Fact or fiction: Brine shrimp hatch rates?

[brewmaster15]

Hi all,
I've always wondered about real hatch rates verses advertised hatch rates in Brine shrimp cysts. Any of you that have bought Brine Shrimp eggs (really called cysts) has come across this... Hatch rates promoted as anywhere from low grade to high grade, 65% to 95 % and prices are of course increased as you go up in grade. But I wonder just how accurate that all is.... I mean when you think about it... How does one even go about checking if they got a 65 % hatch rate vs 75%, 85% or 90-95% when you are dealing with over 100,000 cysts hatching...

If you haven't bought cysts by the lb yet, get ready for sticker shock, I've seen the prices of these pretty much double over the last 10 years or so. And I don't think they are coming down ever again...too much demand....too little resources.

So what do feel you about These "hatch rates"? fact or fantasy?

Also, what do you buy when you buy Brine shrimp eggs, what grade and what brand/seller do you prefer?

Have you ever really noted a hatch rate difference when trying different % hatch outs? Has anyone ever come across written reports on the hatch rates? I've looked...alls I can find is quotes like "based on this years hatch rates" but I've no idea even how they go about sorting cysts and grading them..I mean these things are tiny.. Only way I can see it feasible is by location...different locations, salinity and temperatures and weather conditions must produce different grade cysts....still how do you really know you are getting these?

comments welcome.

-al

[nc0gnet0]

I guess you would have to do a wet mount and count a specified number of fields and extrapolate from their......but seeing how the eggs float and the hatched shrimp don't, even that would be less than ideal. I use strickly decaps and it becomes a non-issue as even the unhatched cysts are edible.

[runner]

Hi Al
I buy "Angels plus" premium grade,90% advertised. While true hatch percentage is probably impossible to measure I can tell you that there hatch rate is impressive.
Jay Walsh

[Rod]

Al,

I believe they sort them in a centrifuge, heavier eggs are higher hatch rate. But this is word of mouth information....i'll see if i can find more....

[jimg]

I never measured the actual rate but I can tell you I buy 90% hatch rate from jehmco and I get a very high hatch rate. I bought 95% hatch rate from another supplier and if 30% hatched,that was a good batch!

[Discusgeo2]

I only buy and sell 85% GSL because I could not tell the difference in hatch rates

[William Palumbo]

I use the GLS 90% hatchrate from Kenfish. Could I tell the difference from the 85%...probably not...don't think many of us could. I'll be saving a few bucks next time by ordering the next lower hatch rate...Bill

[Keith Perkins]

I buy premium grade brine shrimp eggs from Brine Shrimp Direct. To me fry are enough work, I don't want to worry about hatching bbs too. I only have a few pair, so I'm not buying that much of the stuff and the extra expense in my case is minimal.

I totally agree Al, I don't know how you ever tell what percentage of hatch you actually get. I've cut and pasted a blurb from BSD below about there product, how you'd ever collect on the guarantee I have no idea. On the other hand, when I've called them with questions they were very helpful.

"We guarantee a minimum hatch-out of 255,000 nauplii (baby brine shrimp) per gram of cysts following a 24 hour incubation period. Based on the most recent harvest, this equates to an average hatch-out of over 90%. Feel confident purchasing brine shrimp eggs from Brine Shrimp Direct. We will return your money if you do not achieve the specified hatching results. Eggs are thoroughly disinfected in a hypochlorite solution during processing. Inventory is periodically tested, stored in a temperature-controlled (40 degrees F) warehouse, and packaged on demand."

[Eddie]

I use the GLS 90% hatchrate from Kenfish. Could I tell the difference from the 85%...probably not...don't think many of us could. I'll be saving a few bucks next time by ordering the next lower hatch rate...Bill

I use the same, never really noted any difference but I've never tested them.

[John_Nicholson]

I use the economy stuff from brine shrimp direct ( remember to ask for your discount if you belong to NADA )... and I get very good hatch rates. I have had a few people that I know that bought the high dollar stuff and they did not get any better hatch than I did. They just spent more money.

-john

[LizStreithorst]

I always used the expensive stuff until I talkedto you about it, John. After I started buying the economy grade I couldn't tell any differece.

[William Palumbo]

I think the ONLY difference that I could see with my naked(bad)eyes, is the coloration. Some after hatching are orange, and some are REALLY orange. But I do notice that...Bill