Live brine shrimp are a highly nutritious live food source for many fish and invertebrates. This hatchery is designed to hatch and feed brine shrimp directly in your freshwater or saltwater tank without several different hatchery tanks. Size: Hatchery is 2" x 5" x 8.25" high.
Instructions Rinse the unit before use. Make sure the Fish Guard and Shade Cap are set in their positions. Connect one end of the airline tubing to the air pump and the other end to the aeration inlet port of the hatcher. **To prevent water from flowing into the air pump, place the air pump above the water level or install a check valve. Insert the suction cup to the holder and place the holder onto the hatcher. Install the hatcher in the aquarium. Make sure the hatcher is filled to the water level line. Remove the partition from the hatching chamber. Add 3-4 spoonfuls, using the large sized spoon, of table salt or artificial marine salt (salt not included) into hatching chamber. (Freshwater tank only.) Optimum salt density is 0.5 to 1%. Turn on the air pump. Air bubbles stir the water in the hatching chamber and help dissolve the salt. Place the partition in the hatching chamber. Wait a few minutes until the salt completely dissolves. Add 1-5 spoonfuls, using small sized spoon, brine shrimp eggs (not included) into the hatching chamber. The eggs absorb water and gradually sink into the hatching chamber. After 18-24 hours, you may see hatched shrimp in the hatching chamber. They stay there for a while, then they gradually move into the collection chamber. The shrimp eventually swim out through the fish guard into the aquarium. **The time it takes for the hatched shrimp to complete the trip varies depending on the environmental factors. **Room light only may not be strong enough to lure shrimp out into the aquarium. It is recommended to have an aquarium light fixture. This hatcher can be used continuously. However, in order to maintain optimum water conditions, it is recommended that the salt water be replaced within 10 days of installation. **When you remove the hatcher from the aquarium, make sure to cover the holes in the fish guard so that the salt water in the hatcher does not spill into the aquarium. Wash hatcher using the included brush. Keep water temperature between 77ºF.-83ºF. Brine shrimp will not hatch at a lower temperature.
