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Water Quality For Zebrafish Culture

H. Hammer

Published 2020 in Unknown venue

ABSTRACT

Abstract Water quality is one of the most frequently over-looked control variables in zebrafish research. Water quality affects most every aspect of fish physiology and is a significant source of non–protocol-based variation. Important water quality parameters include temperature, pH, conductivity, alkalinity, hardness, dissolved gases, and nitrogenous wastes. Research facilities, using zebrafish as a model, should filter municipal water using sediment and carbon pre-filters, reverse osmosis, and de-ionization to create a high- quality base- water. Small amounts of high- quality sea salts should be added to this base water to create “fish-ready” water for culture. Temperature, pH, and conductivity should be monitored daily and should be maintained at 26–29° C, 7–8, and 200–3000 micro-Siemens, respectively. Alkalinity, hardness, carbon dioxide, and dissolved oxygen should be measured weekly and maintained at 50–75 ppm, 100–200 ppm, 0–15 ppm, and 6–8 ppm, respectively. Nitrogenous wastes are toxic to fish at relatively low concentrations and can cause physiological problems. Three nitrogenous wastes should be monitored weekly and include: ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Ammonia and nitrite should be maintained as close to zero ppm as possible while less toxic nitrate should be maintained at less than 50 ppm. Biological filters utilize nitrifying bacteria such as ammonia- oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite- oxidizing bacteria to oxidize toxic ammonia to less toxic nitrate. Nitrate is reduced in recirculating culture systems through routine water exchanges. Water quality parameters should be checked using two different methods before adjustments should be made. Adjustments to water quality should be made slowly to reduce the effects of stress on research fish and biological filters.

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