Brine shrimp, also known as sea monkeys or artemia, are a popular live food source for feeding fish and invertebrates in saltwater and freshwater aquariums. Their nutritional value and ease of hatching make them an ideal option for aquarists looking to provide a natural food source. But when it comes to hatching brine shrimp eggs, one common question is – how many should you use per liter? In this complete guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about how many brine shrimp eggs to use per liter of water.
An Overview of Brine Shrimp Eggs
Brine shrimp eggs, also called cysts, are essentially brine shrimp in an inactive, dehydrated state. They can remain dormant for years until placed in saltwater, at which point they will hydrate and hatch into free-swimming nauplii within 24-48 hours. The cysts come in sizes ranging from 200-300 microns to 500-650 microns. Larger eggs tend to hatch faster and produce larger nauplii.
Brine shrimp eggs are sold based on total quantity, usually ranging from 1 ounce tubs to 1 pound bags. Popular high-quality brands like Brine Shrimp Direct sell their brine shrimp eggs by the pound, which contains around 120,000-150,000 eggs on average.
Hatching Density – How Many Eggs Per Liter?
When it comes to brine shrimp hatcheries, there are two main factors that determine how many eggs you should use per liter of saltwater:
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Target nauplii density – How many hatched brine shrimp you want per liter at harvest time. This depends on your purposes – feeding an aquarium requires far fewer nauplii than raising brine shrimp as a primary culture.
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Hatch rate percentage – The percentage of eggs that will successfully hatch under your setup conditions Hatch rates vary widely based on factors like water parameters, aeration, and egg quality
As a general guideline most hobbyist hatcheries target around 100000-300,000 nauplii per liter at harvest time. By taking the hatch rate percentage into account, you can work backwards to find your ideal starting egg density.
Here are some examples based on common hatch rates
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80% hatch rate – For 300,000 nauplii/liter, use around 375,000 eggs/liter.
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70% hatch rate – For 200,000 nauplii/liter, use around 285,000 eggs/liter.
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60% hatch rate – For 100,000 nauplii/liter, use around 166,000 eggs/liter.
Keep in mind that these are general estimates – you may need to fine tune the exact quantity through trial and error based on your own setup. The water parameters, aeration, and salinity can all impact the success of the hatch.
Water Volume Conversions
When purchasing brine shrimp eggs, it’s useful to know some common water volume conversions to calculate how many eggs you’ll need per hatch:
- 1 US gallon = 3.78 liters
- 1 liter = 1,000 ml
- 1 teaspoon = approximately 5 ml
Here are some examples of egg quantities for different hatch volumes:
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For a 1 liter hatch at 100,000 nauplii/liter target density and 70% hatch rate: Use 4-5 teaspoons of brine shrimp eggs (around 20,000 eggs per teaspoon)
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For a 1 gallon hatch at 300,000 nauplii/liter target density and 80% hatch rate: Use around 110 grams or 4 ounces of brine shrimp eggs
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For a 5 gallon hatch at 200,000 nauplii/liter target density and 60% hatch rate: Use around 425 grams or 15 ounces of eggs
Again, these quantities may need to be adjusted depending on the actual hatch rates you achieve. Tracking the hatch rate allows you to dial in the perfect starting egg density.
Egg Density for Continuous Hatching
For hobbyists who want a continuous brine shrimp supply, it’s common to set up drip-flow hatcheries that are constantly hatching new eggs. The egg density can be lower in these setups since they operate on a steady-state basis.
Manycontinuous hatcheries use between 30,000-50,000 eggs per liter of water volume. This keeps the overall biomass in balance and avoids oxygen depletion issues.
With a continuous hatching setup using pre-decapsulated eggs like Brine Shrimp Direct’s EZ Eggs, you can also use a lower density of just 20,000-30,000 eggs per liter. The lack of shells and unhatched eggs in decapsulated cysts reduces the organic load.
Estimating Quantities from Egg Counts
When purchasing brine shrimp eggs in bulk quantities, use the total egg count to estimate how much you’ll need per hatch:
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1 pound of brine shrimp eggs = ~120,000 to 150,000 eggs
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1 ounce of brine shrimp eggs = ~7,500 to 9,375 eggs
So if your 1 liter hatch requires 80,000 eggs at a 70% hatch rate, then just over 1 ounce of eggs would be sufficient. Conveniently, most brine shrimp eggs are sold in 1 ounce increments.
You can also use measuring spoons to dose out eggs by volume:
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1 teaspoon = ~20,000 eggs (based on Grade A eggs)
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1 tablespoon = ~60,000 to 80,000 eggs
The egg count per spoon will vary slightly between brands – a handy trick is to count the eggs in a teaspoon or tablespoon and use that ratio for measuring out quantities.
Other Considerations
Here are a few other tips when selecting your brine shrimp egg density:
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Start with lower densities for your first few hatches to get the parameters dialed in. It’s easier to increase density than deal with crashes.
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Monitor the hatch rate closely. Keep detailed notes on quantity used versus nauplii harvested.
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Buy high-quality eggs from reputable suppliers and store properly to maximize hatch rates.
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Decapsulated eggs allow you to use lower densities. But watch for fungal growth in older products.
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Increase aeration as you increase egg density to maintain sufficient dissolved oxygen.
Determining the ideal brine shrimp egg density takes some fine tuning based on your specific goals, hatchery setup and the egg hatch rates you achieve. Use the target nauplii densities and hatch rate estimates provided to calculate a starting point. Factor in your water volumes and egg counts. Then track the actual results and make incremental adjustments. With some diligence, you’ll zero in on that perfect quantity of brine shrimp eggs per liter for optimal hatches every time. Let us know in the comments if you have any other brine shrimp egg hatching tips!
Frequency of Entities:
brine shrimp eggs: 28
hatch rate: 11
nauplii: 10
liters: 10
brine shrimp: 9
eggs per liter: 7
water: 6
hatch: 5
teaspoon: 4
tablespoon: 2
saltwater: 2
aquarium: 2
artemia: 1
sea monkeys: 1
cysts: 1
microns: 1
aquarists: 1
live food: 1
hatcheries: 1
harvest time: 1
ounces: 1
grams: 1
gallons: 1
milliliters: 1
continuous: 1
oxygen: 1
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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.
Hatching Baby Brine Shrimp is EASIER Than You Think!
How many brine shrimp eggs per liter of water?
It is generally advised to follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding the egg-to-water ratio. However, a commonly used guideline is to add approximately half a teaspoon of brine shrimp eggs per liter of water. After adding the brine shrimp eggs to the hatching container, it is crucial to allow them to incubate properly.
How many eggs can a brine shrimp hatch?
Avoid the temptation to over hatch. In fact, you should never hatch more than 2.5 grams of eggs per liter of water. By using fewer eggs, a greater percentage of the eggs will hatch which means you get more baby brine shrimp for your dollar. WATCH THE TEMPERATURE! The hatching rate of brine shrimp cysts is very sensitive to temperature.
How much brine shrimp should I use per liter?
Many of the brine shrimp companies have suggested using ½ teaspoon/liter, but we found that you don’t have that much of a loss in hatch rate. In our hatching table we’ve used a slightly lower amount of eggs for our 1 liter and 500 ml hatchers, which is slightly closer to the ½ teaspoon of eggs per liter.
How many brine shrimp eggs can I put in a container?
Once the container is ready, you can add the brine shrimp eggs. The recommended amount of eggs will depend on the size of your container and the number of brine shrimp you wish to hatch. It is generally advised to follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding the egg-to-water ratio.