shrimp fry eggs

[butters]

hiya all !!!! i have just for the first time hatched of some brine shrimp eggs. how long do they last? do they have to be used by a set time? can u grow them on ? i have a setup heated and aerated in a two litre bottle. in a 20ltr tank with heater and natural light. any info much appreciated dudes!!!!

[prince]

i heard that they will start to breed when they are fully grown

[Eaglebarret]

Hi Butters,

For what i know, to keep them alive just regular water changes and feed them finely crumbled fish food.

Otherwise they last about 3 days.

Personally, never had success with keeping them alive for longer than 4-5 days.

[novafishy]

Once you have harvested your live bbs, keep them in the fridge. It will lower their metabolism rate, and will last longer, yet they are still alive for the fry to eat. It prolongs the nutritional value of the bbs. I'd try to use it all up within 2 days. 3 days max.

[YeW]

Hi -

Two things:

1. it isnt worth the hassle of growing them up to adulthood and you need lots of room to do so. If you need to feed brine shrimp adults buy them frozen.

2. microworms have the same nutritional value (and are MUCH easier to work with IMHO).

HTH -

[Eddie Salita]

I beg to differ with yew. Brine shrimps are easy as to grow on to adulthood(25mm).

Search the net you will find a bit on how to do it.

here is one: link

I do it in a 20 litre bucket outside. they feed off the insuforia that grows in the water, or you can add your own food made from egg yolk. In fact I often grow the water just for them a week beforehand. Adding the salt with the shrimps. When I harvest them they have egg sacs and are huge. I renew the water each session. I dont see how a nematode can supply the carotene and keratin that a shrimp will provide. especially for tangs, as the artemia is very similar to the naturally occuring plankton in the lake. But each to their own on that one. Just another point of view based on my experiences. Everyone has a slightly dififferent way of doing things. some work some dont. Best way is to do reconnaissance like you have, and have a crack. You never know, you may have success also.

Happy days,

Jason

PS: I harvest thse shrimps and freeze them as my own frozen brine shrimp using ice trays. The benefit of which is imo: no irradiation therefore more nutritional value, the colour difference is phenomenal, you can create whatever size you like, and is MUCH MUCH cheaper than buying frozen brine shrimp.

---------------------------------------------

Time spent in reconnaissance, is time never wasted.

[YeW]

Hi Eddie -

I cant see why a nematode cant supply carotene? As for keratin - why is this protein of particular importance? Microworms are roughly 50% protein after all.

Microworms can also be prodcued in much larger quantities without the need for expensive eggs.

[Eddie Salita]

mmm I was a bit short on detail there. The keratin is mainly undigestable, and promotes healthy digestive system. Fibre for want of a better term. IMO It is very important especially in fishes with longer intestines (africans). Its a bit like If you ate steak only for a while, you would become rather constipated. Roughage is very low in most nematodes. Although this is often made up by the processed foods given in conjunction if any. Perhaps this is part of the reason for the bloodworm/african wives tale. Exclusive diet of such food for an african is like you or I eating only meat. It will cause drama's.

I've little doubt that carotene exists in many nematodes, but in microworm, there must be very little. You only need to compare the colour to see this. Artemia are known to be very high in carotene for an animal. Carotene ( transformed into vitamin A) is imporatant in preventing infections, and a powerfull anti-oxidant. Important for fish too.

Expensive?? A tin 500g contains about 20 million eggs (yes thats 20million brine shrimps), and costs $90 I would hardly call them expensive! they are one of the most economical and versatile live foods around IMO. Obviously microworm is free. Unless you lose your culture. but useless for most adult fish. Are you certain of the 50% protien? I was under the impression most nematodes are mostly water. I would feel unciomforable about feeding my fish with a staple of over 50% protien.

I have no desire to convince you of anything, just sharing my personal experiences, which happen to differ to yours, no biggie. I think microworm has its place in a balanced diet. I do culture blackworms, so I am not anti-nematode. They are a great food for all my fishes.

Here a short speel on the similarity of artemia to the naturally occuring copepod's in lake tanganyika If you havent seen it before:link

Anyway, the main reason for my post was to share the experience of raising brine shrimp to a fully adult size. If I achieved this, happy day.

Cheers,

Jason

[YeW]

Hi Jason -

Can fish digest cellulose? or is it a case of helper bacteria?

Regardless I also dont mean to suggest brine shrimp are a bad food - I'm certain they are not. I've just always had more luck with microworms... and the tangs I keep (mainly lamprologines) grow just fine on them.

Please dont take anything negative from my posts - was just curious .

I'm a little suprised they find the keratin indigestable (though I've never thought about it much)... I assume then its resistant to standard proteases?

[Eddie Salita]

Cool as Yew. I was under the impression it took a rudimentary stomach to break down the more complex cellulose fibres but I guess pleco's and ancistrus etc do it without. I not a vet tho I will hypothesise and say the keratin is undigestable even by most bacteria , as even the harsher digestive enzymes in the animal kingdom (snakes,crocs,some birds) cannot digest nails, hair, claws etc....

I've just learned there are certain insects(wool beetle/moth), fungi and fruits contain the necessary enzymatic action to break it down into useable nutrients. Dont know how long it takes however.

Oh I just love tossing off with big words that dont suit me.

Cheers,

Jason

ps: Gunna have to start some microworms again now. your fault.