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Anyone have tips for hatching BBS?

mrjbacon

Member
5 Year Member
Messages
72
Location
Ohio
I can't seem to get it right. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but I've tried 3 different methods and can only obtain the typical color change from brown to light orange. I get nothing beyond that, none of the eggs actually hatch. Anyone have a foolproof method that works every time for them?

The eggs I have are San Francisco Bay Brand, the 6g vial. I've been using a very small amount of baking soda to stabilize the pH, and Morton's brand Canning and Pickling salt. My tap water is neutral and relatively soft (~1-3 GH/KH).

I ordered some of the "Premium Grade A" eggs with the seahorse on the front to try but they won't be delivered for a few days at the earliest. Any help would be appreciated!
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
I hatch bbs daily. I use Great Salt Lake eggs (Brine Shrimp Direct Bargain because they are less expensive). I use synthetic sea salt set to ~1.024 on a simple hydrometer. Question: do you dechlorinate your hatch water before you use it?
 

mrjbacon

Member
5 Year Member
Messages
72
Location
Ohio
I hadn't been, but the last time I did just to rule it out. It didn't affect a change in my results. The different methods I'd read through previously said dechlorinating was unnecessary due to offgassing.

What hydrometer do you use? One of those slender glass hydrometer/thermometer combos? My hatchery is made out of a liter water bottle and all the other ones I see look way to big to submerse.
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
First, if your tap water uses chloramines then the chlorine will not 'out-gas'. Brine shrimp are no different than fish in this regard. I use 2 litre bottles - the same ones I've used for 20 years - without a problem. I use an inexpensive (Sea-chem) plastic box-type hydrometer. Readings are close enough for hatching purposes. Also I never keep more than a month's eggs at room temperature. The rest I keep in the freezer in a tightly sealed container. Before opening the container for more eggs, I let it come to room temperature just to be sure that excess moisture from condensation doesn't affect the eggs.
 

mrjbacon

Member
5 Year Member
Messages
72
Location
Ohio
I'll try out some of your suggestions with the new batch I have coming.

I'll have to recheck my municipal water website to see if it states specifically whether they use chlorine or chloramines. I believe SeaChem Prime neutralizes both, correct?
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
I'll try out some of your suggestions with the new batch I have coming.

I'll have to recheck my municipal water website to see if it states specifically whether they use chlorine or chloramines. I believe SeaChem Prime neutralizes both, correct?

Yes, it does. I use it.
 

mrjbacon

Member
5 Year Member
Messages
72
Location
Ohio
I tried your suggestions and actually had a fair number of BBS hatch out the most recent instance. Still very poor hatch rate, I'd say somewhere around 25-30% but no more than that. I also changed my light source out, as the water had been very warm, perhaps too warm (felt much higher than 86F)

I think my biggest issue however is my eggs, since my eggs were not stored properly. After doing a bit of research, I realized I had been unaware (or ignorant/both) to the correct method. Won't make that mistake again! I'll report back when I have had a chance to hatch a batch from the new eggs I ordered.
 

Happyfins

Member
Messages
93
Location
Sydney
Temp plays a big part. Above 28C I get hardly any hatching, below 20C same. I use a few of the dishes mentioned above and get a decent yield with the added advantage that I can leave a dish for days before the last eggs stop hatching. I don't use dechlorinator and have read somewhere that some chlorine is beneficial in that it kills off bacteria initially. I used t make up 2litres of brine and used it on different days, when prepared fresh it produced more BBS than the brine that was used a few days later which would support the theory that chlorine can be beneficial. That last bit might be confusing, happy to clarify if required.
 

allentwnguy

Member
Messages
47
I also have been hatching bbs nightly for years. I use a 1 liter water bottle inverted bottom cut out (reversed for lid). I have a cap for the bottom that allows air bubbles and draining of the shrimp. I'll try to post a pic. I also have a JBL artemio set up from Europe I have not had the need to take out of the box! The DIY works like a charm.

First you need to oxygenate the water from the bottom. To hatch bbs are waiting for oxygenated water and loads of light. I do my set up at 10-11pm each night for bbs the next evening for feeding. It takes 16-18 hours for a good hatch. I use a 23 watt cfl for light. I hatch in the fish room where it is warm and use aluminum foil to keep in heat from the light and let the fish rest. I use generic kosher salt (no other additives). Get a 1 gallon milk/water jug... write on the sides "brine" then 75 grams kosher salt. I put a bottle and funnel on a scale, tare, and add 75-76gms of salt, add tap water and that's it. As mentioned I use brine shrimp direct eggs. I buy 8 ounces that last months for me. I freeze most and have a smaller container in the fridge for use. Not able to upload a file, there's problem but they don't say what it is. I will happily send an e-mail if you are interested. bbs hatching is easy once you get the hang of it.

Ahh I went off to do things and they logged me out... photo...
DSC07200.JPG
 

Mozzulu

New Member
5 Year Member
Messages
21
Hi there, I had very similar issues for months using what I thought to be high quality eggs from JBL. After switching to another brand recommended by my LFS, I had about a 90% improvement. The brand I switched to is an Asian one called Ocean Nutrition that had one of those "90% hatch" guarantees on the box. No matter how much you tweak, if the eggs are low quality you'll have a bad hatch. I fiddled around with water parameters, lighting, aeration, temperature, etc. for months. From what I read in this forum and others, people who order their eggs from Brine Shrimp Direct seem to be pretty satisfied with the results. Good luck!
 

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