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Food for hatchlings - cut up blackworms?

giventofly

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Hi all,

I have my first batch of axolotl eggs that are developing right now. They are about 5 days old and are starting to have a crescent shape. The temperature in the egg containers is right around 68 degrees F. My question is about live food options for the hatchlings. I am nervous about doing the whole baby brine shrimp thing. I have a LFS that sells live blackworms. I heard that you might be able to feed hatchlings minced blackworms? Would this be a viable option or should I just stick with BBS and hope for the best?
 

auntiejude

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Blackworms will be too big for hatchlings. BBS, baby daphnia or microworms are usually the only things small enough to start with. At about 4-6 weeks when they get their front legs is when you can try switching to small worms such as black or bloodworms.
 

giventofly

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Blackworms will be too big for hatchlings. BBS, baby daphnia or microworms are usually the only things small enough to start with. At about 4-6 weeks when they get their front legs is when you can try switching to small worms such as black or bloodworms.

Thanks for the quick reply! Out of BBS, baby daphnia, and microworms, which are the simplest to culture?
 

Bette

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Well, with previous hatches, I fed only grindal worms to tiny axie larvae. Grindals are super easy to culture. This time around, I am trying hatching bbs using a dish style kit that I just got from Brine Shrimp Direct. So far, it's very easy to use! Now I'm just waiting for the axies to hatch so they can eat :rolleyes: yeah, I jumped the gun a bit on hatching the bbs. Trial and error ;)
Anyway, I decided to try bbs this time, because I have heard that they have better nutritional value. So my plan is to alternate between the two and see how it goes.
By the way, the dish style bbs hatchery is sooo easy. No aeration or lighting. Room temp, and sieve is built into the center of the dish. Lift 'em up in the sieve, rinse well and feed. Replace sieve to catch more. Egg shells stay in the outer area of the covered dish.
 

giventofly

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Well, with previous hatches, I fed only grindal worms to tiny axie larvae. Grindals are super easy to culture. This time around, I am trying hatching bbs using a dish style kit that I just got from Brine Shrimp Direct. So far, it's very easy to use! Now I'm just waiting for the axies to hatch so they can eat :rolleyes: yeah, I jumped the gun a bit on hatching the bbs. Trial and error ;)
Anyway, I decided to try bbs this time, because I have heard that they have better nutritional value. So my plan is to alternate between the two and see how it goes.
By the way, the dish style bbs hatchery is sooo easy. No aeration or lighting. Room temp, and sieve is built into the center of the dish. Lift 'em up in the sieve, rinse well and feed. Replace sieve to catch more. Egg shells stay in the outer area of the covered dish.

Wow, the dish-style kit sounds super easy! Is this the one you are talking about? Brine Shrimp Hatchery Dish

How long does it take with this kit for the BBS to hatch? My eggs are about 5 days old now, so I'm wondering when to start the process of hatching the BBS.
 

Bette

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Wow, the dish-style kit sounds super easy! Is this the one you are talking about? Brine Shrimp Hatchery Dish

How long does it take with this kit for the BBS to hatch? My eggs are about 5 days old now, so I'm wondering when to start the process of hatching the BBS.

Yes, that's it! In hind site, I should have waited until the first axie hatched to start the bbs hatchery. Because the bbs eggs hatched within 48 hours. Technically, it can take 48- 72 hours.
 

Bette

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And I forgot to mention that the axie larvae usually are not ready to eat until about 24 - 72 hours after hatching.
 

keiko

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I feed my larvae bbs because I heard it has the best nutritional value.
I'll attach a picture of the hatchery I made. It's just a plastic bottle cut in half with an air pump attached and a light next to it. I also placed it on top of an aquarium light to keep it warm. I set it up with water, salt and brine shrimp eggs, let it run for 18 hours. After that I stop the air pump and let it settle for about 15 minutes and then harvest the bbs. After that I let it run for another 6 hours, harvest and then clean it and set it up again.
I use my turkey baster to harvest the bbs, separate the bbs from the salt water with a paper coffee filter and then rinse them very well. After that they're ready to be fed to the larvae. I also always keep some of the harvested bbs in salt water in my fridge until the next feeding in case something goes wrong so I have a back up (but freshly hatched are more nutritious).
It does require a little work, but it's still very easy.
 

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Bette

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I feed my larvae bbs because I heard it has the best nutritional value.
I'll attach a picture of the hatchery I made. It's just a plastic bottle cut in half with an air pump attached and a light next to it. I also placed it on top of an aquarium light to keep it warm. I set it up with water, salt and brine shrimp eggs, let it run for 18 hours. After that I stop the air pump and let it settle for about 15 minutes and then harvest the bbs. After that I let it run for another 6 hours, harvest and then clean it and set it up again.
I use my turkey baster to harvest the bbs, separate the bbs from the salt water with a paper coffee filter and then rinse them very well. After that they're ready to be fed to the larvae. I also always keep some of the harvested bbs in salt water in my fridge until the next feeding in case something goes wrong so I have a back up (but freshly hatched are more nutritious).
It does require a little work, but it's still very easy.

Cool. And I love Vader in the background! What is that beautiful water plant in your tank?
 

keiko

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Cool. And I love Vader in the background! What is that beautiful water plant in your tank?

Haha thanks. I love the Vader too. The big floating plants are water hyacinth, if that's what you mean.
 

keiko

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Yea, water hyacinth is a floating plant, but they do have big roots that can sometimes reach almost to the bottom. My female axie actually laid a ton of eggs on the roots which were a pain to remove so no more water hyacinth in the axie tank. :D
 
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