Friday, December 26, 2008

Close Call

I came in tonight to check on the tank and feed the classroom pets. After running the tests I found the pH had jumped to 8.8 and my ammonia was 2.0-3.0 ppm. I quickly reduced the pH and added the stress-zyme. When I first came in and turned on the lights they were all on the bottom...very still. After I reduced the pH and added the stress-zyme they became more active. I'm not sure if it was because of the pH reducer or the fish getting used to light but they looked a lot better than when I got here.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Groton Update

Here's a quick update on our trout. Here are 2 pictures at 6 weeks of development. All yolk sacs have pretty much been absorbed into the fish and most are now actively feeding on fish food from the top. The above picture is of our lone deformity. We had 5 fish die since the beginning but this one had a mutation where (from what we can decipher) the yolk sac was enclosed within the fishes belly. This skin did not recede as the yolk sac did, leaving this bubble. The bottom represents a typical healthy Brown Trout. Anyone else experience any developmental deformities?

Monday, December 8, 2008

Hello Trout Teams!
During November, I polled each of our classes on how many trout fry they thought would survive to be released in May. Remember how you voted? Well, I've added up the results for 170 STUDENTS WHO RESPONDED, and out of about 100 eggs, delivered on October 30, here's how many you think will survive! -Bill F.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Monday December 1, 2008

Well, it has been some time since we lasted posted anything. There continues to be lots of activity in the tank. The water levels, PH, and ammonia levels have been looking fine for some time. Last week, Mr. Brooks dropped the breeding net to the bottom so the remaining fish could freely move in the tank. Many alevin had escaped. We found one dead fish and Mr. Brooks put it under a microscope for us to look at. We have also begun to feed them the fish food too.

We have made these observations:

-The fish are freely swimming in the tank chasing food and eating food off the surface.
-Some fish like to float in the bubbler and move up and down in the bubbles/facing current.
-The fish have developed fins.
-They have lost the egg sac
-There is spots and bars on the sides of the fish now.
-There is a yellowish, fuzzy build up on the intake pipe of the filter system...thats all for now.
Trout Team III