I have 13 baby axolotl and have been feeding them Baby brine shrimp and micro worms, the problem is I have set up 2 hatcheries for the BBS and sometimes I get hundreds of the little things and sometimes I spend an hour using the eye dropper hunting through for hatched ones even if I leave it for 36-48 hrs, no luck, I'm sure I've got the set up right as I have had success but I would like to be using them as my main source of food but my success rate is getting worse now (I know they're more nutritious), average top temperatures at the moment in NZ is about 20 degrees C but they should still hatch shouldn't they? I had to buy them from the fish pet store so is that the problem? If anyone can give me tips for better results they would be welcome as I would really like to have them grow.Cheers
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Axolotls are illegal in California. Please read this thread for detailed information and links to the actual laws: https://www.caudata.org/threads/axolotls-are-illegal-in-california-here-are-the-relevant-laws.30779/
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Why are BBS not hatching??
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michael
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Many times artemia cysts purchased from pet stores have a bad hatch rate. I like to get my brine shrimp eggs from brineshrimpdirect I'm not sure if they ship to NZ or not.
Daniel
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Hey,
it's hard to tell when you have success now and then and at other times are unsuccessful...
There are some parameters influencing the hatching of BBS: temperature, type and concentration of salt, quality and handling of BBS. What setup do you use for the BBS?
The temperature could be higher, I had the best results with 23-27 degrees but that's depending on the origin of the BBS. The water should be free of chlorine and the salt used without iodine. How much salt do you use?
The quality of the BBS itself depends on their source (what kind and where are they from?), how old they are and how they were handled in the time since they were "harvested".
Until they are used, artemia cysts should best be stored dry, cool (freezer!), airtight and dark.
it's hard to tell when you have success now and then and at other times are unsuccessful...
There are some parameters influencing the hatching of BBS: temperature, type and concentration of salt, quality and handling of BBS. What setup do you use for the BBS?
The temperature could be higher, I had the best results with 23-27 degrees but that's depending on the origin of the BBS. The water should be free of chlorine and the salt used without iodine. How much salt do you use?
The quality of the BBS itself depends on their source (what kind and where are they from?), how old they are and how they were handled in the time since they were "harvested".
Until they are used, artemia cysts should best be stored dry, cool (freezer!), airtight and dark.
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They will hatch fine at 20C, just a little slower. I've hatched them in my basement, much colder, which takes ~3 days, but they the hatch rate seemed OK.
I agree that the age (or storage conditions) of the BS eggs could be the problem, particularly if your hatches are decreasing over time.
How do you treat the water prior to use?
I agree that the age (or storage conditions) of the BS eggs could be the problem, particularly if your hatches are decreasing over time.
How do you treat the water prior to use?
BBS eggs not hatching
Hi again, thanks everyone! I made my hatcheries out of soda bottles, upside down with bottom cut out attached air valve then to the air pump, I use just filtered water then add the eggs and wait about one hour then add a couple spoons of rock salt (not really measured?? does that factor in?) I have tried using a light on and not but I've only been doing this a couple of weeks so you'd think if there was something wrong with the eggs they would all be bad(all from same bottle) I needed something straight away so just store bought, if there is something I'm doing wrong please let me know, I thought these little things would be easy to hatch but I seem to spend half my day checking on them and waiting!!
Hi again, thanks everyone! I made my hatcheries out of soda bottles, upside down with bottom cut out attached air valve then to the air pump, I use just filtered water then add the eggs and wait about one hour then add a couple spoons of rock salt (not really measured?? does that factor in?) I have tried using a light on and not but I've only been doing this a couple of weeks so you'd think if there was something wrong with the eggs they would all be bad(all from same bottle) I needed something straight away so just store bought, if there is something I'm doing wrong please let me know, I thought these little things would be easy to hatch but I seem to spend half my day checking on them and waiting!!
The amount of salt does matter. It's not critical down to the microgram, but you should measure the water and salt semi-accurately. At least you would be better able to reproduce the conditions when it works. You might also want to test the pH of the hatching water, and add a pinch of baking soda if it is less than 7.5.
