing........

But us guys must stick together :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[veegal]

Its a Gal thing........

But us guys must stick together :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

No fair - I'm sure there are more males than females on this forum.....:bigsmile::bigsmile:

[JaguarCichlid]

dont feel like a nostril.......
we not picking on you......

[veegal]

dont feel like a nostril.......
we not picking on you......

:rofl: First time I've heard that one - may just use it myself :)

[Wingman001]

Yes have a air stone! Just think I need the good stuff?

[Dirk Bellstedt]

Hi Guys,

If you need brine shrimp eggs, I import some ever so often. Send me a PM if you are interested.

Kind regards,

Dirk

[TyroneGenade]

Tyrone in your KISS method, do you not aerate??

No. With the tray method no aeration is required.

I mix up 1.5 L of brine every other day and have the fishroom decorated with trays. There is always freshly hatched brine shrimp on hand. I just need to suck up the shrimps and feed.

While this is an old idea I saw it 1st hand in Otto Schmidt's fishroom and quickly adopted it.

I would like to stress the salt concentration again because I see the same low concentrations suggested. The correct concentration is 2 TABLEspoons of kosher salt + 1/2 teaspoon of magnesium sulfate (epson salts) to 1.5 L. Or, if you want to get precise, 28 g of salt/L. 1.5 teaspoons will not do.

[veegal]

Great, thanks Tyrone. I've heard that you can substitute bicarb for the epsom salts? Is this right?

[TyroneGenade]

Hello Veegal,

I use potassium bicarbonate along with the salt and MgSO4 to buffer the pH but it isn't really needed. You can use NaHCO3 instead of the KHCO3. I do not think it will matter much. 1 teaspoon per 1.5 L is OK, but add just a little less salt. The reason I use KHCO3 is because some of the eggs on the market come from Russia and these eggs require some K in the water to hatch well. If you are using Utah/Great Salt Lake or San Fransico Bay bse then rather use NaHCO3.

I always use the MgSO4. MgSO4 is a neural salt and does nothing to buffer the pH.

[veegal]

Cool thanks - I'll try a batch like that today then :)

[Wingman001]

Thanks guys this hellps