Brine shrimp also known as sea monkeys or artemia, are a type of small crustacean that makes a nutritious live food for feeding fish and other aquarium pets. Brine shrimp eggs or cysts, are available in pet stores and online, and hatching them at home is a simple process. In this article, we provide a step-by-step guide on how to successfully hatch brine shrimp eggs.
Why Hatch Brine Shrimp Eggs?
Here are some of the main reasons fishkeeping hobbyists culture brine shrimp eggs
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Brine shrimp are an excellent first food for fry and juvenile fish The tiny nauplii that hatch out are easy for them to eat
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Live brine shrimp help trigger breeding behavior in fish and promote better growth and health.
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Hatching brine shrimp is cheaper than buying live brine shrimp. The eggs have a long shelf-life for months.
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You can control the hatching process to have freshly hatched brine shrimp available anytime.
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Home hatched brine shrimp are not contaminated compared to store-bought ones.
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It’s fun and easy! Hatching brine shrimp eggs is an engaging aquarium hobby activity.
Step 1 – Prepare the Hatching Container
You will need a simple setup to hatch brine shrimp eggs:
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A clear glass or plastic container – 1-2 liters capacity. An empty jar, vase or beverage bottle works.
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An airstone connected to an air pump by airline tubing. This creates water circulation and oxygenation.
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Egg collection – Use a small net or sieve. A coffee filter also works well.
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Light source – Sunlight or a desk lamp. Shrimp hatch better with some light.
Make sure to clean the container properly and fill it with non-chlorinated water. Dechlorinate tap water by allowing it to sit overnight or use aquarium water.
Step 2 – Add the Right Amount of Salt
Brine shrimp need brackish water, which is a mix of salt and freshwater, to hatch successfully.
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Add non-iodized salt to the container. Use 25-30 grams of salt per liter of water. Table salt or kosher salt works.
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Use an aquarium hydrometer to check that the salinity level is between 1.020-1.025 ppt. This brackish salinity suits brine shrimp best for hatching.
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Mix the salt well until completely dissolved before introducing the eggs.
Step 3 – Insert the Air Line
Place the air tube from the pump into the container and turn on the pump. The air flow serves two purposes:
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It oxygenates the water and keeps the eggs suspended. Lack of oxygen will prevent hatching.
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The bubbles circulate the water so the brine shrimp spread out evenly once hatched.
Adjust the air flow to achieve a gentle bubbling that circulates the water. But avoid too much agitation.
Step 4 – Add the Brine Shrimp Eggs
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Estimate how many eggs you need based on how many brine shrimp you want. For a 1-2 liter container, use 1-2 teaspoons of brine shrimp eggs.
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Switch off the air pump and sprinkle the eggs gently on the water surface.
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Let the eggs hydrate for 1 hour before turning the air back on. This prevents the eggs from sticking together.
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Ideally maintain the water temperature between 25-28°C for fastest hatching.
Step 5 – Wait for Them to Hatch
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Over the next 24-36 hours, the brine shrimp eggs will hatch into tiny free-swimming nauplii.
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Progressively more eggs will continue to hatch out depending on temperature and oxygen levels.
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Provide ample lighting during the hatching period to promote growth. Sunlight or a lamp over the container works well.
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Check on the hatching periodically. But avoid too much disturbance or exposure to cool air.
Step 6 – Harvest the Baby Brine Shrimp
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After 24-48 hours, a large number of newly hatched brine shrimp will be swimming actively in the container.
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Turn off the air pump and allow the brine shrimp to settle to the bottom. This takes 5-10 minutes.
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Use the small net or sieve to scoop out the brine shrimp. Rinse lightly in fresh water.
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Pick a collection method based on your purpose:
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For immediate feeding, harvest many shrimp together.
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For continuous later use, harvest only a portion of shrimp and let the rest continue growing in the hatchery.
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Step 7 – Feed the Brine Shrimp to Your Fish
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For fry and small fish, no further preparation is needed. You can feed the live baby brine shrimp directly.
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For larger fish, you may need to enrich the brine shrimp nutritionally before feeding. Do this by adding egg yolk, nutritional powder or commercial enrichment formulas.
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Feed live brine shrimp within 1-2 days. After that the nutritional value starts deteriorating.
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Unused live brine shrimp can be kept refrigerated for up to 3 days if absolutely necessary. But hatch smaller quantities to feed fresh whenever possible.
Tips for Successful Brine Shrimp Hatching
Here are some additional pointers to help you master hatching brine shrimp eggs:
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Rinse the eggs briefly before adding them to wash away any impurities.
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Ensure sufficient aeration and avoid temperature fluctuations for best hatch rates.
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Agitate the container once a day very gently to redistribute eggs and prevent clumping.
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Monitor salinity levels daily with a hydrometer and top off water as needed.
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Wash the container thoroughly before each new use to prevent contamination.
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Maintain a dedicated hatchery setup for continuous yields. Hatch new eggs every 2-3 days.
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Keep eggs refrigerated in an airtight container for long shelf life before hatching.