Murray
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I used the soda bottles as well, to this put in 1 litre of dechlorinated water, 1 teaspoon of eggs and 2 tablespoons of salt. I definately used a light so the temperature overnight is warmer, turn the light off during the day or move it back a bitso it doesnt get too hot, that will cook them as they hatch. I too had some trouble with hatching but this was with a packet of premixed eggs which I suspect was kept in a sunny spot in the store or were very old. New eggs solved that problem.
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I am not sure if this matters much but I always resolve the salt in the water prior to adding the artemia cysts (in fact these little things are not "eggs" in proper sense).
I mad some bad experience with some artemia from the pet store, too, they had a very bad hatching rate. Since I use another brand everything is okay.
I mad some bad experience with some artemia from the pet store, too, they had a very bad hatching rate. Since I use another brand everything is okay.
Trichopteran7
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Hatching protocol from my lab
Hey macd,
Below is a "hatching" protocol I followed for my fish lab. I've probably "hatched" out 100 or more batches and each batch always had a successfully high yield. Of course you'll have to find some way to get a hold of some NaOH. If not, you may still be able to do the step with the bleach alone but I'm not sure. This step helps remove the cyst, which can prevent many brine shrimp from "hatching." Low yields can also be the result of decreased flow. It is always a bad idea to set up the hatcher in such a way that the eggs lay on the bottom of the hatcher. Ideally you want a high air flow which creates a current that constantly pulls the eggs up from the bottom of the hatcher...like an upside down 2 liter coca-cola plastic bottle. All of the items were purchased from Aquatic Habitats, except the NaoH (Fisher Scientific), which may be hard for an individual to purchase. This protocol will be hard to follow if you don't have some type of net/mesh/sieve that will allow you to rinse the cysts. A brine shrimp net will not work. A lot of cysts will be lost. I also agree with others that some cysts are higher quality than others which means they haven't been sitting around as long. Try to find some cysts online if the protocol here doesn't work. Sorry to ramble on so much. Cheers!
1) When handling the hatcher be very careful to NEVER put any unnecessary pressure on the stop valve protruding from the bottom of the hatcher.
2) Rinse the hatcher out thoroughly with the stop valve open, sponging off the sides to remove slime from previous hatching. NEVER use soap of any kind to clean the hatcher. If the hatcher is not thoroughly cleaned, hatching rates will decline.
3) Fill the hatcher with water from system 1, 2, or 3 approximately four inches from the top. Then place the hatcher inside the holder and aerate.
4) Place 6 teaspoons of sea salt (approximately 35 grams) in a 600ml beaker and fill with water from system 1, 2, or 3. Take solution with a stir bar inside and place on the stirrer. Turn the right knob to somewhere between 8 and 9 and let the solution mix. Make sure NOT to turn the left knob.
5) While the salt water is mixing, put 100ml of R.O. water in a 250 ml beaker. Then add 50 ml of bleach and 1.5 grams of NaOH.
6) Once the salt has COMPLETELY dissolved in the water, pour the salt water into the hatcher and continue to aerate the hatcher. Remove the stir bar from the 600 ml beaker and put it in the 250 ml beaker. Place the 250 ml beaker on the stirrer to mix the water, bleach and NaOH.
7) When the NaOH is completely dissolved and you are certain you’ve added the correct amount of ingredients, measure out and add 7 grams of eggs to the solution. Stir this mixture for 10 minutes on the stirrer (setting the right knob between 8 and 9) but don’t just sit around and wait for ten minutes . . . immediately begin the next step so you are ready to drain and rinse the eggs after ten minutes.
8) While waiting, fill a plastic 1000 ml nalgene flask with water from system 1, 2, or 3 and locate the rotifer sieve labeled “bleach.” After ten minutes, pour the 250 ml beaker into the rotifer sieve labeled “bleach.” Be careful during this step NOT to splash this solution which contains bleach. It will damage your clothes and could damage your vision if you aren’t careful. Use the water in the flask to help rinse out the remainder of the eggs in the 250 ml beaker and then pour the rest of the water slowly over the eggs in the sieve while swirling the mixture the whole time.
9) Once the water is completely used up, take the sieve and dip it sideways into the hatcher, allowing water to come into it. Then pour the water back into the hatcher. Continue doing this until the majority of the eggs are no longer in the rotifer sieve and are floating in the hatcher.
