How to Hatch Moina Macrocopa Eggs

Prepare The Necessary Equipment

1. Moina Macrocopa eggs
2. Clear tray or glass jar (0.1 gallons / 0.38 liters) for hatching
3. Aquarium air pump
4. Aquarium air control valve
5. Aquarium thermometer
6. Heat lamp

Water condition

Recommended water source

1. Tap water is an easy and popular choice, as long as it has been treated to remove chlorine and adjusted condition properly.
2. Freshwater from your aquarium
3. Bottled water. It is the most expensive way. The mineral water is not recommended because the mineral level is too high.

Recommended water condition

• Ammonia level is less than 1.5 milligrams per liter.
• pH between 6.0 and 9.0 (pH 7.8 is optimum.)
• Low in salinity (fewer than 8 grams per liter)
• Do not use any chemicals.

Optimize the environment

Place a heat lamp above the tray for hatching. Place a heater inside the tank to keep the water temperature between 77 and 90 °F (25 and 32 °C). Put an aquarium thermometer in the tank to monitor the water temperature. If you live in a place with suitable temperature ranges, the heater may not be needed. If the temperature is low, it will take an additional 3 to 5 days for hatching. Hatching place is important. It is best to hatch inside to prevent invasive species and keep the temperature steady.

Sunlight is good to increase hatching capacity. Let the eggs receive sunlight 3-4 hours per day in the temperature range. Be careful overheating. If sunlight is not available, you can use the lamp instead. The eggs still hatch even though they do not receive sunlight.

Hatching The Moina Eggs

Fill up the water into the tray. Open the capsule carefully to sprinkle the eggs into the water. Make sure that the eggs do not accidentally get stuck on the edge of the tray. Floating or sinking eggs do not affect with hatch rate. After sprinkling the eggs into the water, it will hatch within 3-10 days.

Add oxygen to the water. In the early days, adjust the air control valve to the lowest level because they are very small and may lose control in swimming. Gradually adjust the air control valve to the level that suits the population.

Look closely. newly-hatched are very small and almost invisible to the human eye for the first few days. You can use a flashlight in the dark to confirm the hatching. Shine lights on the water surface and watch the shadows move.

After 3-10 newly-hatched appear, that means the eggs begin to hatch. Then transfer them and eggs to the tank for culture by pouring the hatching tray into the tank and adding the water.

If The Eggs Don’t Hatch

If the eggs do not hatch within 10 days, dry the eggs by pouring them into an aquarium fishnet and wait for 2-3 days. After the eggs dried, start the hatching process again.

When you finish this article, I suggest reading How to Culture Moina Macrocopa.