collecting bbs

[daninthesand]

Hi gang.

I have been trying to hatch some bring shrimp lately since I need them for the angel fry I got. This is my first time hatching bbs, and I have no trouble getting them to hatch. Trouble is I can't seem to get them to collect at the bottom like I read other people do. I am turning off the air, shining the light near the bottom of the 2 litre bottle and I even turn off the overhead lights in case they are attracted to those and end up at the top.

Problem is the little buggers don't go down. They sort of collect on the light side of the bottle, but at all depths. They don't congregate at the bottom. Needless to say it makes it impossible to easily siphon them out.

What am I doing wrong?

Daniel

Hi Daniel

I cover the entire container with a towel and shine a flashlight close to the bottom, say maybe 2 or 3 inches. The bbs should be going up toward the light.

The unhatched eggs will fall to the bottom and the empty shells should be floating on top....... so anywhere inbetween is where you want the light to be shining.

I find using a very large syringe with tubing on the end of it makes for easier collecting ;)

hth
Beth

[daninthesand]

Thanks Beth. I will try the towel trick. And maybe a turkey baster...?

Daniel

[April]

hmmmm....i just disconnect the tubing from the airpump....and suck on it and let it drain into a brine net. and if you want to save the water for continuing on...drain it into a pitcher then pour it back in the bottle to continue bubbliing. easy as pie. i have a harder stiffer older piece of tubing that aims well aim it to the bottom. you should see pink piles on the bottom., but i dont bother withthe light at all. just start draining. they will suck up whereever they are. drain till you see enough in your net.
then i just put the tubing back on the airpump and keep bubbling.

[Carol_Roberts]

The small unit I use has the airline attached at the bottom of the hatcher. The bbs unit is inside the aquarium for warmth. When the air is turned off the orange bbs collect in the airline, shells rise to top.

I have the air pump plugged into an electrical strip with an on/off switch. It takes both hands and one foot, but I can turn off the airpump, disconnect the airline from the bbs hatcher, put a finger over the bottom of the bbs hatcher, position airline over fry, and turn on the airpump with my toe.

I reconnect the airline and repeat for next feeding.

I only raise one batch of discus at a time. I have two of these in-tank bbs hatcheries going for alternate days. Works good for me ;D

[April]

yeppers.carols is the best way. an inverted bottle wiht the tubing coming out of the lid. but...i didnt get that far yet. i have mine also in a tank for heated water. but lately..ive just thrown the heater in the one side of my kitchen sink with water in the sink. lol. isnt that what kitchen sinks are for? easier to change the water in the sink when it gets mungy.
you can cut one bottle for the other to sit inside...inverted for a stand. and then youd have to cut the top off the inverted bottle for air so the air would work.

[Carol_Roberts]

Mine is $12.00 from petsolutions - Aqua Breed 200
http://www.petsolutions.com/cgi-bin/cgipagls?l=1&c=ABCD&s=17876020

[daninthesand]

Thanks everyone for the ideas. I too use the inverted 2 litre pop bottle with the airhose coming out the lid at the bottom. I use three of these in a small aquarium with a heated water bath.

The trouble I have been having is collecting the bbs, but draining the whole bottle into a sieve (coffee filter) might be the easiest way. I'll try these various ideas.

Daniel

[April]

or..buy the bbs shrimp net. worth it.
;D

Hi all,




It takes both hands and one foot, but I can turn off the airpump, disconnect the airline from the bbs hatcher, put a finger over the bottom of the bbs hatcher, position airline over fry, and turn on the airpump with my toe.


Carol you wouldn’t have a pic of that or?
I was lmao as I pictured that.
No offense meant. :)

Daniel,
Sorry i have no info at all. I just could not resist.

Ronald

[April]

yeah....can we get a pic of how to strain bbs Carol? LOL.
what we do for fish eh? maybe you can get a pic of you draining it with your judges robe on? even better.

[nicholas]

Hi everyone,

I believed some of you guys might accidentally suck some egg shells into the net. What do you guys normally do about this? Is is harmful if discus juvies ate the egg shells up?
Thanks.

Just me,
Nick

[Nightowl]

I use a glass jar, about 3L, that Aq. Pharm. (58 oz.)carbon was once in. It sits on floor of fishroom w/ a 15w flo. light right up against the jar. After 24 hrs. I remove jar to top of stove. 5 min later, w/mini flashlight on jar, I use airline tubing to siphon shrimp into sm. rubbermaid food storage container, then that goes into fridge, and jar w/ remaining shrimps/eggs goes back to the flo. light... the next day I harvest a second time, but the 1st is usually the best. In winter it takes about 30 hrs. for the eggs to hatch. I rarely have a problem w/ harvesting the bbs this way... there is usually a 1" deep orange mass on bottom of jar. I use OSI shrimp eggs. If I need more shrimp at one time I'll put 2 or 3 jars in a filled 10 gal. tank w/ heater. This method works for me! J.T. :vanish:

[daninthesand]

Thanks, JT.

