Hatching baby brine shrimp (or "nauplii") is a fun and rewarding process, especially for feeding fish or just observing the tiny critters. Here's a simple guide to get you started:
Materials Needed:
☆ 1. Baby Brine shrimp eggs: Available at pet stores or online.
☆ 2. Aquarium Salt: Non-iodized sea salt or aquarium salt.
☆ 3. Water: Dechlorinated tap water or distilled water.
☆ 4. Container: A clear, clean container (e.g., a 2-liter soda bottle cut in half).
☆ 5. Air pump and tubing: To provide aeration for your shrimp to hatch
Step-by-Step Process:
1. Setup: Fill your container with 1 liter of dechlorinated or distilled water.
2. Add Salt: Mix in 1 tablespoon of salt per liter of water until fully dissolved.
3. Aeration: Insert the air tubing connected to the air pump into the container to keep the water oxygenated.
4. Add Brine Shrimp Eggs: Sprinkle about 1/4 teaspoon of brine shrimp eggs into the water.
5. Lighting: Place the container under a bright light or near a window. Brine shrimp eggs hatch faster with 24-hour light.
6. Temperature: Maintain a water temperature between 25-28°C (77-82°F).
Hatching Time:
- Within 24-48 hours, you'll start to see tiny baby brine shrimp swimming around. They look like little specks moving in the water.
Harvesting:
How to Harvest Baby Brine Shrimp
1. Turn Off Air Pump:
After hatching, turn off the air pump and let the water settle. The empty egg shells will float, and the brine shrimp will sink to the bottom.
After 18 to 36 hours, you can collect the newly hatched baby brine shrimp. If you don’t see any moving, pink particles in the water (when the pump is off), then something with the setup is incorrect. It could be that the temperature is too cold, eggs are too old, or salinity is not right. Once you figure out the issue, rinse the hatchery and start with a new hatching mixture.
Now that the brine shrimp have hatched, it’s time to separate them from the egg shells and unhatched eggs. Turn off the air pump and heater, and then shine a light at the base of the blender so that the brine shrimp swim towards the bottom while the eggs float toward the top.
2. Collect Nauplii:
Use a pipette or turkey baster to siphon out the baby brine shrimp.
Note
Some people like to filter out the brine shrimp using a brine shrimp sieve and rinse them in fresh water before feeding their fish, but we just directly pour the brine shrimp liquid into the tank to feed the fish. (In our experience, a little bit of salt added to the aquarium doesn’t affect the fish.)
Feeding:
- Baby brine shrimp are a nutritious food source for many aquatic pets, especially fish fry and small invertebrates.
If you are feeding many tanks, it may be easier to use the included pipette or a no-drip turkey baster to portion out the liquid.
Happy hatching! 🐟✨ If you have any more questions or need further details, feel free to ask. You Can Also Find Us on social media or send us a email.
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