Technical guide
Artemia incubation protocol
The parameters our laboratory uses for batch testing — replicate them and your hatch results should match the certificate of analysis.
Target parameters
Optimal incubation window
| Parameter | Specification | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 28.0°C - 29.0°C (82.4°F - 84.2°F) | Lower temps slow hatching down past 30h; temps >31°C denature enzymes. |
| Salinity | 28 - 32 ppt | Non-iodized marine rock salt or filtered clean seawater |
| Cyst density | 1.5 - 2.0 g/L | 1.75 g/L |
| pH | 8.0 - 8.5 | Sodium Bicarbonate (NaHCO3) 1-2 g/L if pH drops |
| Dissolved oxygen | > 5.0 mg/L | Vigorous continuous bubbling from bottom vertex of conical tank to maintain uniform suspension |
| Illumination | 1,500 - 2,000 Lux | Continuous light during first 2 hours (phototactic activation) |
| Incubation time | 20 - 24 hours | 18 |
Step by step
A 24-hour hatching cycle
Follow the sequence in order; most hatch-rate complaints trace back to temperature drift, overloading or delayed harvest.
- 1
Prepare the incubation water
Fill a conical vessel with filtered seawater or non-iodized marine salt solution at 28–32 ppt. Bring it to 28–29 °C and aerate before adding cysts.
- 2
Stock the cysts
Add 1.5–2.0 g of cysts per litre. Overloading depresses dissolved oxygen and drops hatch rate even with premium grades.
- 3
Aerate from the bottom vertex
Keep vigorous, continuous bubbling so no cyst settles. Target above 5.0 mg/L dissolved oxygen for the full cycle.
- 4
Light activation
Apply 1,500–2,000 lux for at least the first two hours to trigger phototactic activation of the embryo.
- 5
Hold pH and temperature
Buffer with 1–2 g/L sodium bicarbonate if pH falls below 8.0. Never exceed 31 °C — hatching enzymes denature.
- 6
Harvest at 20–24 hours
Stop aeration, let shells float and unhatched cysts settle, then siphon nauplii from the mid-column through a 120-micron screen.
- 7
Rinse and feed
Rinse harvested nauplii with clean seawater to remove hatching waste, then feed within 4–6 hours while energy reserves are highest (instar I).
Feeding reference
Nauplii demand by species and stage
Baseline feeding rates our technical desk uses when sizing a hatchery programme. Adjust to your own survival and growth data.
| Species | Stage | Nauplii / larva / day |
|---|---|---|
| Litopenaeus vannamei (Pacific white shrimp) | PL1 – PL12 | 35 |
| Penaeus monodon (Black tiger shrimp) | Mysis – PL10 | 45 |
| Dicentrarchus labrax (European seabass) | Day 12 – 28 fry | 90 |
| Sparus aurata (Gilthead sea bream) | Day 14 – 30 fry | 80 |
| Acipenser spp. (Sturgeon) | First feeding larvae | 120 |
| Ornamental & discus fry | Free-swimming fry | 60 |