TECHNICIAN’S GUIDE: TEMPERATURE
Technician’s guide
Introduction
Brine shrimp are small invertebrates that live in salt lakes and ponds. They
are arthropods, and have a diet of algae and bacteria. The most common
species are Artemia fransiscana , and these can be purchased easily in pet
shops, etc, but have also been made available through the Wellcome Trust’s
Survival Rivals, and SSERC CPD courses.
In preparing for any of the following activities, classes will need a supply of
the egg cysts, sea salt, a tank or empty plastic bottle s, sand and shells, plant
fertiliser (for example Baby Bio), algae, hand lenses, a light source and
dechlorinated water.
Ideally, the algae should be set up first and allowed to grow on a sunny
windowsill or under light. Egg cysts take up to 48 hours to hatch, but require
a source of food (the algae) after this time. On hatching, the larvae can be
transferred to a tank or plastic bottles. These should be set up with 3% salt
and dechlorinated water, with a sand and crushed shell base 3 cm deep, and
kept at temperatures of between 22 and 30°C. To maintain this temperature,
the brine shrimp will need an artificial light source, such as a propagator or
lamp. At 28°C, larvae will be sexually mature in 2 weeks. The sex of the
brine shrimp may be determined after approximately 3 weeks.
The hatched brine shrimp should be fed every day with, for example, algae
(please see SSERC care instructions at http://www.science318.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5840%3Abrilliant brine-shrimps-sserc&catid=438%3Ascn-4-01a-understanding-dependenceand-survival&Itemid=2209&showall=1).
Some adult brine shrimp and algae die and decompose. Other algae will take
up these nutrients and produce oxygen. The living brine shrimp will feed on
the algae and release carbon dioxide, which the algae need to
photosynthesise. Gently rotate the bottles or stir the tank once a week to
ensure the nutrients can be recycled in this way.
TEMPERATURE (H, BIOLOGY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2011
1
TECHNICIAN’S GUIDE: TEMPERATURE
The tank or bottles should be cleaned after a few months (please see care
instructions at http://www.science318.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5840%3Abrill iantbrine-shrimps-sserc&catid=438%3Ascn-4-01a-understanding-dependenceand-survival&Itemid=2209&showall=1).
During long holiday periods, or when a class is finished with a set of the
shrimp, the water can be left to evaporate. To restart the population, add
water again and the eggs will hatch once more.
Sample results are provided to allow student data to be monitored.
Part 1: The effect of temperature on hatching
Brine shrimp egg cysts can be incubated at different temperatures and the
number of larvae that hatch can be counted for each temperature.
Experiment
Each temperature set-up requires:
 100 cm 3 deionised water (tap water can be used but must be left out for 48
hours to dechlorinate)
 3 g sea salt
 brine shrimp egg cysts
 beaker
 watch glass
 label
 stirrer
 thermometer
 tweezers
 seeker
 water bath (or fridge)
 lamp
 hand lens.
A 5°C beaker can be set up easily in the fridge, 20 °C is usually room
temperature and then water baths can be set up at 25, 30, 35 and 40 °C, etc.
Larvae can be counted after 24–48 hours. After this time, larvae can be
transferred to a tank or bottle.
2
TEMPERATURE (H, BIOLOGY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2011
TECHNICIAN’S GUIDE: TEMPERATURE
Identifying male and female brine shrimp
If the Artemia are allowed to develop in tanks/bottles, then their sex can be
identified after 2–3 weeks.
Brine Shrimp Ecology (M. Dockery and S. Tomkins) from
http://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/educational/brine_shrimp/index.php .
Counting larvae
When carrying out this experiment, students will need to check and count the
number of larvae that hatch. To do this, cut the end off a large dropper (cut
off the top 1 cm3 ), and use this to remove samples of the shrimp into small
beakers. Hand lenses can be used to count the number of Artemia larvae.
Each temperature set-up requires:
 small beaker
 plastic dropper
 hand lens.
Part 2: Research on temperature and development of Artemia
Student activity using research data – no additional resources required.
TEMPERATURE (H, BIOLOGY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2011
3