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6. Experiments
Now that you’re familiar with your microscope’s functions and how to prepare slides, you can complete
the following experiments and observe the results under your microscope.
6.1. How do You Raise Brine Shrimp?
Accessories:
1. Shrimp eggs
2. Sea salt,
3. Hatchery,
4. Yeast.
The Life Cycle of Brine Shrimp
Brine shrimp, or “Artemia salina,” as they are called by scientists, have an unusual and interesting life cycle.
The eggs produced by the female are hatched without ever being fertilized by a male shrimp. The shrimp
that hatch from these eggs are all females. In unusual circumstances, e.g. when the marsh dries up, the
male shrimp can hatch. These males fertilize the eggs of the females and from this mating, special eggs
come about. These eggs, so-called “winter eggs,” have a thick shell, which protects them. The winter eggs
are very resistant and capable of survival if the marsh or lake dries out, killing off the entire shrimp popu-
lation. They can persist for 5-10 years in a “sleep” status. The eggs hatch when the proper environmental
conditions are reproduced. These are the type of eggs you have in your microscope set.
The Incubation of the Brine Shrimp
In order to incubate the shrimp, you first need to create a salt solution that corresponds to the living con-
ditions of the shrimp. For this, put a half liter of rain or tap water in a container. Let the water sit for approx.
30 hours. Since the water evaporates over time, it is advisable to fill a second container with water and let
it sit for 36 hours. After the water has sat stagnant for this period of time, add half of the included sea salt
to the container and stir it until all of the salt is dissolved. Now, put a few eggs in the container and cover it
with a dish. Place the glass container in a bright location, but don’t put it in direct sunlight. Since you have
a hatchery, you cal also add the salt solution along with a few eggs to each of the four compartments of the
tank. The temperature should be around 25º. At this temperature, the shrimps will hatch in about 2-3 days.
If the water in the glass evaporates, add some water from the second container.
The Brine Shrimp under the Microscope
The animal that hatches from the egg is known by the name “nauplius larva.” With the help of a pipette,
you can place a few of these larvae on a glass slide and observe them. The larvae will move around in
the salt water by using their hair-like appendages. Take a few larvae from the container each day and
observe them under the microscope. In case you’ve hatched the larvae in a hatchery, simply take off
the cover of the tank and place the tank on the stage. Depending on the room temperature, the larvae
will be mature in 6-10 weeks. Soon, you will have had raised a whole generation of brine shrimp, which
will constantly grow in numbers.
Feeding your Brine Shrimp
In order to keep the brine shrimp alive, they must be fed from time to time, of course. This must be done
carefully, since overfeeding can make the water become foul and poison our shrimp population. The
feeding is done with dry yeast in powdered form. A little bit of this yeast every second day is enough. If