Nutrition in brine shrimp

[leafyseadragon]

I have read in numerous places that brine shrimp are nutritionally equivalent to potato chips without spiking them with vitamins. But I remember a thread (which I can't find) saying that newly hatched brine shrimp are not like this.

So what I am wondering is how big brine shrimp have to be, or how long from hatching until they reach "potato chip" status. Mine are really tiny now (only a few days old), and I'd like to let the grow some before becoming fish food. But if they will lose their nutritional value soon, I will dump them into the tank.

 

[stoneydee]

From what I've read, the "potato chip" comparison is for frozen brine shrimp. I believe the live ones are pretty good nutrition.

 

[Sati]

I don't understand how freezing them would make any significant difference to their nutritional value though...

 

[reefrunner69]

From what I've read, the "potato chip" comparison is for frozen brine shrimp. I believe the live ones are pretty good nutrition.

You can increase the nutrition of live brine by feeding them enriched foods, kinda gut loading them, but the shrimp are not nutritious, frozen or live, unless fortified.

 

[Sati]

Now that makes sense. I give frozen Hikari BS to my fish. I just don't do it daily.

 

[tundar]

My LFS sells frozen brine shrimp with sprulina in it. Don't know much about it but it was the only type of frozen brine shrimp the LFS recommended for my marine fish.

Hope this helps.