Baby Brine Shrimp

Chlorinated

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 24, 2019
Messages
551
Reaction score
493
Location
Acton, MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hi all,

I have a small 20 gallon reef with 2 clowns and a mess of softies and LPS. I feed the clowns pellets and occasionally frozen LRS Reef Frenzy.

I have been debating adding BBS to the mix. Part just for fun becuase I feel like its easy and would be a fun thing to share with my 4 year old son who has taken an interest in the tank.

My question is if the BBS are too small to be worth while to my 2 clowns. I imagine the fleshy LPS will probably eat some, but I don't know if the clowns will just ignore them, or enjoy a fresh meal.

Anyone doing this for med sized clowns and corals? I would plan to hatch maybe 2-3 times a week while still feeding pellets.

All thoughts appreciated!
20210714_081946.jpg
 

Mr. Mojo Rising

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 14, 2021
Messages
5,609
Reaction score
6,247
Location
Toronto
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
they love bbs, and I enjoy watching my fish, clowns included, dart out to chomp a bbs, its pretty neat. But they are not a primary source of food, I have read in articles that bbs is kind of like feeding popcorn, it taste great, but not very nutritious and not filling.
 
OP
OP
Chlorinated

Chlorinated

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 24, 2019
Messages
551
Reaction score
493
Location
Acton, MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
they love bbs, and I enjoy watching my fish, clowns included, dart out to chomp a bbs, its pretty neat. But they are not a primary source of food, I have read in articles that bbs is kind of like feeding popcorn, it taste great, but not very nutritious and not filling.
I wasn't intending as a primary food. Just a supplement and figured the corals woukd enjoy the snack as well since they rarely get more than fish poo
 

Mikedawg

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 27, 2016
Messages
2,893
Reaction score
4,195
Location
Atlanta
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
they love bbs, and I enjoy watching my fish, clowns included, dart out to chomp a bbs, its pretty neat. But they are not a primary source of food, I have read in articles that bbs is kind of like feeding popcorn, it taste great, but not very nutritious and not filling.
Yeah, you need to enrich them with spirolina, etc. to increase their food value
 

GrapevineReefs

Chalices & Carnations
View Badges
Joined
Jul 4, 2020
Messages
241
Reaction score
239
Location
Cameron Park
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
i feed baby brine shrimp daily to my fresh and saltwater rooms. the various clown pairs i have in my tanks all love bbs throughout their lives but as the previous poster said to get much out of the effort you need to enrich the bbs once they develop mouths. I have heard others say that they baby brine is nutritious on its own in the first few hours after hatching while they still have their egg sacks attached but i’m not sure. without gut loading the baby brine it’s sort of like feeding potato chips to your tank, they taste great but not much long term health benefits on their own. from what i have gathered over the years
 
OP
OP
Chlorinated

Chlorinated

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 24, 2019
Messages
551
Reaction score
493
Location
Acton, MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
i feed baby brine shrimp daily to my fresh and saltwater rooms. the various clown pairs i have in my tanks all love bbs throughout their lives but as the previous poster said to get much out of the effort you need to enrich the bbs once they develop mouths. I have heard others say that they baby brine is nutritious on its own in the first few hours after hatching while they still have their egg sacks attached but i’m not sure. without gut loading the baby brine it’s sort of like feeding potato chips to your tank, they taste great but not much long term health benefits on their own. from what i have gathered over the years
Thanks for that info.

How do you go about gut loading? Most videos and such say transfer to a small bowl, add some spiulina powder, let sit a while and feed....not very informative lol.

I am debating buying the one from BRS as it seems very simple. Could I just wait 24hrs...let them hatch...ad a small scoop of powder to the hatchery and then feed?

Just curious on the process and how much of everything.

Also, if anyone knows of someone 3D printing a smaller version..ie less than 8" please let me know!
 

GrapevineReefs

Chalices & Carnations
View Badges
Joined
Jul 4, 2020
Messages
241
Reaction score
239
Location
Cameron Park
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thanks for that info.

How do you go about gut loading? Most videos and such say transfer to a small bowl, add some spiulina powder, let sit a while and feed....not very informative lol.

I am debating buying the one from BRS as it seems very simple. Could I just wait 24hrs...let them hatch...ad a small scoop of powder to the hatchery and then feed?

Just curious on the process and how much of everything.

Also, if anyone knows of someone 3D printing a smaller version..ie less than 8" please let me know!
they develop theory mouths and the desire to eat inbetween 48-72 hours i find that the temperature of the water can affect hatch times. i keep the hatching station at my freshwater fish room temp which is pretty warm in the summer in the sacramento valley area.

yes you can just siphon out the hatched bbs into a clean container wait the 48-72 hours (this is 48-72 hours after you add the cysts to the water) and add phytoplankton or spirulina powder. the trickiest part for me was finding the proper airaition for the feeding container they need water flow but not a ton.

the amounts depend on the amount of bbs your going to be hatching i have a very large demand for bbs i buy boxes of premium bbs eggs from brine shrimp direct it’s the only way to not break the bank buying tiny little vials from the lfs
 
OP
OP
Chlorinated

Chlorinated

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 24, 2019
Messages
551
Reaction score
493
Location
Acton, MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
they develop theory mouths and the desire to eat inbetween 48-72 hours i find that the temperature of the water can affect hatch times. i keep the hatching station at my freshwater fish room temp which is pretty warm in the summer in the sacramento valley area.

yes you can just siphon out the hatched bbs into a clean container wait the 48-72 hours (this is 48-72 hours after you add the cysts to the water) and add phytoplankton or spirulina powder. the trickiest part for me was finding the proper airaition for the feeding container they need water flow but not a ton.

the amounts depend on the amount of bbs your going to be hatching i have a very large demand for bbs i buy boxes of premium bbs eggs from brine shrimp direct it’s the only way to not break the bank buying tiny little vials from the lfs
So no way I can just add the powder to the hatching vessel unfortunately.

I would be doing a small amount, nothing like your volume as you describe. Probably just the 1 scoop of eggs. If thats the case, how much powder would you recommend? Is aeration absolutely needed?

I was hoping to avoid the whole transfer with second setup to gut load. Maybe I'll just avoid the gut loading as it'll only he for fun and supplementing my usual feed.
 

fryman

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 28, 2020
Messages
421
Reaction score
415
Location
Belmont
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
they love bbs, and I enjoy watching my fish, clowns included, dart out to chomp a bbs, its pretty neat. But they are not a primary source of food, I have read in articles that bbs is kind of like feeding popcorn, it taste great, but not very nutritious and not filling.
In my understanding bbs are very nutritious immediately after hatched but rapidly lose nutritional value as their yolk sacs are used up. Adult brine shrimp are also not very nutritious, at least when raised on yeast/bacteria (like they used to back in the early days of reefing).

I agree bbs are probably not a primary food source but for supplementing I think they're great. And clowns definitely will go after them, they love 'em.
 

D E N I N O

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
81
Reaction score
215
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thanks for the info and the compliment!

Any idea of all hatcheries? The one BRS sells is 8" and a bit big for my small 20g setup
I use a disc, I think it's easier and less messy than bottlers or larger hatchers.
 

ubasu

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 21, 2013
Messages
214
Reaction score
203
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have both. I prefer the bottle vs the disc. I think the hatch rates are better in the bottle.

I also just drip the shrimp from the bottle into the tank.

I keep the bottle higher than the tank on a shelf. Then I drip some shrimp in for five minutes and then hook the air pump back up. I do this a few times a day. I do not let it drain all the way though. Most of the crap is floating on the top.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 64 36.8%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 33.9%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 14.4%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 26 14.9%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
Back
Top