Where exactly do you place the flashlight? top? side? bottom?

Daniel

[brewmaster15]

Hi Daniel,
the best way i have found is to time it so its just after they hatch.they are too weak to swim. Shut off the air, and they will all settle.. I do this and transfer to a new container with new salt water.

wait to long , and they 'll swim.

hth,
al

[April]

also...the sooner you collect.the more nutrition right?
think after 12 hours they lose their nutrition. i start a bottle in the morning and one in the evening. and i drain the excess off into a zippy and freeze for emergencies. or backup.

[daninthesand]

yep, thats what I'm planning. every 12 hours. but i need to collect them first!lol!

[Rod Coleman]

I'v been using 3L tall cylindrical containers with airline going through the lid. When they hatch I remove the air and let things settle. Then I siphon most of the brine + bbs through nylon mesh and rinse with fresh water, then wash into a tumbler of aquarium water. Some unhatched eggs rise and I pour these off, while unhatched eggs and bbs go to the bottom. I then use a baster to draw off samples for feeding. If I want to keep them longer I will put them back into brine with air.

I'm still trying to improve the hatch rate, though and intend to try the inverted bottle method to help keep the eggs in circulation.


Carol, we must have pics of your technique so we can see how to do it ;D

April, I'd like to see you doing the dishes ::)

Rod

[daninthesand]

Oh. I just noticed I missed your reply Al.

Young bbs don't swim? Thats an observation I was unaware of.

It does make sense and might be why I was having trouble. Maybe I'm not catching them at prime hatching time. Takes practice I guess.

Thanks.
Daniel

[April]

LOL Mr. Coleman. i have two kitchen sinks.and a dishwasher. so .....as far as im concerned.the second side is to keep bbs bottles warm . right???

[Rod Coleman]

Way to go April, ;)

Seems a shame to waste the dishwasher, though.

Bet it would make the ultimate trickle filter! :o :o :o ;D

Rod

[LobsterMobster]

Anyone have one of these? Looks like they might work a little better than the standard 2 liter bottle. Thanks.

http://www.angelswest.com/_borders/Imagehatchery_copy_small_small.JPG

[West Coast Discus]

Hi there,

Losbermobster is a great show about bbs bottle.

There is many ways are working for hatching babies brineshrimps.

I am using clear pop 2 L bottles for hatching babies brine shrimps are working for me. It is easy way to do to feed my babies fish ;D There is so cheapest to buy.

Two bottle of clear 2 L

one bottle cut 1 inches bottom. Do not cut top bottle where is cap.

another bottle you can cut half size. you can keep half to bottom size.

The cap you can drill hole. you can install plastic joint airline to end of cap. If you want glue it up by silicone or other for safe aquarium only.

The cap close to the top bottle.

the half bottom bottle you can make few holes let the water drain out also put air line into the half bottom bottle. you can get about 2 to 3 feet long airline to put on top of cap where is joint airline.

updown the cap into the half bottle. you can put clear tape on half bottle to keep joint.

you need rubber lance on the bottle and put airline on it look like "n" then hook up airline to pump.

fill up fresh water and put 2 tablespoon salt then put brine shrimp eggs. The eggs would be hatch in 12 to 18 hours depend on what is tempture of water or room.

you can put bottle in the tank or rubermind box with heater both are working. Remind temp at 78 to 82

take out airline from pump, let them to stop air bubble for a few mins let the eggs will float The shrimp will go down then pull airline from rubber lace to the net or coffee filter

rise the fresh water the shrimps to feed your babies fish.

i will take a picture of the hatching pop.

Cheers
Duncan , NWCD

[West Coast Discus]

I am trying to put my picture about brine shrimps stuff there is too large how can i adjust smaller picture?

i am sorry abotu this.
I am trying work on it. I want show everyone about this.

:-\

Hi Duncan,

To post pic. you would need to resize them. (smaller)

Here is a link for a free resize program. There are more out there. I use this one. I don't play around with pic's that much so I don't know if it is a good one but it works for what I need it for. LOL 1 pic. in 8 month or so.

http://www.imageresizer.com/

hth Ronald