[Fabian]

How can i harvest brine shrimp without the shell.

 

[BettaDude]

ok , in the plastic bottle -the "hatchery"
there are 4 "levels"
they go like that:
1.the shells
2.water
3.the brine shrimp
4.unhatched shells (the cap area)

just insert the straw/syringe an 1-1.5 inches above the cap
this is where the brine shrimp is.

you cant get 100% brine shrimp without shells..
that will take you hours :\

 

[Oldfishlady]

The way I harvest mine...first I turn off the or remove the airline hose and let it settle-you can shine a flashlight on an area so that the shrimp will all collect in that area too

Once the water has settled and shrimp gathered in one area-I use my homemade siphon to siphon the BBS though a brine shrimp net that I have sitting over a bucket to catch the water

Once I have the BBS-I pour the water back into my container-then I rinse the BBS in the brine shrimp net really good under running water.

While still in the brine shrimp net I place them in a clean cup of dechlorinated water close to the temp of the fry tank and use an eye dropper to target feed the fry-usually any shells will float so I harvest from the bottom of the net.

The older the BBS the more shells you will have since they go through several molts-I only feed newly hatched BBS to fry under 2-3 weeks for nutrition reason (HUFA) as well as shell reasons-once the BBS absorb their yolk sac they have very little nutrition (HUFA) and will have more shells since they went through a molt.

 

[Fabian]

Thanks.

 

[MrVampire181]

I just let mine settle. I use a soda bottle upside down so the shrimp go down to the bottom (where the cap is) and the shells float. I then take a turkey baster and suck them out of the bottom and squirt them in a cup and feed with a medicine dropper.

 

[Fabian]

I thought unhatched brine shrimp eggs will sink.Will the betta fry eat those too?

 

[BettaDude]

I thought unhatched brine shrimp eggs will sink.Will the betta fry eat those too?

the unhatched eggs will (!) sink to the cap area of the soda bottle.
the shells float..

so if you wanna take the bring shrimps themselvs , measure 1-2 inches from the cap, and collect them with a syringe or something..


i dont think that the fry will eat the shells/unhached eggs..

 

[MrVampire181]

Some fry will eat the shell but TBH I never have issues with SBD because of it. I tried to be careful and only feed the shrimp and then it was just too much work so I just started feeding with a medicine dropper.

 

[Oldfishlady]

That is what I have found too....some eat a few shells-but most don't, however, the ones that do eat a lot of the shells or unhatched eggs...IME have had buoyancy issues-but it was short term-it seems to take them longer to pass them-I haven't had any deaths that I am aware of-but I also have a lot of fry in very heavy planted tanks with dirt, shrimp and snails that may take care of dead bodies before I know about it.

IMO-its best to limit shells and unhatched eggs the best you can-but a few shouldn't cause too many issue-sometimes it better safe than sorry.....IMO/E it is also important to rinse BBS well before feeding-to limit salt and bacteria in the fry tank and/or make your water changes within a reasonable time after feeding.

 

[jeffegg2]

1. Turn off the air.
2. cover or put in dark. (the shrimp will want to follow the light if it is there, but in the dark will settle near the bottom.
3. suck them up about an inch from the bottom.

4. rinse in shrimp net.