Adult Brine Shrimp

[clintjj]

Adult artemia are 20 times longer and 500 times heavier than nauplii and therefore provide more of a meal. There is a myth floating around that adult artemia are not as good for your fish as newly hatched. There is a tiny bit of truth to this, but it depends on what you are feeding. So what's in it for your fish: Newly hatched artemia are high in fats, about 23% of dry weight. By mid juvenile stage, the fat levels have decreased to about 16 %, and by the time they are pre-adults the fat levels have decreased to about 7%. But, at the same time, the protein content has risen to replace the fat, from about 45% in a newly hatched artemia to about 63% in an adult. Based on this, you should determine what is best for your tank, young fish larvae require a high fat intake for growth and health, while older juveniles and adults need protein for health and reproduction. Also, nauplii are known to be deficient in several essential amino acids, while the adult artemia are rich in all essential amino acids. Adult artemia therefore supply more biomass than nauplii and are more nutritionally complete.
Artemia FAQ 2.0
by Kai Schumann (KS@Lilly.com)
Hope no ones feeling get hurt.

 

[hot883]

Nice article, but does me no good. facts are facts and when fish die eating brine then there is an eye opener.

 

[clintjj]

as I said before you eat just french fries and see how long you live! They are a good treat and do supply vitimans and hufas.

 

[bang guy]

There are the grey, healthy, well fed Brine Shrimp and then there are the red/pink starving Brine Shrimp you typically find in stores.
From my experience Adult Brine Shrimp are like a cereal box. If you fill them with healthy nutritious food and feed them right away then they make a good food. If you don't feed them or feed them junk then they're not nutritious. They will eat anything that is the right size, powdered eggs, SelCon, Microalgae, etc.
If you feed starving Brine Shrimp then the nutritional value is mostly absent.

 

[clintjj]

Good point bang guy. I guess I should state that I raise and feed my adult brine shrimp green water, rotirich and selcon. And not at the same time. Know you food and where you get it.

 

[bang guy]

The way I see it you and Hot were talking Apples & Apple Pits. You're discussing the Artemia that you know are well fed and he's discussing what's commercially available.

 

[hot883]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
The way I see it you and Hot were talking Apples & Apple Pits. You're discussing the Artemia that you know are well fed and he's discussing what's commercially available.
I guess you are right Bang. I also know that the average aquarist that comes here for assistance can take the wrong impression on advice given. The average hobbiest that comes here think that brine is awesome because thats what the LFS shows them that the fish they are interested in does eat. I state my facts as in an educated aquarist, certainly not the an expert by far.
Things need to be carefully worded on here because new people on here are now confused about the brine being good WHEN THEY ARE CLEARLY NOT meaning the ones obtained locally are not good as a sustained food source and I would even argue their value as a treat. What are we teaching our fish tricks now?

Then again treats to fish are like additives to the tank. WORTHLESS unless you know what you are doing.