BBS / Brine Shrimp Hatching Problems

[mwp]

OK, this is a quick one, maybe someone has some insight.

Over the last 48 hours the hatch rates on my BBS have dropped like a rock. I'm using the same hatcher, rinsing repeatedly with scalding hot freshwater, between hatches. 1/4 cup salt mix to slightly < 2L tepid water, and then the decapsulated eggs go in.

Yesterday's batch, the water turned cloudy. Today's batch, the water is NOT cloudy but didn't hatch well (we're talking probably 1% hatch by 24 hours).

The only change in conditions - in the last 48 hours ambient room temperature (the only thing heating the hatcher) has gone up from 68F to 73F.

Thankfully nothing I have "desperately needs" BBS at the moment, but I'd like to get this solved

Thoughts?

Matt

 

[FishGuttz]

I recently had to hatch a lot of bbs to feed my 14 betta fry. I found that after a month or so an opened bottle of BS eggs stopped hatching. I didn't refrigerate and probably should have. Could the overexposure of your eggs to air (too old) be part of your problem?

 

[mwp]

I don't know, but what I do know is that I keep them refridgerated.

Matt

 

[David M]

I'm sure it's that the cycts have gone bad, just decap some fresh stuff and you should be fine. I make up 4-5 days worth at a time and keep it in SW in the fridge, never a problem.

 

[mwp]

HMM...these are actually professionally decapped from Seahorsesource. I think they expire sometime next year Maybe I'll try the other bottle and see what happens.

Matt

 

[David M]

Make yer own!!! It's easy and cheap and you will always be prepared.

 

[mwp]

Actually, I've tried making my own a few times and ended up with nothing but miserable failures...was very happy with Dan's product up until this point...so easy to use. I still think I'm doing something "wrong" that I haven't picked up on, so I'm going to sterilize everything and swap out the 2L bottles for the hatchers; it's a start.

Matt

 

[mwp]

So here's what I've done. Premixed the salt in the bucket (which to be fair is my truely "normal" protocol...there always seems to be a 5 gallon bucket full of saltwater in the kitchen sink).

New 2L bottles were placed on the hatcher bases. I labled each hatcher and each bottle of Decapped...#1 is the one I've been using, #2 is the one I haven't touched yet.

We'll see, side-by-side, if something's up with the eggs at least...I hope...

Matt

 

[mano]

Do you rinse the cysts with freshwater at all before you put them in the hatcher?

 

[mwp]

Ah, no. If I continue to get hatching problems that might be worth a shot....

Matt

 

[mano]

I don't usually rinse the ones I decap myself but other companies I do...because you never know.

Christine

 

[mwp]

Well, the verdict is in!

NEW BOTTLE - EXCELLENT HATCH, clear water.

Bottle I had been using - CRAPPY HATCH!, cloudy water.

Remember, I set both up with water from the same bucket, new 2L bottles and the same amount of water and eggs. Both bottles of eggs were well agitated prior to measuring out.

There are only a few remaining things to test. Positioning, airlines (i.e. maybe one of the lines is moldy and thus "infecting" the hatching water), maybe rinsing will help?

So here's the thing - I don't know HOW "good" eggs could have suddenly gone bad. It's not like I left them sitting out. Someone mentioned "air", the only thing is that these are decapped eggs stored in some sort of solution. Both are kept in the same vegetable crisper too. Both were ordered at the same time, both are the same strain.

I'm glad I ordered two, at least I have a 'backup' for now.

Any insight?

Matt

 

[gemini aquarius(t)]

ok im about to make myself look like an idiot but its ok!

whats the point of decapping bs eggs?

 

[mwp]

No shells (which besides being a nuisance can be fatal to a larval fish if ingested). Makes hatching brine a walk in a park vs. a walk through a landfill.

Matt

 

[gemini aquarius(t)]

ok thanks are the shells fatal to grown fish?? is it hard to decap??

 

[mwp]

Shells are just "waste" to a grown fish. The typical protocol with regular brine eggs is to concentrate the nauplii away from the shells (shells tend to float if I recall..it's been a while), then harvest the nauplii. It's hardly foolproof though, thus why I switched to Decapped Brine.

I can say that I've tried decapsulating my own brine shrimp eggs several times and have had less than ideal results. Other's here have done much better and routinely do their own (which is probably cheaper, especially if you're rearing a LOT of fish).

Up until my decapped stopped hatching, I was 100% satisifed with them and happy to pay the price for them! I'm hoping Dan has some ideas/suggestions on how this happened and how it can be prevented.

FWIW,

Matt

 

[gemini aquarius(t)]

ok thanks i think i will stick to the reg eggs

 

[billsreef]

There's another, and very important reason for decapping eggs aside from eliminating the hassle of the shells. Decapulated nauplii expend less energy hatching and are more nutritious as a result, I believe around 20% more IIRC.

mwp,

I have had on occasion found my hatch rates drop when I get to the tail end of can of eggs. Doesn't happen with every can, just an occasional can. No real reason, and all kept in the same fridge.

 

[gemini aquarius(t)]

well the brine wouldnt be for eating really i mean a couple batches maybe but mainly i want to get my 10 gallon full of um its a reef tank with no fish so i think they will live and maybe if i get a fish they can breed and creat a food source along with copepods amphiopods and other little food items but do you know if the brine can breed in a reef tank if not then i will be hatching them for my clown!

 

[billsreef]

I wouldn't expect them to keep up with pumps and various hungry mouths in a reef tank