growing BBS

[dean_alicia]

hello Again,

just wondering how long people grow there BBS for to feed discus young from free swimming to 1-2weeks of age.

[Barrie]

I try to feed them as soon as possible after they hatch. I think they lose some nutritional value the longer you leave them. With the eggs I am using this is usually about 18 to 24 hours. The brine shrimp have a sort of brown/red colour when very newly hatched.
Barrie

[Ben75]

Hi , I am running 2 bs hatcheries spaced 24 hrs apart so i can feed only the freshest hatched bbs to my fry. I find that when they are newly hatched they are greyish in colour. This is in my opinion when they are at their best for the fry, once they turn red they are oxygen starved , or so i have read.
Kind regards,
Ben

[Hollowman]

Hi , I am running 2 bs hatcheries spaced 24 hrs apart so i can feed only the freshest hatched bbs to my fry. I find that when they are newly hatched they are greyish in colour. This is in my opinion when they are at their best for the fry, once they turn red they are oxygen starved , or so i have read.
Kind regards,
Ben

You are right Ben, oxygen starved brine shrimp turn more orangy/red. Best to feed as soon as enough have hatched, no more than a day old. After this time they have consumed the 'yolk sack' and nutritional value drops fast.

[dean_alicia]

ok thanks guys..
does anyone no how long it takes BBS to hatch exactly??

[Ben75]

depends on a few factors, quality of eggs and temp of water.
Generally i allow a day to hatch out in summer & abit longer in winter.Thats why i have 2 hatcheries going, i get a fresh batch each day to feed to my fish.
I find i get a better hatch rate by not using airstones , i just use the airline open end. The smaller bubles tend to through the eggs out above the waterline. I will take a pic of my simple system tonight and post it here for you in the morning.
Regards,

[Ben75]

Hi ,
As promised here is a pic of my basic bbs hatchery.
You can see the days feeding stock on the left &
the newly seeded hatchery on the right.
Kind regards,
Ben

[swampy1972]

Nice one Ben!
Do you use sea water or make up salt water? How many feeds do you get out of a bottle before you refresh it?
Thanks.
Brad

[Ben75]

Hi Brad,
Thanks mate, i get four feeds a day out of a bottle.
Does depend on the amount of fry in a batch that i am feeding.

[swampy1972]

Thanks Ben,
Looks like I've decided on my project for this weekend!
Cheers