Do you use bleach when hatching baby brine shrimp?

[Allan B.]

I started hatching baby brine shrimp last month. While researching the hatching process, I found a source that recommended adding 3 drops of unscented bleach to hatchery after adding the eggs. The author argues that this will eliminate any potential contaminates the eggs may be carrying, and that the bleach will evaporate before the shrimp hatch.

Do you use bleach when hatching your BBS?

[Fish Folk]

On 12/8/2021 at 10:22 PM, Allan B. said:

I started hatching baby brine shrimp last month. While researching the hatching process, I found a source that recommended adding 3 drops of unscented bleach to hatchery after adding the eggs. The author argues that this will eliminate any potential contaminates the eggs may be carrying, and that the bleach will evaporate before the shrimp hatch.

Do you use bleach when hatching your BBS?

No. I do not. I've never heard this idea. Did your source specify exactly what "potential contaminates" the eggs may be carrying? I'd strongly caution against doing this. I've been hatching shrimp in the same DIY 1-liter bottles for years now. I'd argue my fish do fine. 

[Fonske]

No. I use water straight from the tap, salt and baking soda. 

[Allan B.]

@Fish Folk
From an article in Tropical Fish Magazine:

“Now both of us do something that most people don’t do. We add three drops of plain, unscented chlorine bleach. In the wild, mats or rafts of floating brine shrimp eggs can become rather nasty before harvest—they serve as a home to many types of bacteria and larger critters that can be harmful in our aquaria. Our friend and mentor Rosario LaCorte mentioned that he started adding the bleach to help lower some of the potential biological load that comes along with the brine shrimp eggs, and to kill any nasty hitchhikers that might be on the outer casing of the cysts. Even with the best processing methods, some undesirable critters can get through. The drops of bleach kill anything on the outside of the eggs without wasting the time of completely decapsulating the eggs.”

“Without the chlorine, when hatching larger quantities of eggs, you might notice that the eggs get scummy and may even start to clump together because of the bacteria. The chlorine evaporates fairly quickly with all of the bubbling of the eggs, so it’s not around to harm the brine shrimp when they hatch.”

Edited December 9, 2021 by Allan B.

[Fish Folk]

On 12/8/2021 at 10:37 PM, Allan B. said:

@Fish Folk
From an article in Tropical Fish Magazine:

“Now both of us do something that most people don’t do. We add three drops of plain, unscented chlorine bleach. In the wild, mats or rafts of floating brine shrimp eggs can become rather nasty before harvest—they serve as a home to many types of bacteria and larger critters that can be harmful in our aquaria. Our friend and mentor Rosario LaCorte mentioned that he started adding the bleach to help lower some of the potential biological load that comes along with the brine shrimp eggs, and to kill any nasty hitchhikers that might be on the outer casing of the cysts. Even with the best processing methods, some undesirable critters can get through. The drops of bleach kill anything on the outside of the eggs without wasting the time of completely decapsulating the eggs.”

“Without the chlorine, when hatching larger quantities of eggs, you might notice that the eggs get scummy and may even start to clump together because of the bacteria. The chlorine evaporates fairly quickly with all of the bubbling of the eggs, so it’s not around to harm the brine shrimp when they hatch.”

I guess you'd have to think through where your brine shrimp cysts are sourced from. It's an interesting concept, but I'm probably too shy to try it out.

If you've never hatched BBS before, maybe just get that down pat before trying this.

But hey! If you're the adventurous sort, then adventure away!

[Struggle]

I do not use bleach.

[Allan B.]

On 12/8/2021 at 7:43 PM, Fish Folk said:

I guess you'd have to think through where your brine shrimp cysts are sourced from. It's an interesting concept, but I'm probably too shy to try it out.

If you've never hatched BBS before, maybe just get that down pat before trying this.

But hey! If you're the adventurous sort, then adventure away!

Lol, I’m generally not adventurous enough to put bleach on anything that goes in my tanks, but I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t endangering my livestock by skipping the bleach. Thanks for the advice!

[Fonske]

I've seen "scummy" and "clumping together" eggs when

1) eggs were stored at room temperature for several months (open container, i.e. used for daily hatching)

2) amount of eggs per water volume was more than twice of the recommended amount (inevitably resulted in nasty looking brine and decreased hatching rate)

3) the hatchery wasn't cleaned properly.

No harm to fish though, rinsing the baby shrimp got rid of any dirt/bacteria. 

[Guppysnail]

No. I use straight tap water which mine does have chlorine in. I suppose that does the same. My fish and tanks are fine. I rinse after hatch before feeding. I would be to fearful to to try it. 

[lefty o]

im pretty much anti bleach for anything that may ever come in contact with my aquarium. like above, my tap water has a miniscule amount of chlorine in it, but there's no way im adding to that.

[HH Morant]

Uh, No, 

No bleach

[Bjorn]

I thought one of the benefits of using brine shrimp was that diseases are not likely to be compatible. Meaning nasty critters that would be found in marine environments wouldn't survive in freshwater aquariums?

Personally, I would feel safer adding additional chlorine rather than bleach just because I know I can test it with a strip.

[Jeff]

No bleach here. I use the Co-Op method: tap water, aquarium salt, Co-Op brine shrimp eggs. That's it.

This is the way (Mandalorian voice)

[Patrick_G]

No bleach for me. It’s hard for me to imagine what microbes might be living on dried and frozen brine shrimp eggs. (I keep mine in the freezer) I’m open to learning but it seems like the risk is small.