Live Artemia Biomass Recipe

Live Artemia Biomass Production — Hatch & Enrichment

1. 1

   Prepare Hatch Saline

   Sanitize the culture container if needed by rinsing with clean water. Dissolve 30 g of non-iodized salt into 15 L of dechlorinated freshwater in the culture container to achieve roughly 20 g/L (approximately 20 ppt). Stir until fully dissolved. Check temperature (target 25–28°C) and pH (target 8.0–8.5); adjust if necessary.

2. 2

   Set Up Aeration and Lighting

   Install the air diffuser near the bottom of the container and connect the air pump. Provide gentle but continuous aeration to keep cysts and nauplii suspended without causing violent turbulence. Position a continuous light source above the container to provide 2000–4000 lux; Artemia are positively phototactic and will congregate near the light, aiding harvest.

3. 3

   Hydrate and Decapsulate Cysts (Optional)

   If using untreated cysts and decapsulation is desired for faster, cleaner hatch and lower bacterial load, follow decapsulation protocol: hydrate 60 g of cysts in freshwater for 1 hour, then treat with household bleach under controlled conditions (use appropriate PPE and follow a validated protocol). Rinse thoroughly to remove bleach residue. If not decapsulating, proceed to step: add cysts directly.

4. 4

   Inoculate with Cysts

   Evenly distribute 60 g of Artemia cysts into the aerated saline. Maintain temperature at 25–28°C, continuous illumination, and steady aeration. Expect hatching to begin at 18–24 hours and peak between 24–36 hours depending on strain and temperature.

5. 5

   Monitor Hatch Progress

   Check every 6–8 hours. Hatch success is indicated by emergence of free-swimming nauplii and empty cyst shells (capsules) floating. Use the thermometer and pH meter to ensure conditions remain stable. Adjust aeration or temperature as needed.

6. 6

   Separate Nauplii from Unhatched Cysts and Shells

   When hatch rate is optimal (typically 24–36 hours), turn off aeration and darken the room for 15–20 minutes to allow nauplii to swim toward the lit area (phototaxis). Gently siphon or pour the concentrated nauplii into the transfer container, passing them through the fine mesh sieve (150–200 µm) to remove shells and unhatched cysts. Rinse gently with hatch saline to retain Artemia on the mesh.

7. 7

   Rinse and Transfer to Enrichment Container

   Transfer collected nauplii into the clean culture container or a smaller enrichment vessel filled with 2–4 L of fresh saline (same salinity and temperature). Provide gentle aeration and continuous light to keep them suspended and feeding.

8. 8

   Feed and Grow to Biomass

   Begin feeding immediately with 15 g of algae paste (e.g., Spirulina paste) dispersed in the water or an equivalent powdered microalgae feed. Feed small, frequent amounts so the water stays slightly green/cloudy but not overpolluted. Maintain temperature at 25–28°C and gentle aeration. Over 48–72 hours the nauplii will grow into juvenile/adult stages and biomass will increase. Monitor water clarity and dissolve oxygen (via observation) and do partial water changes (10–20%) if ammonia accumulates.

9. 9

   Optional Enrichment with HUFA

   To improve nutritional quality, enrich the concentrated Artemia 12–24 hours before harvest: stop feeding particulate algae for a few hours, then add 10 ml of enrichment oil (HUFA-rich) emulsified in a small amount of the culture water. Provide gentle aeration and allow Artemia to feed on the oil suspension for 6–24 hours depending on target enrichment level.

10. 10

    Concentrate to 1 kg Live Biomass

    Estimate biomass by wet weight: to obtain approximately 1 kg of live Artemia, concentrate the culture by gentle sedimentation or sieving. Turn off aeration and allow Artemia to gather near the light; draw off the concentrated layer into the sieve, rinse lightly with saline, and combine into the clean storage container. Remove excess water to achieve about 1 kg total wet weight. Keep them in cool (not cold) conditions (20–22°C) and low light.

11. 11

    Final Rinse and Storage

    Perform a final gentle rinse with clean saline to remove debris. Transfer the 1 kg live Artemia biomass into an opaque or low-light storage container with minimal aeration to maintain oxygen for short-term storage (<=24 hours). If storing longer, perform small water exchanges and maintain gentle aeration at 20–22°C.

12. 12

    Record-Keeping and Safety

    Label the container with date/time, strain of Artemia, and enrichment status. Dispose of waste brine and shells responsibly. Clean and sanitize equipment after use. If decapsulation was performed, follow safe chemical disposal procedures.