San Francisco Bay (SFB)
Small 400–500 µm nauplii with a generally higher natural HUFA profile. The choice for delicate newly hatched fry and the earliest larval stages.
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Premium Artemia Cysts | Brine Shrimp Eggs — SFB & Tibetan Red | BTA
Premium Artemia Cysts | Brine Shrimp Eggs — SFB & Tibetan Red | BTA
BTA live feeds
Premium Artemia Cysts
Elevate your aquatic feeding strategy with Biotech Aquatica's premium selection of Artemia cysts. Two distinct, high-quality strains — San Francisco Bay (SFB) and Tibetan Red — each providing unique advantages to meet the diverse nutritional needs of fish and invertebrate larvae, juveniles and adult aquatic species.
400–500µm SFB nauplii
500–600µm Tibetan Red nauplii
21–25°C low-temp hatch
For aquatic animal feed use only · Not for human consumption
Choose your strain
San Francisco Bay400–500 µm · higher natural HUFA · delicate fry
Tibetan Red500–600 µm · low-temperature hatch · larger prey
INVE SEP-ART®Magnetic cysts · 100% mechanical separation
Hatch live brine shrimp on demand for larvae, juveniles and adult aquatic species.
Premium live feedLarvae · Juveniles · AdultsTwo strains · one standard
✓ Small and giant nauplii options✓ Higher natural HUFA (SFB)✓ Low-temperature hatch (Tibetan Red)✓ Magnetic separation ready
Choose the perfect live feed to optimise growth, health and vitality in your aquatic ecosystem. While each strain has its own characteristics, all Biotech Aquatica Artemia cysts benefit from consistent water quality and vigorous aeration. Salinity of 20 ppt, pH between 7.5 and 8.5, 1–2 grams of cysts per litre, continuous strong illumination and a clean separation step will give you the most consistent result across both strains.
The BTA Artemia difference
Three products. One live feed programme.
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Tibetan Red
Giant 500–600 µm nauplii — around four to five times larger than standard Artemia — hatched at lower temperatures from the Namtso salt lake in Tibet.
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INVE SEP-ART® Magnetic
Cysts engineered for magnetic separation: harvest the full nauplii yield with no decapsulation chemicals, less labour and no empty shells entering the larval tank.
Strain characteristics
What each strain does best
Optimal small nauplii size
Hatching at approximately 400–500 microns, perfectly suited to the tiny mouths of delicate newly hatched fry and early larval stages — minimising feeding stress and maximising ingestion.
Superior natural HUFA profile
Prized by serious aquarists for a generally higher highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA) value, providing a nutritional boost for developing larvae right from the start.
Consistent and clean hatch
Renowned for reliable high hatch rates with excellent separation of nauplii from unhatched cysts and shells, giving a clean, contaminant-free feed.
Globally valued and limited
Represents only a tiny portion of worldwide Artemia cyst harvests — a rare and valuable commodity sought after by discerning aquarists.
Giant nauplii size
Hatching at approximately 500–600 microns, these nauplii are around four to five times larger than standard Artemia — a favourite for larger fish and invertebrates.
Low-temperature hatching advantage
Strong hatch rates at 21–25 °C mean you often do not need to run a heater in your hatching kit year-round — convenient and energy saving.
Robust and resilient
Sourced from the vast Namtso salt lake in Tibet and known for hardiness and adaptability once hatched.
High yield
Despite their larger size and lower temperature requirement, these cysts deliver consistent and abundant live food.
Hatching parameters
Strain comparison. Every value, every row.
| Strain | Nauplii size | Ideal hatching temperature | Hatching time | Salinity | pH | Cyst density | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Bay (SFB) | 400–500 microns | 25 °C (77 °F) | 36–48 hours | 20 ppt | 7.5–8.5 | 1–2 g per litre | Newly hatched fry, early larval stages and small-mouthed species |
| Tibetan Red | 500–600 microns | 21–25 °C (70–77 °F) | 28–36 hours | 20 ppt | 7.5–8.5 | 1–2 g per litre | Larger fish and invertebrates, and hatching kits running without a heater |
INVE SEP-ART® magnetic cysts
Efficiency, quality, safety.
Maximum yield and cost-efficiency
- Complete separation: harvest 100% of hatched nauplii with virtually zero loss.
- No chemical costs: entirely mechanical — no decapsulation chemicals to buy, handle or dispose of.
- Less labour: rapid magnetic separation cuts harvesting time and effort.
