armadillo

Hi everyone. If I am to feed my fish artemia, I'd want to home-rear it, to limit risks of bringing in nasties. Here's all my questions.

- Would I need a special breeding box, as in http://www.aquariumwinkel.nl/ (from the menu list on the left, click on artemia, then look at the second to last item on that page 'kweekschaal', the blue breeding box)? Or would that be a rip off and a basic tupperware would do?

- I am also surprised at the look of the box the eggs come in (same page). Why are they air-tight tins? Are the eggs in a liquid medium? I thought they were dry cysts kept in basically airtight packaging.

- Oh, and what fish require/like artermia? Would it be good for molly adults, fry, and otos? Wouldn't it be just as good to continue with flake food and vegetables? Giving brine shrimp does feel more wholesome, but what do I know. My boyfriend is considering getting a dwarf puffer in which case, unless I am very much mistaken, feeding brine shrimp wouldn't even be a possibility, it would be a must.

Stradius011

Here's a link: http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Live...%20Rearing.htm Your mollies would love it.

armadillo

Wow, sounds like a lot of work for m&m's. Any reason I should really do this? Is it more a + than a need?

COBettaCouple

It does seem like a lot of work.. raising the baby brine shrimp is relatively easy and i know the wild betta adults love them as much as the fry. (which is how we lost so many fry.) I'd think that vinegar eels or micro worms might be easier to raise if you want to raise some live food for your fish. i think any omnivores or carnivores, even some herbivores will love artemia.

the eggs that i get are all dry eggs, those must be in air tight tins just for preservation purposes or just their choice.. once the eggs hatch, the shrimp must be kept alive and i don't see how they could be stored in a tin.

armadillo

I would feel more comfortable with dry-packed eggs, rather than liquid medium, so that's good. It's just that that is what I've always heard brine shrimp cysts were packaged in, and it seems very unlikely they'd carry a disease/parasite if dry-packed. So I was surprised that they sold it in liquid medium, which would kind of defeat the point of home-rearing them. Gawd, I am being confusing. Doesn't matter about the dry/liquid question. You've answered it perfect, thanks.

But there is still this one: I am wondering if a treat is worth this much work (for me). But perhaps it is actually a really necessary part of their diet (the mollies'), or at least it would significantly improve their health or something? I have my hands really full at the moment and, as much as I love my fishies, I wouldn't want to take something new on board just yet unless it was necessary at all.

COBettaCouple

honestly, i don't think it would be worth the effort.. we have carnivores with all these bettas, but the only reason i'm doing brine shrimp is for the mahachai fry to eat and i'm not really interested in growing the shrimp bigger.. not with all the work & space, etc it would take up.. i just don't see enough benefit, although adult bettas do enjoy the BBS so you could always just do BBS, which is a lot easier and takes very little space, if you wanted them to have a little wiggling treat.

armadillo

Yeah, that's what I thought. We're big on our dwarf puffer plans and these do need live food, but then it will be boyfriend's responsibility, so I'll let him do the work, and knick some for my mollies!

COBettaCouple

lol.. for dwarf puffers, i'd cultivate snails.. get a few in a 'snail tank' and they pretty much do that all on their own.. an endless supply with no work other than dropping in a piece of veggie every now and then.

armadillo

Serious? You can do that? Hang on, I'll start a new thread (I've just asked Mike to create a food section, might as well populate it, hey).

COBettaCouple

yea, puffers LOVE snails.

armadillo

They'd be the only ones, hey Tan!

COBettaCouple

lol.. tan's puffer food shop?

armadillo

Am sure she can see the funny side! I won't be laughing when I get all sorts of creepies, but hey, better enjoy my luck now and make as much fun as I can!