Does anyone know if this will harm my babies?

My babies hatched around two days ago and since then I have been feeding all 50 of them on freshly hatched brine shrimp, in one large dishwashing bowl. Now, I was having some trouble with lots of poop and dead BBS (which I clean out around 2 hours after feeding to ensure my babies get enough time to eat it) so I was turkey bastering all the food and poop I could see out of it. However, this took forever, and I often missed rather a lot. I was beginning to worry about my water quality, although I was turkey bastering and changing the water once, often twice a day.

Then I had it suggested that I use a sieve. We had one in the kitchen that we use for food uses, so I set up one tub with fresh dechlorinated water and simply poured all my water from the previous tub through the sieve (gently) to catch the babies. It worked a treat but one of my babies got stuck and I had to gently pour water on him until he was back into the tub.

I plan to get a much smaller, finer sieve (like the ones you might use for sugar dusting cakes) so I can scoop the babies out of their container rather than pouring them out, but I am worried. Have I possibly hurt or traumatised my babies? I really like how clean the water is and I'm not worried about the polluted water, but will the rough and tumble of being sieved in and out of the water harm them? I have had a few users say they have done the same thing and had no negative effects on their babies, but I'm concerned. I had a breeder tell me not to use a turkey baster to move them, which worries me as I did do this to get them into separate containers and I've just sieved them >.<

PS I have checked them not long after and they look quiet and fine. None of them have any injuries or seem to be stressed. Is it okay to keep cleaning them out this way?

I would recommend using an ordinary kitchen sieve - anything too fine will also collect poop. As long as you are gentle a sieve is fine, if you prefer scooping that can work too, but I find when they are very small that pouring is easier. If you rest the sieve actually in the bowl with waste water is cushions the babies.

Once they get their legs I usually switch to a net simply because thier delicate little fingers can get stuck in the holes in a sieve.

I have found that babies quickly outgrow the bore of a turkey baster, but it's fine for the first week as long as you are gentle - the sudden rush of water as you suck them up could be stressful or damage the little hatchlings.

Petersgirl, if you're still living in Cornwall in the Autumn, I would totally love to come and see your little ones to squeal over them. I'm returning to Uni then. =)

I will still be here, Pondweed And you are more than welcome to come squeal at my axxies anytime, although my babies may well have brand new homes by then

Also update: I have been using a fine net and using the method described to me by Auntiejude for a good few weeks now, and no problems