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A NEW APPROACH FOR THE CULTURE OF FATHEAD MINNOWS, PIMEPHALES PROMELAS
Citation:
Lazorchak, J M., M E. Smith, L. E. Herrin, AND T. A. Hughes. A NEW APPROACH FOR THE CULTURE OF FATHEAD MINNOWS, PIMEPHALES PROMELAS. Presented at Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Philadelphia, PA, November 12-14, 1999.
Description:
Fathead minnows (Pimphales promelas) are routinely cultured for use in aquatic toxicology studies. Most culture systems consist of a series of 4 to 30 individual tanks with 16 - 18 fish (2 males and 14-16 females) in each tank. The new mass culture system consists of six 50 gallon tanks, each tank containing 76 fish (16 males and 60 females). From April 1997 to March 1998, the new mass system produced an average of 3800 eggs per day. The one year average for the previous individual tank system was 2900 eggs per day. Operation and maintenance was reduced, since only six large tanks need to be cleaned on a routine basis, as opposed to 22 glass tanks. Stainless steel tanks eliminated tank breakage and the daily water usage was reduced by 45%. This system required one-half the floor space necessary for the equivalent system using 20 gallon tanks. Analysis of reference toxicant data from fish cultured using both systems indicates no change in the sensitivity of the test animals. The potassium chloride mean acute LC50 for fish from the individual tank culture system was 800 mg/l, with a C.V. of 21.1%. The potassium chloride mean acute LC50 for the fish from the new mass culture system was 808 mg/l, with a C.V. of 11.8%. There was no change in the mean LC50 values for fish cultured using both systems, but the C.V. was reduced by 45% for the fish in the new culture system. A description of the mass culture system and the water treatment system will be provided.