Can You Place Brine Shrimp Eggs In The Reef Tank To Hatch?

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Can You Place Brine Shrimp Eggs In The Reef Tank To Hatch?

Brine shrimp are very small shrimp that are custom to living in salt lakes and brine pools. Many people use them as food for their aquarium fish. One thing that many shop workers get asked often is if you can place add shrimp eggs in the tank to hatch. Yes, you should be able to place brine shrimp eggs in a reef tank to hatch.

As long as the eggs are protected from being filtered out and don’t get eaten by anything else in the reef tank, they should be able to hatch. Although they do hatch, one thing that’s important to know is that brine shrimp eggs do make quite the mess.

The eggs often get pushed above the waterline whenever there is flow in the tank. Also, any rotten eggs will likely make the water cloudy. While it’s possible to hatch brine shrimp eggs in a reef tank, it may not be the best idea. Keep reading to find out more about whether or not you should hatch these eggs in a reef tank and how to hatch them successfully.

Should You Put Brine Shrimp Eggs In The Reef Tank?

While it is possible to hatch your brine shrimp eggs in the reef tank, many people who raise their own brine shrimp don’t recommend doing it for a number of reasons. Depending on which type of fish you have in your reef tank, those eggs could make quite a tasty snack for some. They may get eaten before they hatch.

The mess that any of the rotten eggs could create could put the health of your other fish at risk. You shouldn’t have to compromise your fish’s health to hatch their food. For reef tank owners, there’s a much easier way to hatch brine shrimp eggs at home. It’s very quick too:

  1. Find a vessel and fill it with room temperature water.
  2. Make sure there are air bubbles in the water.
  3. Put one scoop of eggs in the vessel.
  4. Eggs usually hatch within 24 hours.

This method is so much easier than trying to hatch the eggs in your reef tank. The best part is, you don’t have to worry about cleaning your aquarium afterward.

How Long Do Brine Shrimp Eggs Live?

Brine shrimp eggs are quite fascinating, and their lifespan all depends on how they are stored. What many people don’t know is that the brine shrimp eggs are actually dormant cysts. If they are stored in a cool and dry container, then they will live for many years. While they may live for a long time, it doesn’t take them long to hatch.

These eggs won’t begin to hatch until they are exposed to warmer salty water. Once they soak up some of the moisture, these eggs re-hydrate themselves and begin to crack. This is why many people find the process of hatching brine shrimp eggs at home so easy. It’s one of the best ways to keep aquarium fish fed.

What To Do With Baby Brine Shrimp In A Reef Tank?

These baby brine shrimp can be a great source of nutrients for your aquarium fish. This is why it’s important to take care of them properly when they are babies. Before you feed any of the brine shrimp to your fish, you should strain them into a filter. After that, you should move them to some dechlorinated tap water to soak off for a few minutes.

This should always be done before feeding any of the baby brine shrimp to your aquarium fish. Any brine shrimp that don’t get fed to your fish right away should get frozen. We recommend using an ice cube tray to freeze the shrimp into small cubes.

Many experienced brine fish farmers don’t recommend hatching brine shrimp eggs directly in the reef tank. This is because the fish may eat them before you get to clean them off. It’s important that you get to filter and soak them off before feeding them to your fish.

Can fish eat unhatched brine shrimp eggs?

Yes, fish can eat brine shrimp eggs.

Brine shrimp eggs are a popular food item to feed fish, and here’s why…

Fish will readily accept brine shrimp eggs because they look very similar to their natural food source – zooplankton.

Brine shrimp are crustaceans that live in freshwater lakes, ponds, and streams. Brine shrimp are in the same group of animals as lobsters, crabs, and shrimp. Their eggs look like fine grains of sand so they can be easily mixed into prepared foods.

Things To Know Before Hatching Brine Shrimp Eggs

While hatching brine shrimp eggs is relatively easy, there are some important things to know in order to do it successfully. In order to start off on the right page, you should only buy high-quality eggs. If you are not sure which eggs are best, speak to your local aquarium shop professional for more information on premium grade brine shrimp eggs.

Some people have more success than others at hatching brine shrimp eggs. Want to know what their secret is? Eggs need to be kept cool but never frozen. If any eggs were stored at temperatures above 50 degrees F, they may have a much lower hatch rate.

For the best chances at seeing the maximum hatch rate always store the eggs in an air-tight container that is completely moisture-free. Any dampness could lead to your eggs not being as successful. 

Final Thoughts   

Since brine shrimp eggs can hatch easily once they are placed in warm water, they can hatch in a reef tank. However, just because they can hatch in there doesn’t mean they should. Anyone who had experience hatching brine shrimp eggs at home has advised against it.

They recommend hatching the brine shrimp eggs in a separate vessel for a number of reasons:

  • Avoid water contamination
  • Risk of fish eating the eggs
  • Eggs may go through the filter
  • Eggs often rise
  • Baby brine shrimp need to be filtered and soaked before fish eat them

You don’t want to put your fish’s health or comfort at risk, so you’re better off to not hatch their food directly in the reef tank. When the eggs are hatched in a separate vessel or container, you have a better chance of getting the right temperatures for a successful hatch. When you’re done, it’s much easier to clean that vessel. Everyone is happy that way.

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