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I have a new batch of corydora eggs that are going to be hatching in about a day or 2 and i am trying to cultivate some brine shrimp for them. but i just can't seem to get enough of my brine shrimp to hatch. does anyone know wat the problem is?!?! or any tips?!? I use 1 and 1/2 tablespoon of aquarium salt per cup of water.

The water needs to be warm for a higher hatch rate, if the water is too cold it takes alot longer for them to hatch.

Lots of water agitation would help alot, so place an airstone in the brineshrimp hatchery.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

am i using the right amount of salt?

I cannot help you with that problem, as I always use sea water.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

I think you might be over-salting your water. It would be advisable to purchase a floating hydrometer for about $5 to check the specific gravity of your hatching solution. It should be about 1.023.

If you are using ordinary aquarium salt, add a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. Marine salt works better, IME. I've even heard of people using freshwater to hatch them (with a greatly reduced hatch rate) so the salt level is not vital, though it does help.

Are you using a good brand of cyst that has been stored well? Some have a guaranteed hatch rate, does yours?

Don't bubble the cauldron as the eggs will stick to the side of the vessel and won't get the message that they should be hatching. Just a gentle bubble to move the eggs around is fine. Airstones tend to trap eggs and foam the water (like skimmer foam in SW tanks, not good!), so just an airline with a tap valve is better. A plastic airstone might work though, but it unnecessary.
Again, this is not vital as a good friend of mine hatches hers by sitting them under her light canopy in unaerated beer cups. She gets a better hatch rate than I do!

Are you putting in enough eggs?

Keep 2-3 hatcheries going at once, if one fails you'll still need food.

Get yourself some microworms also, just in case a BS hatch fails and you need food, and see about something like grindals or whiteworms for later.

Interesting reads:
http://www.livefoodcultures.com/babybrineshrimp.html
http://breedtropicalfish.blogspot.com/2007/03/how-to-hatch-brine-shrimp.html


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