artemia cultivation

[danish]

im trying to rear artemia en masse for the first time...i dont really know a good method, though, without spending a ton of cash. i also read that you can use bleach for the decapsulation or whatnot, and i also want my "herds" of shrimp to be gut-loaded heavily with phytoplankton. any ideas/hints/suggestions for how i should go about this???

 

[papagimp]

yeah, same here, I've tried over and over and over to get a culture started but actually feeding the nauplii seems to be harder than I originally thought. They havn't liked any of the food I've tried, and the culture dies a few days post hatching.

 

[GTR]

I buy decapsulated eggs from Brine Shrimp Direct since it's so much easier. The process is pretty easy but IMO not worth the effort.
I don't try to raise them but I do add refrigerated phyto to the culture couple times a day. I start a fresh batch every two days and at all time have two batches going. After 3 days there's not much left of the hatch.
As far as raising them I see no need since what I'm looking for is their small size. Much easier alternatives are available for feeding larger foods.

SteveU

 

[danish]

not a bad idea...how did you set up the tanks?

 

[GTR]

I just use 1/2 gallon bottles with the tops cut off with an airstone in each. The screen box I have to collect them wont fit in the top of a 2-liter botlle or I'd use the SF Brine hactchery.

This is what I use to collect. Not all nets sold as "Brine Shrimp" nets are small enough to collect. One brand is but I can't remember which one.

If you can find a net I like these that use the 2-liter bottle with the bottom cut off.

SteveU

 

[papagimp]

I've used the Hatchery shown there before, I've always had a good return from it as well. Also, I purchased my brine shrimp net from pet smart and it works great.

 

[danish]

petsmart...the cutting edge of marine aquatic retail... :-D

 

[papagimp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7480128#post7480128 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by danish
petsmart...the cutting edge of marine aquatic retail... :-D

no kidding, kind of sucks not having a decent LFS...seems like every store here in OKC has the same livestock, same set up, no kind of guarentees on any live purchases and in my inexperienced opinion...half the people havn't the foggiest idea what there doing....so why give them the money for nets and test kits and little things that I know petsmart has...plus I have a pet perks card (whoo hoo) Thank god for the internet, I'd never gotten into this hobby if I didn't come across so many other hobbyist in the city here who can trade and help out when LFS can't or won't.

 

[graveyardworm]

Check section 4 for info on artemia. http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/003/W3732E/w3732e00.htm

 

[danish]

...so what specific gravity should I maintain to raise these critters??

 

[graveyardworm]

This article recommends 1.030. I use water straight out of my display (1.026), and havent had any problems.

 

[GTR]

Same here... I just dip it out of the tank.

David... thanks for the link. Lot of reading to do.

SteveU

 

[graveyardworm]

No problem, I had no idea how important decapsulation was until I was provided with that link.

Where can I get one of those brine shrimp screens?

 

[danish]

I think Marina makes a good little screen...

yeah, decapsulation is extremely important, i have heard about people usng bleach to do it, but that sounds like way too much work

 

[GTR]

I tried it and at the time didn't have a net with small enough mesh to rinse them in. That's when I found out how cheap the decapped cysts were so it didn't seem worth the trouble.

SteveU