Brine Shrimp Hatching

[johnnyoc]

Quick possibly stupid question...

If I get brine shrimp eggs, is there any reason I cannot hatch them directly in my aquarium?

 

[Anonymous]

They will probably just sink or float, not hatch and if they do hatch, the shells are really messy....

Hatching them is really easy though, in a inverted 2 liter bottle.

 

[ezrec]

I hatch them in my 1.023 S.G aquarium all the time, no problem.

My refugium has its outflow 1/2" below the water line, and since brine shrimp eggs float, only hatched napuli are pulled into the sump, and into the main tank.

About an 1/8 of a teaspoon will fill the tank with napuli in 24 hours.

If you have a 'conventional' impeller sump pump/powerhead arrangement, it will kill all the napuli when they reach a size of approximately 1mm (which is about the time they stop being good feed).

My skimmer sucks up the shells (they float), so no problems there.

NOTE: My tank is not your tank, so your mileage will vary.

 

[ezrec]

BTW: My tank is 55 gallons.

 

[rayjay]

Brine Shrimp Direct does not recommend any contact of cysts, OR hatching water, with your tank water.
Artemia Reference Center says to hatch and rinse before using as food or growing out artemia.
Aquaculture companies hatch, rinse, and grow out.
Reason for this? Cysts can and sometimes do, harbour nasty bacteria that in worst case scenario, can wipe out the container it gets into.
Also, the cysts can get lodged in the digestive track of some fish, causing problems that might lead to death.

 

[ezrec]

Didn't know this! You learn something new every day!