Brine shrimp

Brine shrimp (Artemia salina) is a small crustacean species belonging to the order Anostraca and family Artemiidae. These organisms are highly adapted to hypersaline environments. While they are a valuable food source in many fish farms, in certain irrigation and technical water systems, they can act as a nuisance organism or "pest" that impairs infrastructure functionality.

The biology of the brine shrimp is defined by its extreme hardiness. The most critical stage in their life cycle is the production of cysts. These dormant eggs are resistant to extreme desiccation, high salinity, and temperature fluctuations. This biological adaptation ensures that the population can persist through harsh conditions, allowing them to rapidly colonize water bodies once favorable conditions return.

The damage caused by Artemia salina is primarily infrastructure-related. In agricultural water systems and aquaculture facilities, massive accumulations of these crustaceans can lead to the clogging of filtration units, pump impellers, and drip irrigation emitters. Their presence in high densities alters the water's biological profile, which can negatively affect the overall water quality for agricultural purposes.

The harm to the ecosystem involves the overconsumption of phytoplankton and primary organic matter, which limits the available resources for other species within the controlled water body. This disruption of the food web can result in reduced productivity in aquaculture ponds and increased maintenance costs for hydraulic equipment, making their management essential for efficient facility operation.

Control measures and management strategies include:

• Implementing mechanical filtration systems with precise mesh sizes.
• Adjusting water salinity levels to discourage population blooms.
• Regular cleaning of sedimentation tanks and water intake reservoirs.
• Using biological control methods such as introducing fish species that naturally feed on brine shrimp.