Feeding Live Brine Shrimp??

[lkleung007]

Hey All,

Just wondering if any of you feed live brine shrimp on a regular basis. How does live brine shrimp compare from a nutritional standpoint to other live foods like CBW's and red wigglers??

Any input would be greatly appreciated!! ;)

Regards, Lester

[BlueTurquoise]

Hi there Lester,

Apparently brine does not provide high nutritional value at all. Traditionally I feed brine for digestion purposes, as it is very easy to digest. I used to feed it just after beefheart feedings to curb the chance of bloat.

I would rate CBW and blood worms as extremely high on the protein scale, not too sure about the vitamin and mineral content though, I would say dry foods and beefheart mixes contain more vitamins.

I think brine is a good addition to a healthy complete diet, esp for juveniles that tend to scoff down everything in sight. They readily accept it as it is yummy and they were probably fed this at the hatchery as fry.

HTH! good luck

[lesley]

Hi guys,

why would brine shrimp not be as nutritious as any of the other foods, e.g. bloodworms?? I have always thought that shrimp would be a pretty good food??

Thanks, Lesley

[dred]

Lester and Leslie,

I do feed adult brine shrimp regularly. I pick up a supply every week and it lasts for 4 days or so in my little sea monkey tank.

But, they don't compare nutritionally with CBWs (no exerience with red wigglers). So, I also feed lots of other stuff inc'l live CBW.

I like the brine 'cause:
1) gave me an excuse for a cute little 2.5g tank and airstone so if I give a tank count I sound more serious <LOL>. If I stretch, I can even claim on salt water tank <laughing harder>
2) the fish really enjoy hunting them down
3) they are good for digestion (sorta like roughage is for us)
4) they are a "safe" treat
5) I can leave them swimming and trying to survive in the tanks when I leave the house for extended periods (I've spotted crafty survivors as much as 12 hours later) - can we say uneaten food that doesn't foul the tank and stays fresh till the fish are ready?

But there are negatives:
1) supply is a pain; I buy every thursday 'cause that's when my LFS get's their delivery, and I can only keep about a 5 day supply alive in my 2.5g
2) they are expensive; I've settled on $10 worth per week - I spend less on CBWs which are a much bigger component of my fishes diets'

milton

[BlueTurquoise]

Hey Milton,

have you tried to hatch them from eggs yourself? would be a cheaper alternative I am sure, however to attain the adult sixe requires some culture knowledge and feeding as well. Just wondering...

[Nightowl]

Hello all, brine shrimp has very little protein. Frozen brine like Hikari is encapsulated w/ vitamins, but is 92% moisture!! (How much would you pay for water?). The only brine my discus get is what is in the Ocean Nut. flakes I feed them. I recently tried SF Bay cichlid chow(discus delight) & there was a lot of uneaten food, presumably the shrimp, so it is not high on my list of favorite foods.
To raise bbs to maturity, you need a higher specific gravity, say 1.028. They are fed a brewers yeast & water solution....just enough to haze up the water a bit. If you overdose it, the whole batch goes BUSLAB( belly up smelling like a brewery). Hey, a new abbrev. ! If the payoff was good, it would be worth the fuss. I would rather do the beefheart mix... jmo....... later, J.T. :vanish:

[Miles]

Lester,
I feed Adult Brine Shrimp on a regular basis. I buy it in a 10 qt. bag and it will last 7 days aslong as water is changed. It usually only lasts 5-6 days cause I have fed it all up by then. from what I have seen it will enhance the color of the fish very nice. Of course it is fed in conjunction with BlackWorms, ONF 1 & 2, and Blood worms and also my shrimp mix.

HTH
Miles 8)

[Smokey]

Yup, you are correct. After about 8 hours of life, bbs develop a hard shell and loose their optiumin food value.

Easier to freeze them when they are young and add as a treat. ... or to the next batch of foood I make up.

Smokey