Rationale for the Rationale for the Classroom Culture of Classroom Culture of
Brachydanio rerioBrachydanio rerio
Jim Egenrieder Arlington Public SchoolsH-B Woodlawn Program
703-599-3643
Jim Egenrieder Arlington Public SchoolsH-B Woodlawn Program
703-599-3643
Why this species?Why this species?
Species Species CharacteristicsCharacteristics
Genetic backgroundGenetic background Culture tolerancesCulture tolerances Life CycleLife Cycle Embryonic Embryonic
DevelopmentDevelopment Classroom Classroom
suitabilitysuitability
Genus CharacteristicsGenus Characteristics
CommunalCommunal Tolerant of a Tolerant of a
range of water range of water qualityquality
Small (<8cm)Small (<8cm) Easy to breedEasy to breed Pet qualityPet quality
Characteristics of Characteristics of B. rerioB. rerio
Family: Cyprinidae Family: Cyprinidae (Carps & minnows)(Carps & minnows)
Origin: India, Origin: India, Peninsula India, Peninsula India, Ganges Basin - Up Ganges Basin - Up to Nepalto Nepal
Slow moving Slow moving streams and still streams and still waterswaters
Characteristics of Characteristics of B. rerioB. rerio
Found in groups Found in groups in open areas at in open areas at the surface.the surface.
Size: up to 6cmSize: up to 6cm
Characteristics of Characteristics of B. rerioB. rerio
Abiotic Abiotic preferences: preferences: – pH: 6.0-8.0 pH: 6.0-8.0 – dH: 5.0-19.0 dH: 5.0-19.0 – temperature:18-temperature:18-
24°C24°C
Genetic BackgroundGenetic Background Gametes can be Gametes can be
stripped easily and stripped easily and non-invasively for in non-invasively for in vitro fertilization where vitro fertilization where haploid, triploid or haploid, triploid or homozygous diploid homozygous diploid fish can be produced. fish can be produced.
Can be used directly in Can be used directly in studies of gene studies of gene interactions with interactions with environmental agents environmental agents
Genetic BackgroundGenetic Background
Established model Established model for vertebrate for vertebrate developmental developmental genetics and the genetics and the production of production of transgenic fishes. transgenic fishes.
Can be stocked in Can be stocked in high densitieshigh densities
Genetic InformationGenetic Information
Best mapped Best mapped genome of any genome of any aquatic aquatic vertebrate and its vertebrate and its complete genome complete genome will be completed will be completed mid-2002 by the mid-2002 by the Sanger Institute in Sanger Institute in the UK.the UK.
Embryonic DevelopmentEmbryonic Development
Emerging species Emerging species of choice for of choice for genetic studiesgenetic studies
Visible embryos Visible embryos Fully mapped Fully mapped
genomegenome nervous system nervous system
takes place very takes place very earlyearly
Embryonic DevelopmentEmbryonic Development(24 hours)(24 hours)
Embryonic DevelopmentEmbryonic Development(24 hours)(24 hours)
Embryonic DevelopmentEmbryonic Development(48 hours)(48 hours)
Embryonic DevelopmentEmbryonic Development(72 hours)(72 hours)
Embryonic DevelopmentEmbryonic Development(120 hours)(120 hours)
Life CycleLife Cycle Reaches sexual Reaches sexual
maturity in as little as maturity in as little as 60 days60 days
Females can lay Females can lay several hundred eggs several hundred eggs per day.per day.
understanding normal understanding normal and abnormal human and abnormal human development. development.
Similarity to Similarity to mammalian mammalian embryogenesisembryogenesis
Other BenefitsOther Benefits Potential to produce Potential to produce
altered specimens altered specimens with specific traitswith specific traits
Provides raw system Provides raw system for high through-put for high through-put toxicological assaystoxicological assays
Classroom Culture OptionsClassroom Culture Options
Physical and behavioral suitabilityPhysical and behavioral suitability Adapt to and breed in a wide Adapt to and breed in a wide
variety of classroom habitatsvariety of classroom habitats food bucketsfood buckets individual aquariaindividual aquaria larger systemslarger systems commercial systemscommercial systems
Science ProjectsScience Projects
Subject to International Standards Subject to International Standards for vertebrate organismsfor vertebrate organisms
Classroom projectsClassroom projects Classroom pets afterwardClassroom pets afterward
Pricing and AvailabilityPricing and Availability
Pet supply disadvantagesPet supply disadvantages WholesaleWholesale Research strainsResearch strains Home-bredHome-bred
SourcesSources
NIHNIH BreedersBreeders Pet wholesalersPet wholesalers Pet storesPet stores
More InformationMore Information
Zfin.orgZfin.org
bionet.organisms.zebrafishbionet.organisms.zebrafish
(Zebrafish Internet Newsgroup) (Zebrafish Internet Newsgroup)
More InformationMore Information
Pat Edwards, ZF Publications Pat Edwards, ZF Publications CoordinatorCoordinator
Institute of NeuroscienceInstitute of Neuroscience
1254 University of Oregon1254 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1254Eugene, OR 97403-1254
(541) 346-5222(541) 346-5222
FAX (541) 346-4548FAX (541) 346-4548