Instructions: The Hatchery Dish provides the aquarium hobbyist with a simple, effective way to harvest and directly feed clean (i.e. without shell) quantities of newly-hatched, live baby brine shrimp (nauplii).
Required: Use 30-35 PSU ASW. No aerator is required with the Dish. Because of the shallow depth of the water, there is sufficient oxygen exchange at the water surface.
Set up Hatchery: Place the bottom portion or basin of the Hatchery Dish in a warm area with lighting where it can be left undisturbed for 24 hours. Fill Dish with 30-35 PSU ASW to the fill-line indicated on the inside of basin. Place concentric white ring divider in center of Dish, notches down. Place mesh cup in center of Dish. Using the small spoon included with Dish, sprinkle one to two heaping spoonfuls of brine shrimp eggs (Artemia cysts) on top of the water around the outermost area of the ring divider. Do not stir the eggs into the water. Carefully place lid on Dish. Position lid so that the mark (arrow) on lid is in the “closed” position. Position an LED light over the central opening, and let stand for 24-28 hours. Depending upon the room temperature, the brine shrimp should begin hatching in about 24 hours.
Harvest: Nauplii are phototactic. As the brine shrimp begin to hatch, the nauplii will swim to the light in the center of the Dish. You can extract the nauplii from the Dish as they accumulate in the mesh sieve. It is common to harvest multiple times from the Dish in a 48-hour period.
Clean: When the supply of nauplii appears to be exhausted, dump the shell and remaining un-hatched egg and clean Dish with hot water. Periodically use a light chlorine solution to disinfect the Dish and other parts.