10) Be certain that the pump is aerating the hatcher correctly and make any necessary adjustments to the hard tube in the hatcher so that it is near, but not in the center of the hatcher. It is very important that the eggs do not come to a rest on the bottom of the hatcher. Check the hatcher 10 or 20 minutes later to be certain that the eggs are circulating around the hatcher and not just resting on the bottom. If the eggs come to rest on the bottom of the hatcher, hatching rates will decline drastically.
Hey macd,
Below is a "hatching" protocol I followed for my fish lab. I've probably "hatched" out 100 or more batches and each batch always had a successfully high yield. Of course you'll have to find some way to get a hold of some NaOH. If not, you may still be able to do the step with the bleach alone but I'm not sure. This step helps remove the cyst, which can prevent many brine shrimp from "hatching." Low yields can also be the result of decreased flow. It is always a bad idea to set up the hatcher in such a way that the eggs lay on the bottom of the hatcher. Ideally you want a high air flow which creates a current that constantly pulls the eggs up from the bottom of the hatcher...like an upside down 2 liter coca-cola plastic bottle. All of the items were purchased from Aquatic Habitats, except the NaoH (Fisher Scientific), which may be hard for an individual to purchase. This protocol will be hard to follow if you don't have some type of net/mesh/sieve that will allow you to rinse the cysts. A brine shrimp net will not work. A lot of cysts will be lost. I also agree with others that some cysts are higher quality than others which means they haven't been sitting around as long. Try to find some cysts online if the protocol here doesn't work. Sorry to ramble on so much. Cheers!
1) When handling the hatcher be very careful to NEVER put any unnecessary pressure on the stop valve protruding from the bottom of the hatcher.
2) Rinse the hatcher out thoroughly with the stop valve open, sponging off the sides to remove slime from previous hatching. NEVER use soap of any kind to clean the hatcher. If the hatcher is not thoroughly cleaned, hatching rates will decline.
3) Fill the hatcher with water from system 1, 2, or 3 approximately four inches from the top. Then place the hatcher inside the holder and aerate.
4) Place 6 teaspoons of sea salt (approximately 35 grams) in a 600ml beaker and fill with water from system 1, 2, or 3. Take solution with a stir bar inside and place on the stirrer. Turn the right knob to somewhere between 8 and 9 and let the solution mix. Make sure NOT to turn the left knob.
5) While the salt water is mixing, put 100ml of R.O. water in a 250 ml beaker. Then add 50 ml of bleach and 1.5 grams of NaOH.
6) Once the salt has COMPLETELY dissolved in the water, pour the salt water into the hatcher and continue to aerate the hatcher. Remove the stir bar from the 600 ml beaker and put it in the 250 ml beaker. Place the 250 ml beaker on the stirrer to mix the water, bleach and NaOH.
7) When the NaOH is completely dissolved and you are certain you’ve added the correct amount of ingredients, measure out and add 7 grams of eggs to the solution. Stir this mixture for 10 minutes on the stirrer (setting the right knob between 8 and 9) but don’t just sit around and wait for ten minutes . . . immediately begin the next step so you are ready to drain and rinse the eggs after ten minutes.
8) While waiting, fill a plastic 1000 ml nalgene flask with water from system 1, 2, or 3 and locate the rotifer sieve labeled “bleach.” After ten minutes, pour the 250 ml beaker into the rotifer sieve labeled “bleach.” Be careful during this step NOT to splash this solution which contains bleach. It will damage your clothes and could damage your vision if you aren’t careful. Use the water in the flask to help rinse out the remainder of the eggs in the 250 ml beaker and then pour the rest of the water slowly over the eggs in the sieve while swirling the mixture the whole time.
9) Once the water is completely used up, take the sieve and dip it sideways into the hatcher, allowing water to come into it. Then pour the water back into the hatcher. Continue doing this until the majority of the eggs are no longer in the rotifer sieve and are floating in the hatcher.
10) Be certain that the pump is aerating the hatcher correctly and make any necessary adjustments to the hard tube in the hatcher so that it is near, but not in the center of the hatcher. It is very important that the eggs do not come to a rest on the bottom of the hatcher. Check the hatcher 10 or 20 minutes later to be certain that the eggs are circulating around the hatcher and not just resting on the bottom. If the eggs come to rest on the bottom of the hatcher, hatching rates will decline drastically.