BBS - storage question

[decambla]

Ok, I know this is a very basic question and is going to sound stupid
But.....

now that Ive hatched the brine shrimp, where do I keep them?

Do I put them in another container or leave them bubbling in the hatchery?

 

[iSuzie]

Well I found that mine died with in 30 mins when I left them in a different container because of a thick film like top didn't let the air in at all, so I keep mine in a separate container with a air tube and NO stone. You could keep them in the hatchery if you wanted as they do still live in their but don't keep them for more than 24 hours as the nutritional value is all gone after 24 hours.

 

[decambla]

Thanks for the reply Suzi.

So I need to be constantly hatching brine shrimp for the little guys?

 

[iSuzie]

Yes you do. I have 2 different lots going at one time in case something happens to the other.
Remember to feed them twice a day and suck out all of the un-eaten left over BBS right after they are done, i usually give them 1 hour to eat because the brine shrimp still live that long and don't start to foul the water that fast. But any longer and they will foul the water.

 

[decambla]

Thanks Suzi. Yep, thats what Ive been doing. Ive been feeding them, then do a water change about 1hr-1.5hrs later. By that time you can see they have fed well by their gorgeous orange bellies lol

I just thought that perhaps the batch of hatched BBS could be stored somewhere (ie tupperwear container or jar) so you could just use what you needed with each feeding, rather than wasting so much by throwing it out. 7 axies babies dont eat that much brine shrimp in a day and I didnt realise they were unuseable only 24hrs after hatching.
You learn something new every day.

 

[pent565]

I'm trying to see if putting the bbs in the fridge will slow their metabolism and not kill them, so I can re-use them.

 

[Kaysie]

You'll soon learn how big of a hatchery you need to have.

And they'll be big enough to eat other foods before you know it!

 

[oceanblue]

Brine shrimp keep well in the fridge in small quantities if you follow two rules:
1. use a salt solution of about 8 to 10g per litre, no more or less.
2. use a flat bottomed container. It can be very shallow, petri dishes are ideal but a jam jar will do.

They stop moving and look dead but recover on warming. Nearly all live 2 weeks, about half 3 weeks and few 4 weeks in the coldest bit of my fridge at 4C.