Rationale for the Rationale for the Classroom Culture of Classroom Culture of

Brachydanio rerioBrachydanio rerio

Jim Egenrieder Arlington Public SchoolsH-B Woodlawn Program

www.hbwbiology.netjim@hbwbiology.net

703-599-3643

Jim Egenrieder Arlington Public SchoolsH-B Woodlawn Program

www.hbwbiology.netjim@hbwbiology.net

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

edwards@uoneuro.uoregon.edu edwards@uoneuro.uoregon.edu