Brine Shrimp Confusion

[horseplay]

I never hatched brine shrimp before so I tried the first time 2 days ago. I used 2/3 tank water and 1/3 RO. What surprised me was that the hatched brine shrimps are tiny compare to the big lives one from LFS. Are there two different kind of brines or the one from the store are grown adults?

 

[mrehfeld]

The baby brine shrimp are most nutritious after hatching then they need to have supplements added to enhance their nutritional value. BBS is supposed to be great for fry. Adult brine shrimp are mainly protein.

What I've mainly see sold in LFSs are adults.

 

[horseplay]

Unfortunately fish can see them because they're too small. Thanks Mike.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Maybe it's dependent on the types of fish you're trying to feed? I think the autofeeder-breeder PaulB made used fresh-hatched brine. HERE'S Paul's DIY build.

 

[Tommyboynj]

Iv thought of diying a brine hatchery and a phyto reactor. Supposedly gut loading then with phyto is the way to go.


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[Hawkeye]

Baby brine are ideal for newly metamorphasized clown fish.. but for most tanks - they just serve as food for your corals. You can grow your baby brine shrimp very easily by having a salt bucket, aerator and dosing phytoplankton (it doesn't have to be live) until the bucket has a slight green tinge. The bbs will consume the phyto until the water is clear. Periodically you can change out the water etc or harvest. Eventually the shrimp get to the size you see at an LFS.

I've only done it accidentally since my primary goal was raising rotifiers for newly hatched clownfish. The brine shrimp batch got contaminated into my rotifers and they were growing together.

oh and I don't even bother with tank water. I just use brand new Instant Ocean salt and RO water for the shrimp.

 

[Paul B]

I have been hatching brine shrimp every day for probably 25 years. You can grow them on plain bakers yeast. But they are best as soon as they hatch. They are the same brine shrimp you see in a LFS as adults. Hatch them in old tank water, do not add RO or any fresh water. They come from the Great Salt Lake and are used to saltier water than our tanks but regular strength sea water is fine.