Classroom Culture of Brachydanio rerio Jim Egenrieder Arlington Public Schools H-B Woodlawn Program Jim Egenrieder Arlington Public Schools H-B Woodlawn Program

Why this species? n Species Characteristics n Genetic background n Culture tolerances n Life Cycle n Embryonic Development n Classroom suitability

Genus Characteristics n Communal n Tolerant of a range of water quality n Small (<8cm) n Easy to breed n Pet quality

Characteristics of B. rerio n Family: Cyprinidae (Carps & minnows) n Origin: India, Peninsula India, Ganges Basin - Up to Nepal n Slow moving streams and still waters

Characteristics of B. rerio n Found in groups in open areas at the surface. n Size: up to 6cm

Characteristics of B. rerio n Abiotic preferences: –pH: –dH: –temperature:18-24°C

Genetic Background n Gametes can be stripped easily and non- invasively for in vitro fertilization where haploid, triploid or homozygous diploid fish can be produced. n Can be used directly in studies of gene interactions with environmental agents

Genetic Background n Established model for vertebrate developmental genetics and the production of transgenic fishes. n Can be stocked in high densities

Genetic Information n Best mapped genome of any aquatic vertebrate and its complete genome will be completed mid-2002 by the Sanger Institute in the UK.

Embryonic Development n Emerging species of choice for genetic studies n Visible embryos n Fully mapped genome n nervous system takes place very early

Embryonic Development (24 hours)

Embryonic Development (48 hours)

Embryonic Development (72 hours)

Embryonic Development (120 hours)

Life Cycle n Reaches sexual maturity in as little as 60 days n Females can lay several hundred eggs per day. n understanding normal and abnormal human development. n Similarity to mammalian embryogenesis

Other Benefits n Potential to produce altered specimens with specific traits n Provides raw system for high through-put toxicological assays

Classroom Culture Options n Physical and behavioral suitability n Adapt to and breed in a wide variety of classroom habitats n food buckets n individual aquaria n larger systems n commercial systems

Science Projects n Subject to International Standards for vertebrate organisms n Classroom projects n Classroom pets afterward

Pricing and Availability n Pet supply disadvantages n Wholesale n Research strains n Home-bred

Sources n NIH n Breeders n Pet wholesalers n Pet stores

More Information n Zfin.org n bionet.organisms.zebrafish (Zebrafish Internet Newsgroup) (Zebrafish Internet Newsgroup)

More Information Pat Edwards, ZF Publications Coordinator Institute of Neuroscience 1254 University of Oregon Eugene, OR (541) FAX (541)