The experimental rearing of large salmonid eggs in Petri dishes

Abstract

1. Studies on the genetics or the ecology of fish eggs are typically based on inferential statistics, which require the separate rearing of many batches. 2. Salmonid eggs are believed to require a constant water flow to develop safely. Therefore, the technical requirements that have been used to rear individual batches of salmonid eggs significantly limit experimental studies. 3. We describe a technique that allows, for the first time, the large eggs of Arctic Charr (Salvelinus alpinus) to be reared under experimental conditions in Petri dishes. 4. It was found that the proportion of well-developed eggs on day 64 did not significantly correlate with egg density in the Petri dish, but that fry hatch earlier under more crowded conditions. 5. Oxygen concentration measured shortly before hatching appeared to be above critical values.