Hey fish keepers! I’m David, an aquarium enthusiast with over 15 years of experience raising brine shrimp. Today I’m gonna share everything you need to know about feeding these amazing little creatures. Whether you’re breeding them as live food or keeping them as pets proper nutrition is key to success!
Quick Answer
Feed brine shrimp a varied diet of:
- Algae (spirulina, chlorella)
- Yeast
- Commercial brine shrimp food
- Egg yolk (sparingly)
- Liquid fry food
Feed 1-2 times daily in small amounts. Avoid overfeeding!
Understanding Brine Shrimp Basics
Before we dive into their diet let’s quickly cover what these little guys are
- Small crustaceans (like tiny shrimp)
- Filter feeders that eat microscopic particles
- Live in saltwater environments
- Short lifespan of 2-3 months
- Popular as fish food and easy to breed
Natural Diet in the Wild
In their natural habitat, brine shrimp mainly eat:
- Microalgae
- Phytoplankton
- Zooplankton
- Organic detritus
Best Foods for Captive Brine Shrimp
1. Algae-Based Foods
The absolute best food for brine shrimp! I’ve had great success with
- Spirulina powder
- Chlorella powder
- Marine algae paste
2. Yeast
A cheap and effective option:
- Baker’s yeast
- Nutritional yeast
- Marine yeast
3. Commercial Foods
Many good options available:
- Specialized brine shrimp food
- Liquid fry food
- Powdered fish food
4. DIY Food Options
For the budget-conscious:
- Hard-boiled egg yolk (use tiny amounts)
- Green water culture
- Homemade algae paste
Feeding Schedule
Here’s what works best in my experience:
Baby Brine Shrimp (0-5 days)
- Feed 2-3 times daily
- Very small amounts
- Focus on fine powder foods
Juvenile Brine Shrimp (5-14 days)
- Feed 2 times daily
- Slightly larger amounts
- Mix of powder and liquid foods
Adult Brine Shrimp (14+ days)
- Feed 1-2 times daily
- Regular portions
- Varied diet rotation
Pro Tips for Feeding Success
-
Start Small: Better to underfeed than overfeed! You can always add more.
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Watch the Water: Clear water = good feeding amount. Cloudy water = overfeeding.
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Mix it Up: Don’t rely on just one food type. Variety = better nutrition.
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Temperature Matters: Warmer water (77-86°F) = faster metabolism = more frequent feeding needed.
-
Check Water Quality: Bad water = unhealthy shrimp, no matter how good the food!
Common Feeding Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Overfeeding (most common newbie mistake!)
❌ Using only one type of food
❌ Feeding large particles they can’t eat
❌ Irregular feeding schedule
❌ Not removing uneaten food
Signs of Good/Poor Feeding
Good Signs:
- Active swimming
- Clear water
- Good growth
- Regular molting
- Successful breeding
Bad Signs:
- Lazy swimming
- Cloudy water
- Slow growth
- Death/floating shrimp
- No reproduction
My Personal Feeding Recipe
Here’s what works great for me:
Morning Feed:
- Pinch of spirulina powder
- Tiny bit of yeast
Evening Feed:
- Commercial brine shrimp food
- Liquid fry food (alternate days)
Equipment Needed for Feeding
Basic stuff you’ll need:
- Small measuring spoons
- Feeding pipette
- Food storage containers
- Turkey baster (for cleanup)
- Water test kit
Feeding brine shrimp ain’t rocket science, but it does need some attention to detail! Start with these basics and adjust based on your observation. Remember – healthy food = healthy shrimp = happy fish!
Quick Checklist:
- ✅ Feed small amounts frequently
- ✅ Use varied diet
- ✅ Monitor water quality
- ✅ Remove uneaten food
- ✅ Adjust based on results
Got questions about feeding your brine shrimp? Drop ’em in the comments below! I’m always happy to help fellow aquarists succeed. Happy breeding!
Would you like me to explain or break down any part of this article in more detail?
Benefits to Your Tank
Most people would agree that it is much easier to feed your saltwater fish flakes or pellets instead of live brine shrimp, copepods, amphipods or even frozen food. While dry food has its advantages, it is beneficial to feed your fish a varied diet. Imagine eating only potatoes to get you through each day. While you would survive, you would not be entirely healthy for long. It is the same for the fish in your aquarium; they can survive off of dry food, but they are not as healthy as they could possibly be. Hobbyist avoid feeding live food most likely because it is not as easy to use as dry food, too expensive, or they doubt that it has real positive effects on their tank. If you have been in this hobby for much time, you would have heard the phrase, “you get out what you put in.” This applies to feeding, too.
If you feed your fish well, they will live long with amazing vibrant colors. Otherwise, they will just survive until their shortened lives end. Feeding your fish different varieties of food will promote better coloration and a longer life. As saltwater aquarists, our main goal is to replicate the natural environment of the ocean as accurately as possible in our reef tanks. In natural reefs, fish do not get fed flake food or frozen food. They hunt and eat live organism enriched by nutrients from the natural environments. Why would we not at least attempt to do the same in our aquariums? By feeding live food, you are more accurately replicating the ocean environment from which they naturally live in. Another popular reason for feeding live brine is to meet the needs of finicky fish. Fish such as dragonets, butterflies or anthias are all fishes that are known to be difficult to keep successfully because of their dietary needs. Live food can be used to train these fishes to start eating a certain kind of food (such as frozen). You could also regularly feed live food which would be best for the fish but not required. While most people feed copepods, brine shrimp are also a great option. They are just as useful as rotifers and copepods for food. The downside is that they cannot reproduce or even last more than an hour in a reef tank that is fully stocked.
Copepods are not big enough to feed many aquarium fishes. On the other hand, brine shrimp can be eaten by most or all of the fish in your reef tank.
Live or Frozen Food?
Why is live brine better than frozen brine? It is simply because frozen food in general lacks some nutrients. It may have less than dry food. Some aquarist fix this by soaking the food in food enhancers and dietary supplements. The problem with this is that it is even more unnatural. It could also be more expensive and involve more work. It seems live food is the way to go.
What food to feed brine shrimp
FAQ
What is the food for brine shrimp?
Wild brine shrimp eat microscopic planktonic algae. Cultured brine shrimp can also be fed particulate foods including yeast, wheat flour, soybean powder or egg yolk.
Do I need to feed my brine shrimp?
Feeding Your Brine Shrimp
Over time, you will know how much and how often to add food to the container. As you add more and more shrimp to your grow-out container (from the daily hatchings), you will need to feed more food, more often.
Can I feed flour to brine shrimp?
Brine shrimps are non-selective filter feeders and can be fed a wide range of foods, including but not limited to Liquidfry brand or similar fry food, yeast, whey, wheat flour, soybean powder, fish meal and egg yolk.
What do brine shrimp eat?
Live, newly hatched brine shrimp can serve as a staple diet, though it should be supplemented with other foods several times a week to ensure a balanced diet. Insects, such as flour or grain beetles and fruit flies, are excellent for their diet and closely replicate what they eat in the wild.
Can you feed brine shrimp to a large fish?
Feeding live foods to fish has many benefits. Pet stores do not usually stock live brine shrimp, with the closest brine shrimp size suitable for a larger fish being frozen or freeze-dried. In this article, we will provide you with everything you need to know when it comes to raising brine shrimp and feeding it to your larger fish.
Can you feed baby brine shrimp?
Once the fry have consumed their yolk sack and are free swimming, you can feed them commercial fry food for egg layers or infusora rich water. Never feed young fry live baby brine shrimp. Make sure the brine shrimp are dead so they cannot harm the fry.