Brine shrimp are small, tiny shrimp that live in salty “brine” water. They are also the type of animals that are marketed to children as pets under the name “Sea Monkeys.” Aquarium owners and fish hobbyists like brine shrimp because they’re high in protein and make great live food for fish. Kids like them as pets because they’re unique, fun and very low-maintenance. Regardless of your reason to hatch and grow brine shrimp or Sea Monkeys, one thing is true: It’s easier to raise brine shrimp on your own than to buy them in an aquarium shop or pet store.
How to Hatch, Grow and Raise Brine Shrimp or Sea Monkeys:
You need a couple things before we start to hatch the brine shrimp or Sea Monkeys. First, you need a large plastic soda bottle, such as the 2-liter plastic bottles that Coke or Pepsi come in. You’ll also need brine shrimp eggs, which can be cheaply purchased at a pet shop. Finally, you’ll need clean, non-chlorinated water (from your tap is fine, as long as it’s not chlorinated!) and aquarium salt (do not use table salt, it isn’t pure enough!).
You will also need a small, cheap air pump with an attached air stone (the sort that let out little bubbles of air into the water). Smaller is better.
Step 1 of Raising Brine Shrimp: Preparing to Hatch Your Brine Shrimp/Sea Monkeys:
Get that plastic bottle and wash it out. Make sure it’s clean and has no soda or soap residue. Cut it in half. Take the top part (with the cap screwed on) and slide it into the bottom half so that the inside of the whole contraption is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom.
Cut the base off of a soft drink bottle about 1/3 of the way up, this will become the base of your hatchery. With the lid screwed onto the top half, place it upside-down in the base.
Fill with clean, non-chlorinated water. Mix two tablespoons of aquarium salt into the water and mix until dissolved. Plug the air pump in and place the air stone into the water at the narrow bottom of the bottle.
Let the whole thing sit for about an hour with the air pump on. This will oxygenate the salty water in your bottle.
Step 2 of Growing Brine Shrimp: Hatching Brine Shrimp/Hatching Sea Monkeys:
Put your makeshift aquarium in a warm place and pour in half of a teaspoon of brine shrimp eggs. These brine shrimp or Sea Monkey eggs will start to hatch in a day.
Step 3 of Growing Brine Shrimp: Caring for Newly Hatched Brine Shrimp/Sea Monkeys:
After 24 hours, your newly hatched brine shrimp or Sea Monkeys will be hungry! I like to feed my brine shrimp yeast. You want to give them very small food particles. Make sure you don’t overfeed your brine shrimp: I did that once and my water turned cloudy and gross. Simply sprinkle minute amounts of yeast or flour into the water and your brine shrimp will eat them.
Your brine shrimp or Sea Monkeys will become adults after a couple of weeks. You can grow them as big as you want.
When to feed brine shrimp to fish:
Newly hatched brine shrimp are small enough to feed to baby fish.
Adult brine shrimp are big enough to feed to adult aquarium fish.
To catch your brine shrimp, shine a light on the water. They will collect near the light and you can use a fine cloth or a little scooper to take them out of the salt water.
