Separating Egss from BBS

[ax]

Basically what's the best way to do it? I've heard that the eggs are bad for larvae, is this true? I've tried letting it settle but inevitably I still end up with a lot of unhatched shells
Thanks!

 

[twistedfisher]

i let it sit for about 30 mins with a flash light shining at the neck of the hatchery then use the air line to bottom drain the BBS

 

[siona]

I was thinking I'd let it settle, turkey-baster the BBS from the bottom out, then repeat the process in a smaller container - I haven't tested this yet though :s

 

[Greatwtehunter]

I shine a light at the bottom of the hatchery for around 10 mins after I have turned off the air-line. I then use a turkey baster to siphon off the live brine shrimp.

I used to use the method Michael described but I found that unhatched eggs also came out with the brine shrimp instead of floating to the surface like hatched egg shells do.

 

[ax]

Thanks, I'll try my best...
Are they really that bad? Not that i'd intentionally feed to them, but if there are eggs in with the BBS should I not feed at all?
Thanks again

 

[siona]

I'd like to know that too! I've read that larvae can't digest the shells but how dangerous are they?

 

[twistedfisher]

All of my methods are not the best by a lot of peoples standards but they work for me.

There is always at least 10 different ways to get the same job done in the aquatic hobby.

 

[ax]

I tried shining a lamp at them but still get loads of unhached eggs. Will the axolotls eat the eggs, and if they do will they be bad for them?
THanks!

 

[bayhicoach]

You have the advantage here that the larvae are generally interested in eating live food so the eggs are less appealing to them. I've never had any issues with unhatched eggs or shells. My collection method is similar to the above but I keep a lamp with a 40 watt bulb right next to my hatchery (an inverted 1 liter soda bottle). This accomplishes two things - (1.) it keeps the water warm and (b.) it attracts the nauplii. About 24 hours after I have set up the hatchery the eggs have mostly hatched and the nauplii have gathered in the area of the brightest light. I try to keep the brightest light located at about the center of the bottle. This attracts the swimming nauplii away from the unhatched eggs and shells. I turn off the aerator and allow the eggs and shells to either float to the top or settle to the bottom. I then use a pipette (miniature turkey baster) or siphon to suck up just the brine shrimp. I rinse these in fresh water before feeding them to my larvae. Since I keep my larvae in individual 1 liter tubs I just squirt some near each larva. I do this twice a day. I try not to put too many nauplii in at a time since they don't live for very long in the fresh water.

 

[siona]

You have the advantage here that the larvae are generally interesting in eating live food so the eggs are less appealing to them. I've never had any issues with unhatched eggs or shells. My collection method is similar to the above but I keep a lamp with a 40 watt bulb right next to my hatchery (an inverted 1 liter soda bottle). This accomplishes two things - (1.) it keeps the water warm and (b.) it attracts the nauplii. About 24 hours after I have set up the hatchery the eggs have mostly hatched and the nauplii have gathered in the area of the brightest light. I try to keep the brightest light located at about the center of the bottle. This attracts the swimming nauplii away from the unhatched eggs and shells. I turn off the aerator and allow the eggs and shells to either float to the top or settle to the bottom. I then use a pipette (miniature turkey baster) or siphon to suck up just the brine shrimp. I rinse these in fresh water before feeding them to my larvae. Since I keep my larvae in individual 1 liter tubs I just squirt some near each larva. I do this twice a day. I try not to put too many nauplii in at a time since they don't live for very long in the fresh water.

Thanks for this advice - I'll definitely give it a go!

 

[Quetzalotl]

Thanks for this advice - I'll definitely give it a go!

You have the advantage here that the larvae are generally interested in eating live food so the eggs are less appealing to them. I've never had any issues with unhatched eggs or shells. My collection method is similar to the above but I keep a lamp with a 40 watt bulb right next to my hatchery (an inverted 1 liter soda bottle). This accomplishes two things - (1.) it keeps the water warm and (b.) it attracts the nauplii. About 24 hours after I have set up the hatchery the eggs have mostly hatched and the nauplii have gathered in the area of the brightest light. I try to keep the brightest light located at about the center of the bottle. This attracts the swimming nauplii away from the unhatched eggs and shells. I turn off the aerator and allow the eggs and shells to either float to the top or settle to the bottom. I then use a pipette (miniature turkey baster) or siphon to suck up just the brine shrimp. I rinse these in fresh water before feeding them to my larvae. Since I keep my larvae in individual 1 liter tubs I just squirt some near each larva. I do this twice a day. I try not to put too many nauplii in at a time since they don't live for very long in the fresh water.

I actually read that the shells are quite bad for the axolotls, can kill them by causing blockage/preventing real food