Rainbow Trout

Rainbow Trout

Monday, March 1, 2010

Oh Where, Oh Where have the little trout eggs gone?

Where have they gone? Just a few days ago we were loaded with eggs and now it is very difficult to find one. They have practically all hatched! I forgot to take a picture today but I will get one tomorrow.

A few things happened today. First, in taking out some empty egg casings, I accidentally released an alevin into the main tank. It quickly went down into the gravel to hide. I had to put a mesh netting around the filter intake to avoid having it sucked into the filter.

Second, the pH level seems a little high (8.2) and that has me concerned. I guess we are going to have to treat the aquarium with something to lower it. Ammonia and Nitrite still holding at 0 ppm.

Finally, the hatching baskets might have be let down tomorrow. With all the eggs now hatched, the fish will be needing more room. We will make that decision in the morning.

2 comments:

  1. What is causing the pH level elevation? When you say "eggs to fry" what exactly do you mean?
    Mrs. E

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  2. Most fish thrive in a pH of 6.4-7.8. The goal is to have the pH level as close to neutral (7) as possible. The accumulation of ammonia due to waste products might be encouraging a slight rise in the pH level but as long as it stays around 7-7.5, I think we will be ok.

    Our "trout" arrived as eggs in the eyed-stage, meaning that they were developing normal and the eyes had become pigmented and are visible. After about a week, the trout begin to hatch as sac-fry or alevin. These have their yolk sac still attached. After a few weeks they absorb the sac and become free feeding immature trout known as fry. They will be called trout fry until they are about 2 inches or so in length when they become a fingerling.

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