Nursery Tank and BBS Hatchery ??'s

[yankeereefer]

I should have a hatch of sexy shrimp any day now.

My nursery tank is done - 10g, bubbler, small heater and fluorescent strip light

I also built a nano-sized bbs hatchery from a 1l water bottle

Couple of questions for the breeders out there:

1) air line bubbler - It's hanging in the corner of the nursery tank a little off the sides and up off the bottom to prevent the larvae from getting stuck. It circulates the water some, but not much - I took the airstone off thinking this would move the water more, no real difference in my eyes. I may put it back on (assuming the finer bubbles are gentler on lavae) - Thoughts?

2) bbs hatchery - I have rigid airline sticking up thru the cap about 1.5" - I soaked the eggs for 15 minutes before starting up the airpump. Eggs are circulating in suspension, but it seems that there is a lot of them collecting at the bottom - Turning up the air moves them about for awhile, but ultimately a fair amount return to the bottom - Normal? or suggestions please.

Thanks for any help
Ryan

 

[rkelman]

I'd just drop an airstone in the larvae tank. Don't go to crazy with the bubbles though. They will be fragile I'm sure. (I know nothing about raising sexy shrimp..)

My airline tubing only sticks up like 1/8" It seems to be ok. I get good hatches with it without them collecting on the bottom. I never soak my eggs first..

 

[gpsmart]

I don't know about your shrimp but clowns definately get stuck between the air line and the side of the tank. A good idea to try to keep it off the sides and bottom. I use 1 air stone in a corner and another under the heater. There is some circulation but not alot. I gradually turn my airstone up as the clowns develop.

I agree with the last post. If you get your air supply right down the bottom then the bbs won't get stuck. I just put an airstone right to the bottom and hold the flexible tube in place with a clothes peg - nothing flash but it works. I don't pre soak mine either and I just use a turkey baster to wash the sides of the bottle down as the eggs get stuck.

 

[yankeereefer]

thanks guys

My airline is suspended off the bottom and sides, about 1" all around - I cut a square in scrap acrylic and drilled a hole in it - I put some rigid airline in the hole and attached the airstone.

Heater is suspended vertically in the middle on the tank (and up off the bottom).

I was just wondering if I was doing it right b/c movement seemed to be very little.

 

[yankeereefer]

thanks guys

Re: nursery - My airline is suspended off the bottom and sides, about 1" all around - I cut a square in scrap acrylic and drilled a hole in it - I put some rigid airline in the hole and attached the airstone.

Heater is suspended vertically in the middle on the tank (and up off the bottom).

I was just wondering if I was doing it right b/c movement seemed to be very little.

Re: BBS - I'm going to back the rigid tube down so that it is only as high as the top of the cap to see if I get better circulation.

Do you two use decapped or do you decap the eggs at all?

Thanks again!
Ryan

 

[rkelman]

My heater is suction cupped to the side of the tank. I haven't lost any from being stuck on either a heater or air line. I guess it could happen. I just haven't seen it. I used regular eggs. I would buy decapped eggs if you can. The shells are a pain.

 

[gpsmart]

My heater is also suction cupped to the side as is the airstone underneath it. I have had some suction cups that have lifted off the glass and the clowns will also get stuck behind this. Little buggers!!!

I also use regular eggs. When I want to harvest the bbs I just pull the airstone out and the bbs go to the bottom while the shells float. I then harvest the bbs with a turkey baster. Occasionally I need to clean shells from a larval tank. These will float at the edge and I just suck them out with air line.

Good Luck!

 

[Lifes A Beach]

I would definitely use the decap bbs. You can get them from SeaHorseSource.com Very easy to use and don't have to worry about the shells.

I don't run my tubing thru the bottle cap in the bottom. My tubing comes down from the top to the very bottom of the bottle (rests on the cap) and with good air flow, the eggs do not accumulate in that area.

 

[rkelman]

Hmm that's probably a better idea witht he tubing. That way you don't have to worry about it leaking...

 

[HoopsGuru]

I've grown pretty confident with decapsulating my own. Take 2oz of water and let the BS eggs soak for 60-90 minutes to rehydrate. Then I add 1oz of unscented bleach and continuously stir until the eggs turn from brown to white and finally to orange. Things takes about 5-10 minutes. As soon as most are orange I immediately rinse them under water for 10 minutes (I add mine to a plastic permanent coffee filter to rinse) and/or add a decholorinator like Amquel. They are then ready to use.

 

[Lifes A Beach]

I just squirt a tablespoon full of decapped eggs out of the bottle and into my water. Done!