This document is meant to be a teacher’s first line of defense for all water quality issues. Please keep a copy nearby at all times and become familiar with the content. Our goal was to greatly reduce ammonia spikes and other water quality issues that cause stress for the fish, students and teachers!
TIC Unfolds—Things to Expect and Watch Out For
by John Fischer, Brian Cowden, & Rochelle Gandour
EGG STAGES
Getting Eggs
For transport, jar in the cooler should be padded.
This minimized the jostling and banging around—which hurts the eggs.
Green eggs—(they spend about four weeks at this stage)
Movement during delivery of the eggs can weaken the outer layer of the shell.
This can create weak spots or broken areas.
These spots are vulnerable to fungal infection.
Any eggs with white spots MUST be picked out.
White spots are a fungus that spreads REALLY fast.
Pick out spotted eggs twice a day if possible.
Especially check last thing on Friday afternoon.
Outer shell must remain translucent.
Uniform cloudiness can be okay, it might be just the trout development.
An egg with any opaque spots (or fully opaque) will not develop.
Classes in some states start here, at the eyed egg stage.
Eyed eggs are identifiable by their characteristic dark spots—each trout’s two eyes.
Eyed eggs—(they spend about two weeks at this stage)
Movement during delivery of the eggs can weaken the outer layer of the shell.
This can create weak spots or broken areas.
These spots are vulnerable to fungal infection.
Any eggs with white spots MUST be picked out.
White spots are a fungus that spreads REALLY fast.
Pick out spotted eggs twice a day if possible.
Especially check last thing on Friday afternoon.
Outer shell must remain translucent.
Uniform cloudiness can be okay, it might be just the trout development.
An egg with any opaque spots (or fully opaque) will not develop.
Hatching—(no more than 2-3 days from first egg to last)
They will not all hatch at exactly the same time.
Most trout will hatch within 2-3 days of first egg hatching.
Some eggs will not hatch properly.
Alevin may not come all the way out of the egg.
Any leftover eggs must be removed (or at least isolated—these likely will not hatch).
The leftover shells float to the top of the tank or in the basket.
Fish enzymes will break down these shells and create a foam—this is normal.
You can scrub the sides of the tank to loosen this foam.
FRY STAGES
Just after hatching
During this alevin phase you may feel a jelly-like fungal growth.
Check for this around the inside tank surfaces.
Also check for this growth on the surfaces of the hatching basket or Vibert box.
If you find this, wipe or scrape the surfaces with a sponge or other tool.
Loosening this growth will send it through the sterilization and filtration system.
Alevin (sac-fry)—(1-3 weeks)
Length of time at this stage depends on the water temperature.
In warmer water, fry develop faster.
A digital thermometer is the most reliable method of check in-tank temperature.
Chiller consoles are notoriously inaccurate.
Check your thermometer daily.
Look for your odd trout (two-head, three-head, etc.).
Good lesson in survival of the fittest—these don’t usually survive until release.
Look at heart development, etc.
Alevins can survive in a Petri dish under a microscope or hand lens short times.
Swim-up stage— (one week or less)
As yolk sacs disappear, some trout will start swimming around looking for food.
These trout must have food available for them immediately when they are hungry.
When you see the first one swim up in hatching basket or out of Vibert box, feed.
To feed, put a small pinch of food near the swimming fish (in basket or otherwise).
Start by spreading a miniscule amount of size 0 food near any swimming trout.
Now is a good time to “boost” your tank’s nitrifying bacteria with a shot of Stress Zyme.
You can add Stress Zyme to your tank as often as once a week.
Once all fry are swimming up and have been eating, it is time for the next step.
If using a hatching basket, unhook the basket and drop it to the bottom of the tank.
Strong, adventurous fish will swim out.
Timid, weaker fish will hide for a few more days, until they are stronger.
Fry stage—(6-8 weeks)
Feeding less more often is a better method for feeding.
Feed tiny pinches 2-3 times per day.
Less is more.
Some trout never learn to feed, and will die.
Non-feeding fish are called “pinheads”—big heads, little bodies.
These trout should be removed, as they will not develop.
Every TIC classroom sees this mortality spike with the pinheads—it is VERY normal.
Any leftover food that collects in one area MUST be removed 5-10 minutes later.
A turkey baster is a great way to vacuum up extra food and waste.
Continued leftovers mean that you are overfeeding.
Overfeeding can cause problems with ammonia levels.
Crisis notes—READ BEFORE TROUT TRAGEDY OCCURS
Always have buckets waiting with tank-ready water (dechlorinated by sitting 48+ hours). If you come in and all fish are lethargic—WATER CHANGE.
If you come in and all fish are unmoving at the bottom of the tank—WATER CHAGE.
If you come in and your fish don’t respond to food—WATER CHANGE.
During the first few weeks, initial ammonia spikes from overfeeding are likely.
Water changes (removal of ammonia) are the only solution.
It is also good to “boost” your tank with Stress Zyme as often as once a week.
If you change your filter media, only change one section at a time.
This allows the bacteria from the remaining section to colonize the new media.
PARR STAGE
Parr—(the rest of the time)
Look for parr marks on the trout.
Small water changes can happen every day.
A LARGE change (20% +) must happen at the end of each week.
Use the turkey baster to suck up extra food and waste.
Clean 15 minutes after feeding.
Always keep track of your water chemistry—water testing can help you with this.
If any levels seem high, do a big water change (20% or more).
Be careful to watch the temperature as you do this.
Don’t let the tank temperature fluctuate more than 5 degrees or so.
In an emergency, clean water is more important than temperature stability, though.
Cannibalism can occur—the big fish do eat the little fish.
If cannibalism is becoming an issue, then feed more often, so as to assuage hunger.
Be sure to clean more often and do water changes, if you are feeding more often.
What if I come in to school many trout have died? What to do?
Remove healthy fish first.
Put healthy fish in a reserve water bucket, no matter its temperature.
Put a battery-operated aerator or tank’s airstone in the bucket.
Add Stress Zyme to the bucket—follow package instructions.
You may also add one small, clean ice pack to the bucket.
Remove as much water from the tank as possible (80%).
Leave pump and filter intake covered.
Clean tank with clean scrub sponge.
Remove as much crud as possible.
Suck up gunk with turkey baster.
Refill tank with any water available (including chlorinated tap).
Cool water with ice or freeze packs.
Replace at least one charcoal filter.
Add Stress Coat, Stress Zyme, Tap Safe, etc. if on hand, or as soon as possible.
Replace fish in tank.
The next day, add more Stress Zyme and/or Stress Coat.
VACATION NOTES
Prepping for short vacations (3- or 4-day weekends)—
Feed less on Friday.
Do your water change as normal.
They will be fine.
Prepping for mid-length vacations (7-10 days)—
Trout are wild animals that can survive leaner times.
Trout do not need to be fed or visited during a 10-day vacation.
One week beforehand, you can replace your charcoal filter.
Use a new, well-rinsed cartridge/bag of charcoal.
Charcoal can help reduce ammonia.
Fresh charcoal will work well over the vacation.
Continue with the normal feeding cycle in the days leading up to vacation.
If anything feed a little less, so as to minimize ammonia discharge during holidays.
Do a nice BIG water change right beforehand.
Be careful to watch the temperature as you do this.
Don’t let the tank temperature fluctuate more than 5 degrees or so.
In an emergency, clean water is more important than temperature stability, though.
Prepping for LONG vacation (11+ days)—
Same prep as above.
Plan to come in once to feed, if possible, about halfway through.
If you can’t come in, don’t worry.
Trout are wild animals that can survive the lean times.