Necessity of Artemia

[coral_addict]

This is not 100% true...You are confusing what you have read on the internet imo. From a clownfish breeder perspective, artemia fry can be successfully used as a replacement for live feed beyond rotifers once the clown fry has gone past meta.

I believe the credit on this analysis goes to j.wilkerson who mentioned that one gulp of a baby artemia for a clownfish was the equivalent in protein to 20 gulps of rotifers. However artemia is not sized for clownfish fry until AFTER meta.

Artemia as an adult, that has been sitting at the LFS with no phyto to eat, will need enrichment since they are basically shells of protein (very little).

I've never bred bangghais - but given that they are live breeders vs egg breeders there are differences in how one would raise them - especially given how much larger the babies are.

Also - i agree with jeff - even when i spend the extra $$$ on de-cap'd artemia (highly recommend) - the yield you can get on those artemia eggs is more than enough to handle any short period of feeding banghais.

If you read Matthew Wittenrich's book on marine fish breeding, he says that for the first week or two on artemia they don't have to be enriched, but then you need to increase the artemia's size and to do that you let them grow older before they are fed. After about 12 hours or so after hatching, they lose most of their nutritional value and need to be enriched.

 

[billsreef]

I don't have much room to set up even a small artemia hatchery, which is why I say hassle. That and the fact that I would like to be able to have a system in which I don't have to constantly replace a live food source.

For a small set up, a 1L soda bottle can hatch out plenty of artemia No need for large 20L Imhoff cones for a home hobby set up. For my clowns at home, I use a simple 1L soda bottle inverted (cut the bottom off) so it is just like a mini Imhoff cone. I set the bottle in a old plastic container from some disinfectant wipes that happens to be the perfect size. takes about 5 square inches of space.

If you read Matthew Wittenrich's book on marine fish breeding, he says that for the first week or two on artemia they don't have to be enriched, but then you need to increase the artemia's size and to do that you let them grow older before they are fed. After about 12 hours or so after hatching, they lose most of their nutritional value and need to be enriched.

By the time most juveniles are big enough to need larger food, they can generally be weaned off artemia and switched to a mix of dry and frozen foods.

 

[tecnomage]

Also - i agree with jeff - even when i spend the extra $$$ on de-cap'd artemia (highly recommend) - the yield you can get on those artemia eggs is more than enough to handle any short period of feeding banghais.

Is there a particular place you recommend on ordering the de-cap'd from? I saw a few places online but most said that they wouldn't hatch and I'd prefer to find a place someone else trusts rather than rely on google.

 

[GrindingNemo]

I found a few bangai fry hanging out in my urchins, and they accept the same frozen food I feed the rest of my fish (lifeline). I can't say much about yield because this was in my display tank and I don't know how many fry were already eaten before I found them. The ones I did find, I removed from the display and I feed them both frozen and brine. I don't know if the brine is needed (because they eat the frozen), but since I hatch bbs daily I figure it can't hurt.

 

[coral_addict]

By the time most juveniles are big enough to need larger food, they can generally be weaned off artemia and switched to a mix of dry and frozen foods.

Then maybe Wittenrich is wrong? He says you have to feed enriched artemia after about 3 weeks or so (depending on the species) and continue on artemia for a couple weeks.

 

[GreshamH]

Golden Pearls behave very similar to live food, stay in suspension well and come in a variety of sizes. Otohime works great for weaning off artemia naupulii, but I've never tried it as a substitute.

Jeff

Otohime and Golden Pearls are very similar (although the process employeed to make and shape them are different). Do not let the word "weaning" confuse you, it's a larviculture, weaning AND grow-out feed.

There are a ton of reports, even here on RC, with people using Otohime as a substitute for live feeds.

 

[billsreef]

Then maybe Wittenrich is wrong? He says you have to feed enriched artemia after about 3 weeks or so (depending on the species) and continue on artemia for a couple weeks.

It's likely the "depending on species" that is the difference. With clowns and other larvae that hatch with similar development, it's entirely possible to switch them over from artemia after a week or two. It can still be beneficial to maximize growth by continuing artemia for a few weeks longer, but not an absolute necessity.

 

[coral_addict]

It's likely the "depending on species" that is the difference. With clowns and other larvae that hatch with similar development, it's entirely possible to switch them over from artemia after a week or two. It can still be beneficial to maximize growth by continuing artemia for a few weeks longer, but not an absolute necessity.

Ah thank you for clearing that up. Now where can I get artemia?

 

[wdt2000]

Ah thank you for clearing that up. Now where can I get artemia?

Bottom of the page
http://reedmariculture.com/product_instant_zooplankton.html

or

http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/Brine-Shrimp-Eggs-c2.html

 

[billsreef]

I usually get the San Fransisco strain from Brine Shrimp Direct.

 

[GreshamH]

I usually get the San Fransisco strain from Brine Shrimp Direct.

Have you tried recently? Rumor has it only small volumes are available now? No time for me to check, hoping you know :lol:

 

[billsreef]

Haven't had to order any in awhile, so it's quite possible. Wouldn't be the first time cysts became scarce, especially the nice small San Fran ones.

 

[GreshamH]

It would not surprise me given the land swap that was done with the salt ponds SBBB leased.

It looks like they do have larger volumes, but under BSD packaging, not SFBB..

http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/c2/San-Francisco-Strain-Brine-Shrimp-Eggs-c24.html

 

[billsreef]

That is the packaging I was getting it in. I was ordering 2 cases at a time until the larval grow out portion of the last research project I was working on last year finished.