Banggai Breeding

[phishphood]

If you use your tank water, microwave or bleach it or something Phong. Are you keeping the right temp?

 

[Thales]

If you use your tank water, microwave or bleach it or something Phong. Are you keeping the right temp?

Bleach or microwave the water? I just use straight tank water and the inverted bottles sit in the fuge where they get light. No problems.

 

[Thales]

How do you scope the BBS out Rich? I'm thinking about getting the "bottle kit". The one that has black base and the cap. You screw in your own bottle. I went to HD and OSH to find something that I can glue to the cap and connect a 1/4" tube to it but couldn't find anything ..

Scope? Do you mean separate the cysts from the bbs? Just scoop some water from the hatching container and let the cysts settle to the bottom and use a turkey baster to suck the bbs from the top.

People tend to make hatching bbs complicated which confuses me.

 

[phishphood]

Sorry Rich, just regurgitating what I've read about rot/phyto cultures etc and thought it would apply to BBS too. I think the reasoning was something like the possibility of contaminating your culture (not an issue here) as well as possible introduction of a predator? Sounds less and less likely in my sober and rested mind now than it did last night. I'll take your word and experience for it

 

[Elite]

IC.. thanks Rich... I try not to make thing complicate. I thought the cysts always floating on top and the BBS is on the bottom.

 

[GreshamH]

How do you scope the BBS out Rich? I'm thinking about getting the "bottle kit". The one that has black base and the cap. You screw in your own bottle. I went to HD and OSH to find something that I can glue to the cap and connect a 1/4" tube to it but couldn't find anything ..

Scope? Do you mean separate the cysts from the bbs? Just scoop some water from the hatching container and let the cysts settle to the bottom and use a turkey baster to suck the bbs from the top.

People tend to make hatching bbs complicated which confuses me.

Some people are more concerned with the actual hatch rate which is why a lot tend to over complicate the process. The hobby is by far the lowest user on the totem pole. The largest use is for commercial aquaculture and they are very keen on obtaining the highest hatch rate possible both from source of cysts and actual hatching. That's not to mention the associated vibrio with both cysts and actual artemia. That is a huge concern for them as well which is why they go through more complicated processes. This is where much of the literature stems from thus hobbyists thinking they need to go that route.

Using the light separation is a largest used method from all my talks with customers. You all ready are using a cone and if done right the air source is coming from the bottom. Since BBS are phototropic they will be attracted to the light source so put it shining at the very bottom of the cone. Wait a few minutes (up to 15) or so and you see a major desperation point between the cyst shell and the BBS. Most artemia hatch better with a low amount of light on them and in heated water. You'll find a MUCH greater hatch if you utilize hear and light for the actual hatching.

Store your cysts in a water/vapor tight container in your freezer for a longer high hatch rate. The more you abuse the cysts the less you will see in actually hatching.

You do not want a ton of air as too much really bangs them up if doing lower volumes (hatch rate will decrease with too much air). I would keep it to a low boil. If you doing far more then the container should hold, a high volume of air would be needed (on average you shouldn't use more then 2 teaspoons(? tablespoon?) per liter IIRC - need to check that one).

For GSL artemia cysts to obtain optimum hatch rate-

7.5 - 8.5 PH
25-35 ppt
77-86 °F
~2000 Lux at water surface

 

[GreshamH]

If you use your tank water, microwave or bleach it or something Phong. Are you keeping the right temp?

Bleach or microwave the water? I just use straight tank water and the inverted bottles sit in the fuge where they get light. No problems.

You only need to bleach/nuke it if your doing larvae or other very small items that could be killed quickly by stuff. BC don't require this. In fact, clowns don't require it either. The only thing you'd need to do that with is if your trying to grow phytoplankton.

It is still a good idea to wash the BBS prior to using them since vibrio is highly associated with them. That fact is a major reason behind decaps, well, and the loss of the cycst "shell" :lol:

 

[Elite]

thanks guys for the info.. I will go buy some soda bottle later ..

 

[Thales]

truth is, I don't even bother to separate the cycsts. I just stick my finger over one end of a straw, stick the other in the culture, let the straw fill up with bbs, put my thumb back on the end and drop the contents of the straw in with the fry.

If you want to separate, put them in a cup and shine a flashlight from the side near the water line (rest the flashlight on something). Come back in a few minutes and the cycts will have settled and the naups will be near the light source - scoop them up with a brine shrimp net.

 

[GreshamH]

empty cysts float for the most part so I aim the light at the bottom of the side as so I get less cysts with BBS

 

[Elite]

wow don't you worry about the nasty water from the BBS??

 

[GreshamH]

It's like I said above. You really only need to worry about keeping things sterile if your doing large volumes of fish or are attempting to raise larvae (or highly sensitive fish). BC are very tough, plus, your talking a very low volume of water compared to the massive amount in your tank. For a part time breeder like you I'd just follow Rich's directions. If you want to be a bit more anal about it, put the light at the bottom, siphon the BBS into a net, rinse them and toss them in the tank.

I wouldn't let your kids drink the BBS water though :lol:

 

[Thales]

wow don't you worry about the nasty water from the BBS??

Nah. Its just not that much water.

 

[jimsar]

Old pic from when I had bucket loads of rotis for clowns and soda bottle brine shrimp to feed hungry banggers. This thread is a flashback for me.

 

[Elite]

I need to learn how to grow roti and phyto too.. Hopefully my clown will lay eggs soon.. ..

 

[GreshamH]

Why grow phyto? Unless you value you time at more then .14 cents an hour it's cheaper to buy, and in most cases much higher quality then you can produce.

Jim that set-up is aching for cross contamination :lol: Just ripe for the picking

 

[Elite]

The sad part is I make less than 1 cent an hour now Gresham ..

 

[GreshamH]

But do you value your time at less then one cent an hour, that is the question.

 

[Elite]

Update on the baby..
They are a little bigger .. Still have all 9 of them 8)

The male ate the eggs though..

 

[Elite]

Lost one today.. Wondering if he got hurt or something when I took them out