(none)

[Paul Myers]

In article <Pine.A32.3.94.960909185840.40289A-100000 at rs6.tcs.tulane.edu>,
cmattin at MAILHOST.TCS.TULANE.EDU (Carolyn J Mattingly) wrote:

> I light of the positive response I got from my last question, this seems
> the best place to seek further advice about rearing zebrafish.  We have
> had our fish for about 2 months, they are maintained at the suggested
> 14hr/10hr light schedule, at 28.5 C and are fed several times a day with
> varying combinations of brine shrimp and dried Tetra food.  While we are
> not yet in a position to be harvesting the embryos, and thus have not been
> marbling the tanks, our female fish do not appear to be producing any
> eggs.  I observe them in the morning just after the light comes on, and
> have never seen an egg to speak of....Can anyone explain this?  I would
> appreciate any suggestions that might remedy our egg-less situation.
> Thanks.

Well, the eggs are small and transparent--what do you expect to see? If I
watch my fish in the morning, I see males chasing females, lots of close
body contact, and if I watch very carefully, a brief, sudden, small puff of 
cloudiness in the water, after which all the fish dive for the bottom to
get a tasty post-coital snack. I've never seen an egg in this situation.

The easiest thing to do is put a layer of marbles in the tank, and siphon
an hour after the lights come on.

-- 
Paul Myers                               Department of Biology
myers at netaxs.com                         Temple University
http://fishnet.bio.temple.edu/           Philadelphia, PA 19122