HATCHING OF ARTEMIA (BRINE SHRIMP) EGGS AND FEEDING OF NAUPLII
Incubation | : | in illuminated place |
Incubation temperature | : | 22–30°C |
Incubation jar | : | 1–4 liter volume, made of transparent material |
Salinity at incubation | : | 28–30 ppt, approximately 30 g NaCl/liter (1 table spoon in 1 liter water) |
Egg density | : | 1–3 teaspoon/liter |
Special requirement | : | continuous aeration for avoiding sedimentation of eggs |
Feature of hatched nauplii | : | color of solution containing hatched Artemia is reddish |
Preparation of nauplii for feeding | : | Content of jar should be sedimented by stopping aeration. Empty egg shells are concentrated in upper layer and unhatched eggs are sedimented at bottom within 5–8 minutes. Majority of hatched nauplii is accumulated just above bottom of jar as a reddish layer. This layer should be syphoned without the contamination of significant quantity of bed eggs or egg shell. The syphoned material should be filtered through a plankton net (mesh size 100–150 micrometer), and salt content should be washed out. Nauplii free from salt become ready for feeding newly hatched fry. The process is detailed as enclosed here under. |
Detailed process of Artemia hatching:
1. | Pot, made of glass or any transparent plastic, should not have diameter more than 13–16 cm, and the volume bigger than 4 liter. Aeration should be strong enough to avoid sedimentation of Artemia eggs during incubation. Frequent failure of electricity may endanger incubation process. | |
2. | 1 tablespoon kitchen salt dissolved in one liter tap water suitable for incubation of brine shrimp eggs. Concentration of brine shrimp eggs should be 1–3 teaspoon/liter. | |
3. | Before syphoning the nauplii the airstone should be removed and the eggs should sunk. The reddish mass of nauplii may be syphoned after 5–8 minutes. | |
4. | Syphoning should be done carefully to avoid contamination of nauplii with eggs. | |
5. | Syphoned material should be filtered through a plankton net (a). Salt content should be washed out (b). Mass of Artemia nauplii suitable for feeding fry (c). | |