Bresser Junior 8851310, Operating Instructions Manual

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6.1. How do You Raise Brine Shrimp?
Accessories (from your microscope set):
1. Shrimp eggs
2. Sea salt,
3. Hatchery,
4. Yeast.
The Life Cycle of Brine Shrimp
Brine shrimp, or “Artemia salina,” as they are called by scientists, have an
unusual and interesting life cycle. The eggs produced by the female are
hatched without ever being fertilized by a male shrimp. The shrimp that
hatch from these eggs are all females. In unusual circumstances, e.g. when
the marsh dries up, the male shrimp can hatch. These males fertilize the
eggs of the females and from this mating, special eggs come about. These
eggs, so-called “winter eggs,” have a thick shell, which protects them. The
winter eggs are very resistant and capable of survival if the marsh or lake
dries out, killing off the entire shrimp population. They can persist for 5-10
years in a “sleep” status. The eggs hatch when the proper environmental
conditions are reproduced. These are the type of eggs you have in your mi-
croscope set.
The Incubation of the Brine Shrimp
In order to incubate the shrimp, you first need to create a salt solution that
corresponds to the living conditions of the shrimp. For this, put a half liter of
rain or tap water in a container. Let the water sit for approx. 30 hours. Since
the water evaporates over time, it is advisable to fill a second container with
water and let it sit for 36 hours. After the water has sat stagnant for this
period of time, add half of the included sea salt to the container and stir it
until all of the salt is dissolved. Now, put a few eggs in the container and
cover it with a dish. Place the glass container in a bright location, but don’t
put it in direct sunlight. Since you have a hatchery, you cal also add the salt
solution along with a few eggs to each of the four compartments of the tank.
The temperature should be around 25º. At this temperature, the shrimps will
hatch in about 2-3 days. If the water in the glass evaporates, add some water
from the second container.
The Brine Shrimp under the Microscope
The animal that hatches from the egg is known by the name “nauplius
larva.” With the help of a pipette, you can place a few of these larvae on a
glass slide and observe them.
The larvae will move around in the salt water by using their hair-like ap-
pendages.
Take a few larvae from the container each day and observe them under
the microscope. In case you’ve hatched the larvae in a hatchery, simply
take off the cover of the tank and place the tank on the stage.
Depending on the room temperature, the larvae will be mature in 6-10
weeks. Soon, you will have had raised a whole generation of brine shrimp,
which will constantly grow in numbers.
Feeding your Brine Shrimp
In order to keep the brine shrimp alive, they must be fed from time to
time, of course. This must be done carefully, since overfeeding can make
the water become foul and poison our shrimp population. The feeding
is done with dry yeast in powdered form. A little bit of this yeast every
second day is enough. If the water in the compartments of the hatchery
or your container turns dark, that is a sign that it is gone bad. Take the
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