What do Brine Shrimp Eat?
Brine shrimp – the food your fish eats. If you want to grow brine shrimp as live food for your guppies, you need to know how to grow the shrimp. In the wild, these packs of protein eat tiny planktonic algae that they get from the water. As for living in captivity, brine shrimp has a diversified diet. You can feed them several things, as you’ll see in the paragraphs below!
What to Feed Your Brine Shrimp?
In short, brine shrimp can eat the following foods:
- Egg yolks
- Soybean powder
- Yeast
- Powdered spirulina algae
- Anything small enough that is nutritious
Brine shrimp isn’t too picky with its food. It’ll eat anything that they can get their tiny grabbers on. As long as it’s small enough, not poisonous, and nutritious, the shrimp will eat it. Make sure to crumble any food you offer them. If the pieces are too large, the shrimp won’t be able to eat them.
During the first moments of life, the brine shrimp will start eating the egg yolk that they hatched from. This will last them around 24 hours, after which you’ll have to feed them. However, this is the moment when they’re most nutritious to fish. After they eat the egg yolk, their fat content rises a lot.
You can also feed them green water algae and Infusoria. However, you should pay attention to the types of green water algae you offer to the shrimp. Some algae species are indigestible. It’s better to stick to egg yolks, yeast, soybean powder, powdered spirulina algae, and fish meal.
How Often do Brine Shrimp Need to Eat?
Brine shrimp should eat daily. Theoretically, these tiny nuggets can eat on a 24/7 basis because they’re filter feeders. However, don’t put too much food in their container because it may cause the water parameters to go out of sync. Feed them once a day with some egg yolk or spirulina powder, and that should be enough.
However, make sure all the food you give to them is powdered accordingly. The particle size of the food is much more important than the food itself. As long as it’s nutritious, the brine shrimp will eat it. Some people feed the shrimp less often due to the surplus of food in their container.
How Long Can Brine Shrimp Go Without Food?
Brine shrimp can live without food for 1-3 days after they eat their egg yolk. If you leave them any longer without food, they’ll die. All your efforts will have gone to waste if the shrimp die. Make sure you feed them daily with small bits of food. It’s great to make a habit of offering food daily.
If you know you’ll miss a day, put more food in their tank so the surplus is enough for the next day. When you come back, make sure you check the water parameters, though. The extra food may have sent them out of whack.
Do Brine Shrimp Eat Algae?
Yes, they do. In the wild, brine shrimp eats microscopic planktonic algae. When in captivity, they can still eat algae but it’s a hit and miss. Some algae are indigestible to them, so you should do some research beforehand. If you find the right algae, your brine shrimp will have a great time. They’ll grow fast and healthy in a couple of weeks.
Conclusion
Brine shrimp likes any nutritious food that’s particle-sized. If the food is too large for them, they can’t eat it. You can feed them with egg yolk, yeast, soybean powder, powdered spirulina algae, and even fish meal. You should try to feed your brine shrimp daily because they’re one of the best sources of live food for fish!
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