brine shrimp

[bunkerboy]

Okay, so i started a clown breeding program. Long story there, but i am trying to raise brine shrimp to adulthood... First attempt was in a ten gallon tank, salinity 1.014, temp 80, 24 hour illumination from two small incandesents, and lots of bubbles from airstones.... added cysts and fed daily small amounts of wheat flour starting around day 4.... Success. Fully adult brine shrimp with eggs. Brought them to local fish store because he did not believe me that i could successfully raise them to adulthood, and now he is is interested in purchasing from me any adult brine i can raise. Fast foward to today... Same conditions only in 18 gallon rubbermaid containers, and around day 8 or so everything dies. I tried all sort of different temps, lights, etc but have not had the same success as before. Last sunday, i started new batches with only 1/4 teaspoon eggs in ten gallons, one large airstone and one seasoned sponge filter, and purchased T-iso algae paste to feed starting on day two... they are doing well now, but i am getting a foam on top of water now, and i think the bioload is obviously increasing. I have been adding 1 gallon of saltwater/day for the last two days, to try to dilute the bioload, but this morning, either alot of the little buggers are on side or bottom of containers molting, of i am getting die off. ANy suggestions or help? I want to raise my own brine to use as food for my broodstock and also to sell to LFS. BTW, i ordered from brineshrimpdirect.com ....I have been using using reef crystals for saltwater. Bunker

 

[o.c.d.]

population density is going to be your problem you need big tanks to raise Artemia. Coral mag put out a very good issue on live food (Feb/Mar 06 Vol 3 #1).

 

[Chad Vossen]

i have better luck using live phytoplankton.

i can get adult brine shrimp in 2 weeks with high temps. i also do water changes 1-2x per week.

 

[bunkerboy]

how do you do water changes without sucking up the artemia? Do you think that 1/4 teaspoon is too much for ten gallons of water? As the week progressed, i have been adding one gallon of new salt water to dilute the wastes. Bunker

 

[Chad Vossen]

i have a screen coffee filter that i submerge into the water, and i siphon the water within so that i dont suck out any brine shrimp.

OR

if the bottom is dirty, ill scrub the tank sides and use a rigid air hose connected to flexible hose to siphon the bottom. i then rescue the brine shrimp that were siphoned out and feed these to the fish.