A highly accessible classroom aquaculture rig

Embryology can be a rich component of early scientific experiences, and the zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an outstanding model for the study of life science. Most often, the production and maintenance of embryos is left to professional scientists. In this work, we describe a set of experiments performed together by all of the students of Lincoln K-8 Choice School in Rochester, MN. The experimental hypothesis is that larger aquarium volumes will yield higher reproductive success for zebrafish. Over 5 weeks of experiments, students demonstrated that larger clutch sizes were produced by zebrafish in 29-gallon tanks than 20-gallon tanks. Moreover, the experiment addressed the safety concerns and preparation necessary to do zebrafish science in K-8 classrooms.