Question: First Batch!

[BPoz]

A week ago i found axolotl eggs in my tank and have decided to attempt to raise a few. i was just wondering if anyone had any tips on how to best hatch baby brine shrimp. i have heard a few stories about how baby axoltls have choked on the brine shrimp shells and i want to give these guys the best chance possible, if anyone has any tips i'm open to suggestions!

 

[Olivia97]

a shrimp net or a fine coffee filter does the job

 

[layna]

Ive recently bought some eggs that started hatching on tuesday, ive decided to take the baby Daphnia route and skip BBS as it seems much easier and you can leave them in the water.
Also if the daphnia are in the tank and they start dying its a great indication the water quality is bad two jobs in one hehe!

 

[Martin21114]

To hatch the brine shrimp:

-Get a cheap container (I used a 1 gal water bottle), air pump, air tubing/hose, and a hollow plastic rod (most fish stores have them), shrimp eggs, non-iodized salt, a turkey baster, coffee filter, and a lamp.

-Fill the container about 2/3 full of water, add salt (about 1tbs/litre), then add eggs. Hook the plastic rod up to the air hose and pump and stick it in the container to agitate/aerate the mixture.

To harvest the hatched shrmp (usually ready after a day or 2):

-Remove the air tube to stop circulating the water. put the container somewhere with a light shining in the bottom corner. after a few minutes brown egg shells should rise to the top (these are empty hatched eggs and can be discarded or left in the mixture). An orange cloud should form in the area with the light, these are the baby shrimp.

-Use the turkey baster to suck out some of the orange baby shrimp. squirt it into the coffe filter and start rinsing the shrimp by squirting clean, non salty water over them. I use tap right out of the faucet, sucking it up with the baster then squirting it onto the shrimp and letting it drip through the filter. 2-3 rinses is usually enough.

-Dump the shrimp into your hatchling axolotls tank. I usually drop the whole filter in and wiggle it around to get all the shrimp off. Watch the little axies tweak out like little meth-heads as the eat.

usually after a few hours but no more than a day or two all the shrimp in with the axolotls in freshwater will be in a big dead clump on the bottom, remove them with a baster and remember to change your water often (like 100% daily). As long as the shrimp are wiggling around I leave them in, once they die off remove them because they will foul your water quickly.

I raised 3 batches of eggs doing this, 2x/day 100% water change each time. Basically before work in the am and before bed each night I changed all their water and added shrimp, so they always had food and clean water.

 

[Dr0gr1n]

Martin has given you excellent advice. I especially liked how he described their feeding behavior as tweaking little meth addicts.

 

[Olivia97]

. Watch the little axies tweak out like little meth-heads as the eat.

That is a great descriptor! for some photos, there's a sticky at the top of the "eggs and breeding" sub forum