With some practice, you can efficiently hatch brine shrimp eggs at home to feed top quality live food. Setting up a brine shrimp hatchery is easy, fun and very rewarding for any aquarist!
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Storing Brine Shrimp Eggs
Brine shrimp eggs should to be stored as follows:
- free from moisture; and
- in a cool environment at or below 50°F.
Follow these guidelines for the best results:
- Salinity: About 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt for every quart (or liter) of water This equates to about 1. 018 specific gravity as measured with a hydrometer. Aquarium, sea or non-iodized table salt can be used.
- pH: Proper pH is important in hatching brine shrimp. A starting pH of 8. 0 or higher is recommended. If your water’s pH is less than 7, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of Epson salt or baking soda per quart.
- Temperature: 80 to 82°F is the best water temperature for a 24-hour full hatch. The hatching time will be longer if the temperature is lower, but it shouldn’t be higher than 86°F.
- Brightness: Adding light will improve the hatching rate, but it’s not necessary.
- Continuous aeration is needed to keep cysts in suspension and make sure there is enough oxygen for the cysts to hatch. A nice steady flow of air that shakes the eggs around without pushing them out of the water and onto the hatching cone.
- Stocking Density: It is best to have 1 gram of cysts per liter or quart, which is about 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. A lower hatch percentage will happen when there are more fish than eggs.
- Hatching Cone: Flat-bottom hatching vessels should be avoided. Containers with cone or “V” bottoms work best to keep the cysts floating while they hatch. When not in use, make sure to wash the hatching cone well with a mild chlorine solution, rinse it, and let it dry naturally.
The following steps will achieve optimum brine shrimp egg hatch rates.
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What are the guidelines for Artemia cysts?
20 to 30 parts per thousand (ppt) salt solution, which is about 1 to 2 tablespoons of rock salt per quart (or liter) of water. This equates to around 1. 015-1. 020 specific gravity. A 2020% concentration (or about 0.2 teaspoons per quart) of Epson salt or magnesium sulfate can be added to the hatching solution to make it more stable. Temperature – Optimum temperature for a 24 hour complete hatch 26-28° C. Lowering the temperature would result in a longer hatching time. Do not exceed 30°C. Light—The embryo needs to be lit up in order for the hatching process to start within the first few hours of incubation. Keeping a light on during the whole incubation period is suggested for the best hatch results and to keep the temperature stable. Aeration—There must also be constant aeration to make sure there is enough oxygen for the cysts to break down and hatch. A minimum of 3 parts per million dissolved oxygen during the incubation is recommended. Strong aeration will not damage or hurt the brine shrimp cysts or nauplii. pH – A starting pH of 8. 0 or higher is recommended. If pH drops below 7. 5 during incubation, add a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate or a pH buffer to raise it above 8. 0. Stocking Density – 2 grams per quart or approximately one level teaspoon of cysts per quart is recommended. A higher stocking density will result in a lower % hatch. Hatching Cone – Flat bottom hatching vessels should be avoided. Cone or “V” bottomed containers are best to insure that the cysts remain in suspension during hatching. Before each use, make sure to wash the hatching cone well with soap and water and let it dry alone.
How do I harvest the baby brine shrimp?
To get the baby brine shrimp, also known as nauplii, just turn off the air flow and wait a few minutes. The shells and nauplii will then separate. The shells will rise to the top, and the live nauplii will move to the bottom of the cone and toward the light. After being split up, the nauplii can be sucked out of the bottom or drained through the air tubing from the bottom of the cone.
How to Hatch Brine Shrimp Eggs with NO Equipment | NO Air Pump Easy Setup
How do you hatch brine shrimp?
Brine shrimp are super easy to hatch out. You could just hatch shrimp in a cup of salty water with a bubbler on a shelf. What makes a great hatchery vs a crappy one is how well it separates the shrimp egg shells from the hatched shrimp. The egg shells are not digestible. You don’t want to feed those to your fish.
How do you brine shrimp eggs?
Fill the hatchery with 2 liters of water. Add 2 Tablespoons of salt. (No need to premix, the bubbling action will mix everything for you.) Add up to 2 teaspoons of brine shrimp eggs. Connect the hatchery to a small air pump. Let the hatchery sit for at least 24 hours. Disconnect the hatchery from the air pump and let it settle for about 15 minutes.
How do you brine a baby shrimp?
Mix 1 tablespoon of salt per liter (4.25 cups) of cold tap water until the salt is fully dissolved. You do not need to use a dechlorinator for brine shrimp hatching water. Any chlorine/chloramine in the water will help break down the shrimp eggs, making it easier for the baby brine shrimp to emerge.
How fast Dorine shrimp eggs hatch?
How quickly Brine Shrimp eggs take to hatch can depend on the Brine Shrimp eggs but they can hatch as quickly as within 18 hours or as long as 48 hours. It really depends on the specific species of Brine Shrimp. Generally, a good time to aim for is around 24 hours to hatch your shrimp.