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

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

3. Genus Characteristics
Communal
Tolerant of a range of water quality
Small
Easy to breed
Pet quality

4. Characteristics of B. rerio
Family: Cyprinidae (Carps & minnows)
Origin: India, Peninsula India, Ganges Basin - Up to Nepal
Size: 5cm

5. Characteristics of B. rerio
Slow moving streams and still waters such as rice paddies and ponds.
Found in groups in open areas at the surface.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

13. Classroom Applications
Physical and behavioral suiability
Adapt to and breed in a wide variety of classroom habitats
food buckets
individual aquaria
larger systems
commercial systems

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

15. Pricing and Availabiltiy
Pet supply disadvantages
Wholesale
Research strains
Home-bred

16. Sources
NIH
Pet wholesalers
Pet stores

17. More Information
bionet.organisms.zebrafish: Zebrafish Internet Newsgroup
Archives of All Zebrafish News Items Since 1995
Archive of Zebrafish Methods posted on bionet / Describe where product can be purchased, or where to direct orders.

18. More Information Date: Mon, 20 Feb 1995 12:13:07 PDT
From: PATRICIA EDWARDS
To: Zebrafish Publications Coordinator
Subject: Use of zebrafish in high school labs
There seems to be an increasing amount of interest in using the zebrafish as a model in the study of vertebrate development and genetics in high school and even
elementary school classes and labs. I have begun to keep a list of those who are active or interested in planning such a curriculum so that when I get inquiries I can
forward them on those who are also doing that type of work. It can also be used by the participants as a means to network with other teachers.
If you would like to be included on the list and have not already contacted me about it within the past week, please let me know. Be sure to include your full mailing
address, phone & FAX numbers, and address.
Current K-12 zebrafish resource list.
Thanks for your help.
Pat Edwards, ZF Publications Coordinator
Institute of Neuroscience
1254 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR
(541)
FAX (541)

19. More Information THE ZEBRAFISH SCIENCE MONITOR

20. More Information
THE ZEBRAFISH BOOK -
A guide for the laboratory use of zebrafish Danio* (Brachydanio) rerio