# What foods to feed angelfish fry? When do angelfish fry become freeswimming?



## laurahmm (Apr 1, 2010)

Hi there, 

Does anyone have any suggestions aside from newly hatched brine shrimp to feed angelfish fry? 

In terms of newly hatched brine shrimp, does anyone know how long it takes for them to hatch? Trying to see when I have to start hatching them for when my angels start to swim. 

Thanks!


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## Web Wheeler (May 13, 2006)

The time it takes for Angelfish eggs to hatch and for the fry to become free swimming can vary depending on the temperature. At 80F, it takes two days for the fry to hatch and four to five days for them to become free swimming. With experience, you can tell by looking at the amount of yolk left as to when the fry will become free swimming. I would start a small hatch of BBS on the third day after the fry hatch, just in case.

Newly hatched BBS is the best food for Angelfish fry.


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## laurahmm (Apr 1, 2010)

Thanks so much. I better start tonight when I get home then. Today is the third day


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## PanzerFodder (Oct 15, 2010)

Hi found this article on another site.

(post #19 is the one you may want to read)
http://www.angelfish.net/VBulletin/showthread.php?t=22208

Good luck...PanzerFodder...


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## laurahmm (Apr 1, 2010)

Thanks for the useful information 

I've spawn angelfish fry before but it's been a long while and I forget approximately how long it takes...


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## Kerohime (Jan 10, 2011)

back in the wet lab we used seperatory funnels to hatch brine shrimp with a bubbler. The bubbling goes on for 48 hours before we pull the air line out and allow the separation between wiggling baby brine shrimp to fall to the bottom of the funnel while the unhatched/hatched eggs float to the top. you just open the nozzle at the bottom and collect the baby brine shrimp in a brine shrimp net. 

You can also find brine shrimp hatcheries in stores, I dont know how other people do it. You can probably make a DIY hatchery with a plastic bottle.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

At 80 F brine shrimp will hatch in 16 to 24 hours. You want to feed them to the fry as soon after hatching as possible, before they consume their yolk sacs. The brine shrimp yolk sacs are the real food as brine shrimp themselves aren't that nutritious. In a pinch you can use microworms to get the fry started, but in my experience, they aren't as good.


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

I have had zero luck with hatching brine shrimp. I did two different DIY hatchery ideas, neither one worked very well. I feel rather defeated by the whole ordeal. Most likely I have a really large bottle that is a batch of not-very-good-quality eggs. My hatch rate is like 0.01%.

W


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## bluegularis (May 12, 2010)

Sorry to hear about your luck with hatching Brine shrimp eggs.

The only trick here is the quality of the eggs, If they were bought in a store with one of those hatching kits this most likely explains the reason why they are not hatching. 
Brine shrimp eggs should be stored in a fridge and a freezer is even better.
It is hard to get good quality eggs but brands like Brine shrimp Direct or Sanders are usually good eggs.

Many fish clubs have hobbyists that can source good quality eggs and an average 16 oz can, can run from $40-80 dollars, but since you only hatch a teaspoon at a time it can last for months, as long as stored in the freezer.

Another trick is to get the salinity right for hatching 1.025 is usually good and put a light source near the hatcher. At 80F most eggs should hatch in 12-24 hours.

Hope this helps a little in getting your bad luck with hatching BS eggs fixed.

Thanks

John


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## Web Wheeler (May 13, 2006)

I recently opened and used a 1lb. can of Grade 'A' Brine Shrimp Eggs, which I had stored in the freezer for over 3 years. I still got a 90%+ hatch rate.


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## Dis (Apr 16, 2010)

Ive hatched some store bought eggs and everything has worked out well, but how long do they last? Are they still good to use once they have all settled on the bottom? A day or two later?

thanks


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## fishclubgirl (Mar 4, 2010)

I strain mine through a net and usually get 2-3 days out of a hatchery. Feedings start a week after the eggs were laid. I use a diy hatchery from a pop bottle and have been really pleased with a premix of salt and eggs that I get off of aquabid(no kickbacks involved!!) Put in about 2 tablespoons and 24 hours, bbs for my little guys!!! As I have 3 spawning pairs of angels, I usually have some fry...


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

For what it's worth, I have a few cans of very old eggs, that were bought from Angels Plus when they were $8 a pound. They have been in the freezer since I acquired them, and one can has been open for several years. I still get an estimated hatch rate of about 50%, but I decapsulate before hatching. It is really difficult to determine hatch rate by eye, but with decapsulated cysts, you can see the ones that didn't hatch. These, of course, can be eaten by the fry, although they prefer live ones. A good sized angel hatch will consume a pound in about a month to 5 weeks. When I had a large hatch (300 to 400) I would use three hatches daily, each of which was a 2 liter soda bottle. I would float 3 of them in a 5 gal tank and heat the tank to 80F. Decapsulating is worth the slight effort in my experience as you get bacteria free BBS after hatching and the water can actually be reused.


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## laurahmm (Apr 1, 2010)

Hi BillD, 


Can you clarify what you mean by "decapsulate before hatching". How do you do that? 


Laura


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

To decapsulate, I take a small container such as a clear fish food container, fill it one third way with water, and add the cysts I want to decapsulate; usually one teaspoon or less. I allow it to sit for an hour or two with occasional stirring or you can add an air hose and bubble. The purpose of this is to rehydrate the cysts. I then add an equal amount of bleach to the container and stir for 5 minutes. This dissolves the hull on the cysts. I then strain with a brine shrimp net, although you could use something equally fine. The new brine shrimp nets are far too coarse to catch the cysts. I have an old one that is much finer. Then, rinse well, and dip in a bath of water with a little vinegar or dechlor to remove any bleach residue. The cysts are then added to the hatcher, which ideally should be around 80 F.
Because the cysts have been essentially sterilized, the hatch water stays clean and you don't get a buildup of bacteria. There will be no smell to the water after the hatch; I have reused the water up to 3 times. The hatch container needs to be very clean and should be occasionally washed with a bleach solution. By decapsulating, you kill all the bacteria and such that is on the cysts so you get a very clean food, and you will not get hydra, which occasionally can be introduced with BBS. Additionally you will not have to deal with the hulls left after hatching, which can kill fry if eaten. You might be surprised at what the actual hatch rate is, but I think I get a better hatch rate after decapsulating.


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## laurahmm (Apr 1, 2010)

*Does anyone know where to buy good quality Brine Shrimp Egg?*

Thank you! I might try that on my next batch of fry. My brine shrimp batch wasnt that viable either =/ I bought a prepackaged one. I didnt have enough food for my angel fry and they all died =/


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

In a pinch you can use microworms as a food, but I haven't seen the same kind of results as you get with BBS. I also haven't seen the fry take a shine to the unhatched cysts, although many people swear by them.


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