Superior nauplii quality and vitality
- Gentle harvesting: no abrasive sieving, so nauplii stay stronger and more active.
- Unmatched purity: a 100% pure nauplii suspension free of unhatched cysts and empty shells.
- Improved enrichment: healthier nauplii show better survival and uptake during enrichment.
Biosecurity and operator safety
- Prevent contamination: no shells in the larval tank means less risk of gut obstruction and lower bacterial load introduction.
- Environmentally friendly: the process produces no toxic waste.
- Safer workplace: no operator exposure to hazardous chemicals or toxic fumes.
Choose your setup
Traditional cysts separate well with a clean siphon and light. SEP-ART cysts are built for the magnetic workflow.
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Please note: a magnetic separation tool — such as the INVE HandyMag or other SEP-ART harvesting products — is required to separate the cysts from the live Artemia biomass.
Nutrition and enrichment
Turn a good feed into an exceptional one.
Enrich-uM
Newly hatched Artemia are a good source of protein, but their HUFA content — DHA and EPA in particular — can be limited. Biotech Aquatica's own enrichment raises the nutritional value of freshly hatched nauplii before they go into the larval or grow-out tank.
View Enrich-uMGrow your own live food colony
Grow newly hatched nauplii into larger juveniles and adults for a continuous, self-sustaining live food source and more substantial meals for your aquatic inhabitants.
Ongrowing Artemia: A Simple GuideWhat's included
Straightforward live feed supply
Premium Artemia cysts
Selected strain in the pack size you order — SFB 100 g packs, Tibetan Red, or INVE SEP-ART magnetic cysts.
Hatching directions
Prepare saltwater at 20 ppt with dechlorinated or RO water and quality synthetic sea salt. Hold pH 7.5–8.5, dose 1–2 g cysts per litre, aerate vigorously and light continuously. SFB hatches at 25 °C in 36–48 hours; Tibetan Red at 21–25 °C in 28–36 hours.
Storage and safety
Store sealed in a cool, dry place. Keep dry and protect from heat and moisture. For aquatic animal feed use only — not for human consumption.
Upgrade and advanced use
Get more from every hatch
Integrated Bio-Hatchery Protocol
For even more value from your Artemia, follow the IBHP approach of sterilise, neutralise and colonise across the hatchery workflow.
Read the IBHP guideTune the hatch, not just the dose
Steady temperature, vigorous aeration, strong light and clean separation do more for hatch rate than adding extra cysts. Log your conditions each hatch and adjust one variable at a time.
Frequently asked questions
Artemia FAQs
Which strain should I choose for tiny fry?
San Francisco Bay (SFB). Its nauplii hatch at approximately 400–500 microns, small enough for the tiny mouths of delicate newly hatched fry and the earliest larval stages.
Which strain gives the largest nauplii?
Tibetan Red. It hatches at approximately 500–600 microns — around four to five times larger than standard Artemia — which suits larger fish and invertebrates.
Do I need a heater for Tibetan Red?
Often not. Tibetan Red achieves strong hatch rates at 21–25 °C (70–77 °F), so many hatch kits run year-round without a heater.
What hatching conditions do both strains share?
Salinity of 20 ppt using dechlorinated or RO water and quality synthetic sea salt, pH 7.5–8.5, 1–2 g of cysts per litre, vigorous aeration to keep cysts suspended, and continuous strong illumination above the hatching vessel.
How do I separate nauplii from cysts and shells?
For standard cysts, allow the shells and unhatched cysts to separate and siphon the nauplii out. For INVE SEP-ART cysts, use a magnetic separation tool such as the INVE HandyMag or another SEP-ART harvesting product.
Is enrichment really necessary?
Newly hatched nauplii are a good source of protein, but their HUFA content can be limited. Biotech Aquatica recommends enriching with Enrich-uM where additional HUFA nutrition is required.
How should I store the cysts?
Store sealed in a cool, dry place. Keep dry and protect from heat and moisture.
Not sure which strain fits your hatchery?
Tell us what you are hatching for, the size of your larval stock and the temperature of your hatching setup. We can point you to a sensible strain and starting density rather than guessing.
Talk to BTATrade & wholesale
Hatcheries, aquarium shops, aquaculture facilities and research teams can contact BTA for bulk-volume Artemia supply, ongoing feed programmes and trade pricing.
Request trade pricingAsk a technical questionBiotech Aquatica · Australian supplier · btaqua.com.au
