Every breeder should try this.

You learn something new everyday in discus. After many years knowing about decapsulated BBS is available and knew very well how to do it. I've never had a chance to do it until a shipment of BBS eggs was spoiled under intense heat wave during shipping. Hatch rate was only 30-40%. Since I have 11 pounds of spoiled eggs left. I have no choice but try to decapsulate a couple weeks ago. The process is a lot easier than I had anticipated and the result was great. Fry can just eat directly without hatching if live BBS had been introduced eariler. The beauty of this decapsulated eggs is that they don't foul water and no shell floating on top of water. Fry can eat until they drop with a full belly 24 a day. Since I'm using a central continuous flow system. Live BBS will be carried by the overflow to the sump. Unhatched decapsulated eggs just sink and drop to the bottom of the tank. There is no need to turn off water flow like I had been doing it for a long time. Less work and the fry are eating better. It's better late than never. With this simple process of decapsulating eggs. I may increase production of number of fry instead of flushing them to the toilet or turn them into fertilizer for my rose bed after a few had been selected to keep from each brood. Just because hatching more than 5 bottles of BBS is really a big chore. Do a serach in the library and find out the easy way to decap. You will never waste your time on this matter. JMHO
Now I only need to hatch 1 bottle to introduce BBS to the fry and then continue with decap. eggs. The decap. eggs are a lot cleaner to hatch with no shell floating on top. Nothing but BBS only in the bottle.
Here is the link to decap. eggs from the library.
http://www.simplydiscus.com/library/...eshrimps.shtml
The amount of eggs can be reduced to a couple of teaspoons. The volume of the end product is at least triple after it has been re-hydrated. Use a container which is twice as much as the total voulme of fluid. It will foam and overflow during the decapsulated process if the container is too small. Heat will be produced and turbulated water stirring up the eggs can be seen. Use a clear glass container in order to see a volcanic reaction. It's fun to watch.
Jimmy.

[CARY_GLdiscus]

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

I have been using decaped BBS for a while now. It really works well. I have even used it on 3 day old fry without introducing live BBS, just straight decaped stuff. Plus, you can still hatch the decaped cysts if need be. decaping the cysts will actually raise the hatch rate by almost 10%.


-Ryan

[daninthesand]

Realllllllly cool! I just tried this for the first time.

Couple of questions.

How do you know the decapsulation process is over? When the cysts turn pink? When the foaming stops? ?

I found the decapsulation only takes about 4 to 6 minutes. Is this correct?

I noticed after rinsing the decaped cysts, they are bright pink like newly hatched bbs. But when placing them in brine solution for storage they turn brownish. Is this normal?

Lastly, where do the caps go? (Ie the "shells&quot do they simly dissolve and get rinsed away?

If this is as easy as it seems, its a wonder ANYBODY bothers with hatching. Whats the point!

Thanks JIMMY

Daniel

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

The decapsulting process is done when the water looks a rusty orange color. Also, use only the cysts that have sunk to the bottom of the container after aeration is turned off. Those are the ones with no shell. the ones that are floatinf still have ths shell on them and must be discarded. Yes, it doesnt take very long to decap the cysts. it can take longer or shorter, it all depends upon how much bleach you use. I have had the cysts turn a real dark rusty orange after I put them into the brine solution. I guess this is just the color the BBS/membrane when unhatched. The shells are oxydized by the bleach.


-Ryan

It took between 3-5 min. I found adding a little bit of Vinegar will take the bleachy smell away during rinsing. Just a tablespoon added in a litre of water will do. Now I only feed them once a day with half a spoonful and let them eat until they drop 24hrs a day. Most of them don't even bother to swim with a full belly. Just turn all of them into couch potatoes. Obese and no exercise. Probably will have early heart attack and die. Oh well. It's fun to try something new.
Jimmy.

[Mike_T]

do you still feed primarily live bbs? or can you feed strictly decaps. brine. this is something i've never tried...

-mike

[CARY_GLdiscus]

All Ways work about the same IME

And that goes for the work to LOL!

I like to hatch a crap load Out and freeze and Feed

[jaydoc]

How many ounces does it take to make one crapload? ;D Is that an english measurement or metric?
Cary the Lesser

[peter_griffin]

Has anybody ever bought the decaps(non-hatchable) from brine shrimp direct. They say that these have a higher nutritional value than regular brine shrimp. I was wondering if it would be o.k. to feed live BBS for the first week or so and then switch them to the decaps until they are ready for worms/beef. Seems like it would be cheaper and a lot less work. ;D

-Tom

[Larry Grenier]

I only have one breeding pair right now. Real good parents. I use the BrineShrimpDirect's decapsulated eggs. I put a pinch in a shot-glass of water and let re-hydrate a few minutes. I then pour that over the fry and parents. You can see the fry dart-around from the parents sides as the eggs slowly sink. You can run into a problem if too many fall to the bottom and foul the tank. I have to vacuum often. I'm on my 4th batch of fry and never hatched a single brine.

[peter_griffin]

Larry,

Thanks for the reply.

How often do you feed and vacuum?
Do you feed the fry anything else(besides what parents provide)?

-Tom 8)

[jared]

I tried decapsulated BS eggs purchased from Ken's fish. They worked great for angelfish fry but my discus didn't recieve them as well. Although I didn't take the time to rehydrate them before adding and I had already introduced live brine. Once they got on the live stuff, it was difficult to supplement with golden pearls or decapsulated.JMO
Jared