Artémia breeding for fish

Guide to Raising Artemia for Fish Feeding

Artemia, commonly known as "brine shrimp," are small saltwater crustaceans belonging to the genus Artemia. They are particularly valued in aquariums for feeding fish and other aquatic organisms due to their high nutritional value. They exclusively inhabit salt lakes. Artemia nauplii (larvae) contain approximately 42% protein, 20% fat, and up to 23% carbohydrates, making them a highly complete and balanced food for aquatic animals.

Biology of Artemia

  • Morphology: Adult Artemia measure between 8 and 12 mm in length. They have a segmented body, antennae, and thoracic appendages for swimming.
  • Life Cycle: Their life cycle includes several stages: egg (cyst), nauplius (larva), juvenile, and adult. The eggs can remain dormant for years in dry conditions and hatch when exposed to saltwater.
  • Natural Habitat: They are typically found in salt lakes and salt marshes around the world, often in extreme environments where few other organisms can survive.
  • Reproduction: Artemia can reproduce sexually or by parthenogenesis (asexually). Females can produce resistant eggs (cysts) or give birth to live nauplii.

Raising Artemia

Raising Artemia at home to feed aquarium fish is relatively simple and can be an enriching educational project. Here are the basic steps:

Preparing the Culture Medium

  • Use dechlorinated water.
  • Add non-iodized salt to achieve a salinity of 30 to 35 ppt (parts per thousand).

Hatching the Eggs

  • Place the Artemia cysts in the saltwater.
  • Maintain a temperature between 25 and 28 °C (77 to 82 °F).
  • Provide light aeration to keep the cysts in suspension.
  • Nauplii usually hatch within 24 to 48 hours.

Feeding

  • Once hatched, nauplii can be fed with yeast, phytoplankton, or special Artemia food preparations.

Maintenance

  • Change part of the water regularly to avoid waste buildup.
  • Maintain good aeration to ensure sufficient oxygen supply.

Necessary Equipment

  • Hatching Container: A transparent container of appropriate size (2-5 liters).
  • Non-Iodized Salt: To prepare saltwater at the correct concentration.
  • Thermometer: To monitor and maintain the water temperature.
  • Air Stone and Air Pump: To ensure proper aeration of the water.
  • Artemia Cysts: Available at aquarium stores or online.
  • Artemia Food: Yeast, phytoplankton, or specialized food.
  • Filtration Equipment: To remove waste and maintain water quality.

JBL Equipment for Raising Artemia

JBL Artemio Set

  • Description: A complete kit for raising Artemia. The set includes everything needed to get started, such as a hatching container with a base, support, and collector.
  • Contents:
    • Transparent container for monitoring nauplii.
    • Base to fix the container.
    • Support to hold the container in place.
    • Collector to harvest hatched nauplii.

JBL ArtemioMix

  • Description: A ready-to-use mix of salt and Artemia cysts. Just mix with water to start hatching.
  • Contents: Powder containing sea salt and Artemia eggs.

JBL ArtemioSal

  • Description: Special sea salt for preparing culture water for Artemia.
  • Use: Mix with water to achieve the optimal salinity for cyst hatching.

JBL ArtemioFluid

  • Description: A liquid food for Artemia nauplii. This special food ensures rapid and healthy growth of young Artemia.
  • Use: Add to the culture water to feed nauplii after hatching.

JBL Artemio1 (Extension)

  • Description: An additional container for the JBL Artemio system. Ideal for increasing Artemia production.
  • Use: Attach the incubator to another support if desired with the bayonet system. The air supply can be transferred from one incubator to another, allowing continuous juvenile supply. Includes 1 extension for the ArtemioSet, with an incubation cone, hemispherical cover, and base with screws.

JBL Artemio2 (Cups)

  • Description: An additional base and support for the JBL Artemio system. Easily expand your Artemia hatching setup.
  • Use: Use with additional containers to increase hatching capacity.

JBL Artemio3 (Sieve)

  • Description: A sieve for harvesting Artemia nauplii. Easily separates nauplii from the culture water.
  • Use: Use to filter nauplii after hatching, facilitating their harvest for feeding fish.

Hobby Incubator Set

  • Description: The set includes an incubator, Artemia, salt for Artemia, breeding tank, initial food Liquizell, and Artemia sieve.
  • Use: This set ensures a long-term supply of live food.

Conclusion

Artemia are an excellent choice for feeding fish in aquariums due to their ease of cultivation and high nutritional value. With the right biological knowledge, proper equipment, and a suitable maintenance routine, you can easily raise Artemia at home to ensure a quality diet for your fish.