Baby Brine Shrimp observation...

Hello all,
Recently had to restock my brine shrimp egg supply. I opted to use Brine Shrimp Direct. I have bought there before always been happy. This order I was also. As many of you know brine shrimp eggs are graded and sold as hatch rates ....,ex 65 % hatch out vs 90 % hatch and priced accordingly.There are other hatch rates between. I bought both the economy 65% and the premium priced 90% to try back to back. In the past I usually got the 90%.

The 90% hatchrate ones this time were awesome. Just as expected. They are more money but worth it if you want alot of baby brine hatched out per batch. The 65 % hatch rate was ok...It wasnt stellar but it was where I would expect it. Certainly fine enough for the batch or two of fry I am feeding at a time.Id say they are worth the price. They do seem to take a bit longer to hatch though and require a bit more work separating the live bbs from the shells and non hatching ones.

As for my observation. Im seeing not just the hatch rate difference in the bbs but the 65%hatch outs are weaker.They die off much faster compared to their 90% "cousins" I havent tested this scientifically ...its purely observation but it makes me wonder if that might indicate they have smaller yolk sacs which may account of the hat ch rate differences inthe first place.. And if thats so could they be nutritionally inferior as well in some regards.

Has anyone else noticed this?

Al

I have a 65% can that was producing complete garbage (20-30%? Less than 50% no doubt) under normal conditions. I started getting decent results hatching in my garage. Way hotter than recommended, but they hatch and live decently long.

Nicholson always feeds and recommends the cheap stuff. I have switched to the good stuff. The only reason is that I like feeding my fish the best.

I know that you are just one person but you are a better observer than I am. I will continue buying the good stuff. I buy a couple of cans at a time and keep them in the freezer.

What is your choice of food to feed fry once they get to really looking like Discus? My favorite is live Black Worms. They stay alive a long time in the tank and the little Discus pick at them until they are all eaten.

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Originally Posted by LizStreithorst

What is your choice of food to feed fry once they get to really looking like Discus? My favorite is live Black Worms. They stay alive a long time in the tank and the little Discus pick at them until they are all eaten.

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Liz I used to do that a long time ago. Its a good feeding option. I feed mine my freeze dried blackworms ground up. Finer grind for smaller fry.. as the fish grow so do the sizes of the grind. I also add in my Diskus Gold to the grinded worms from time to time. This gets them used to both.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Adam S

I have a 65% can that was producing complete garbage (20-30%? Less than 50% no doubt) under normal conditions. I started getting decent results hatching in my garage. Way hotter than recommended, but they hatch and live decently long.

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Thanks Adam. Thats interesting on the temp.
al

My Discus kids are old enough for freeze dried fines but they won't take them. Of course, there are 25 or 30 of them and they still have mom and dad who feed them well. I think that the time for the live has come, but that's just me. FedEx overnight costs a dang arm and a leg.

My large Angelfish spawn think that the freeze dried fines are the best thing on earth, their parents don't feed them.

Liz, how are you feeding the fines. I soak mine in water until they sink then suck them up into a syringe with a bit of airline tube on the end. The syringe with the tubing allows me to place the fines just above the fry which drift down to mingle with the fry.
Pat

I grab a small amount in my fingers, put my fingers in the tank above where the fry are and rub my fingers together to make them tiny. That should be good enough for them.

Pat, you know that I do things my own way. If I think that I need live ones I will buy them. Others can make their own choice.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LizStreithorst

I grab a small amount in my fingers, put my fingers in the tank above where the fry are and rub my fingers together to make them tiny. That should be good enough for them.

Pat, you know that I do things my own way. If I think that I need live ones I will buy them. Others can make their own choice.

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It was only a suggestion Liz, now I was feeding fry in a 230 gallon tank so I needed a targeted method of feeding without spooking the parents.
Pat

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LizStreithorst

...What is your choice of food to feed fry once they get to really looking like Discus? My favorite is live Black Worms. They stay alive a long time in the tank and the little Discus pick at them until they are all eaten.

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I've been able to wean baby discus to minced beefheart as early as 11 days free swimming. Young discus do not really grow on bbs, so I switch them as soon as possible. The growth rate on beefheart is astounding. And when you pull the parents, the fry is usually too busy eating to notice.

Willie

I hadn't thought of that, Willie. I haven't bothered making beef heart in over 10 years, but I remember when I grew a big spawn of Blue Diamonds to 4" on 99% fat free ground turkey alone! I'm going to try it again.

Live black worms won't be available until Oct. The hot summer took a toll on the growing ponds.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Willie

I've been able to wean baby discus to minced beefheart as early as 11 days free swimming. Young discus do not really grow on bbs, so I switch them as soon as possible. The growth rate on beefheart is astounding. And when you pull the parents, the fry is usually too busy eating to notice.

Willie

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Agree Willie thats what I do with the freeze dried Blackworms ground up.

al