Step1
Mix the salt water for your container according to the directions that came with your salt.
Step2
plug in your air pump
Step3
attach tubing to the outlet valve
Step4
attach the airstone to the end of the tubing
Step5
submerge the airstone at the bottom of the water in your container
Step6
you should see lots of little bubbles coming up through the water
Step7
measure the amount of brine shrimp eggs according to the directions that came with your eggs for the volume of water in your container
Step8
the eggs should bounce around in the water as the water is agitated by the bubbles from the airstone
Step9
install your tank heater if you are using one. set it for 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit for optimum hatch rate.
Step10
install your tank thermometer.
Step11
monitor temperature for a couple of hours
Step12
wrap the dark paper around the container
Step13
tape the paper in place
Step14
your shrimp will hatch in 24 to 48 hrs.
Step15
now it is time to separate the inedible shells and to harvest the brine shrimp. To do this will we take advantage of the natural behavior of the shrimp... they swim to the light, and of the shells which float.
Step16
remove the airstone and tubing from the tank and turn off the air pump.
Step17
wait 15 minutes for the water to quiet and the shells to float.
Step18
slip the dark paper sleeve up the container until about 2 inches are exposed to the light at the bottom of the container.
Step19
shade the top of the tank from the lights in the room or turn the lights down very low
Step20
turn on the flashlight and lay it down so it shines into the exposed area at the bottom of the container
Step22
the live brine shrimp will have gathered in the light from the flashlight. They will look pink.
Step23
squeeze the air from the turkey baster and lower the tip of it into the mass of brine shrimp.
Step24
release the bulb of the turkey baster and suck the brine shrimp up into the baster
Step25
remove the loaded turkey baster from the water.... carefully
Step26
squeeze the turkey baster of brine shrimp into the brine shrimp net.
Step27
Rinse the brine shrimp with fresh water before introducing them into your tank. This will assure that no parasites that might have hatched out with them will contaminate your tank of fish and invertebrates.
Comments
GreenGardenChic said
on 4/14/2008 I bet my fish would love this. Good idea.
showpup said
on 12/6/2007 I've fed brine shrimp to my colorful fish in the past and convinced they were even more colorful for the effort and makes a nice food for baby fish. I didn't know how it was harvested though or that that was what sea monkeys were. Neat. 5 stars.
amylaine said
on 4/13/2008 very neat, 5 stars.
Walkaboutangel said
on 3/23/2008 Wishing you all a wonderful Easter...
Angel
Walkaboutangel said
on 12/6/2007 The pigment in the brine shrimp is absorbed by the fish and it definitely enhances their color. Flamingos eat a relative of brine shrimp that has the same pigment which is responsible for the pink in the flamingo feathers. Captive flamingos must be fed foods rich in this pigment, or their lovely pink color will fade away.
Angel