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Welcome to the Fish in Schools (FinS) Education Portal
On this page, you will find helpful information about the FinS program, including training videos, classroom resources and program updates. You can also post stories about your FinS experience, share pictures and videos, and ask or answer questions about the program.
New Classroom Resources
Print off and laminate these resources to help engage your students with the care of your fish.
Have additional questions about the program? First check out the Q&A tab below!
Privacy Statement Information you provide to Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) is collected under the authority of Section 33(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act and is managed in accordance with Part 2 of the FOIP Act. Comments, images, and videos and any personal information therein you provide may appear on the Fish in Schools (FinS) Engagement HQ Website. Submitted comments and media will be moderated, but once posted to the FinS website, will be viewable by any participant in the FinS program and the general public. AEP will not use or disclose your information for any other purpose without your written consent or unless required to do so by law. If there are any questions or you wish to request a change to the information you provided, please contact Bow Habitat Station at 403-297-6561 or by email at fins.program@gov.ab.ca.
Welcome to the Fish in Schools (FinS) Education Portal
On this page, you will find helpful information about the FinS program, including training videos, classroom resources and program updates. You can also post stories about your FinS experience, share pictures and videos, and ask or answer questions about the program.
New Classroom Resources
Print off and laminate these resources to help engage your students with the care of your fish.
Have additional questions about the program? First check out the Q&A tab below!
Privacy Statement Information you provide to Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) is collected under the authority of Section 33(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act and is managed in accordance with Part 2 of the FOIP Act. Comments, images, and videos and any personal information therein you provide may appear on the Fish in Schools (FinS) Engagement HQ Website. Submitted comments and media will be moderated, but once posted to the FinS website, will be viewable by any participant in the FinS program and the general public. AEP will not use or disclose your information for any other purpose without your written consent or unless required to do so by law. If there are any questions or you wish to request a change to the information you provided, please contact Bow Habitat Station at 403-297-6561 or by email at fins.program@gov.ab.ca.
Use this space to connect with FinS projects across the province and the FinS team at Bow Habitat Station about the program or the fish in your classroom aquarium.
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How often should the pH and ammonia levels be tested?
Marguerite Miller
asked
7 days ago
Hi there,
You will start testing the pH and ammonia levels weekly at ~970 ATUs
This is when the waste from the fish start to build up in the tank
FinS Team
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Where is the "Fish Health Spreadsheet" mentioned in the manual?
Marguerite Miller
asked
8 days ago
Hi there,
The Fish Health Spreadsheet is sent to all FinS participants via email. We sent it out on January 7, 2023 so be sure to double check your inbox.
FinS Team
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What is the best way to remove dead eggs? We used our fingertips for the first dead egg, but this was a little fiddly. We want to know the best technique so we don't damage other eggs.
Marguerite Miller
asked
12 days ago
Hello,
Something as simple as a fork or spoon works great. You can also use tweezers if you have them.
FinS Team
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I have two alevin that seem to be laying on their side at the bottom of the incubator.... are they dying??! Oh no!!
nbirchall
asked
14 days ago
It is always good practice to observe the behaviour of your rainbow trout and to identify any changes. Newly hatched alevin do not have much mobility, but you will see them wriggly and squirming on the bottom of your incubation basket. Alevin will typically be upright or on their side, resting on their yolks sac. If you look close you may also see their clear fins and gills moving. If your alevin are not moving, they may be dead. It is okay to create a little movement in the water near them to see if they respond and move.
- FinS Team
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Hi,
We noticed that a few of our eggs/alevin had some of the white fungus. However, as we removed those eggs/alevin, we noticed that the white fungus seemed to be 'stuck' onto the bottom of our hatchery container, and was really hard to get out. Any tips for getting it out of the tank? Is it normal for it to suddenly appear in quite a few of the fish (we took out 9 today)?
seketcheson
asked
13 days ago
It is normal for a few of the eggs you receive to die. Dead eggs turn milky-white from a naturally occurring fungus and begin to decay. Be diligent about removing all dead eggs and fungus from the Incubation Basket.
You can use a spoon, tweezers, or pipette to remove fungus. If the fungus is sticking to the Incubation Basket you may loosen it with a toothbrush and then use a pipette to suck out floating fragments of fungus. As a last option, you may also gently move the fish into your fish net while you wipe out the Incubation Basket with a clean cloth or paper towel.
Note that the yolk sac can easily become punctured if the alevin are being moved around roughly.Record any mortalities on the Fish Health Spreadsheet.
- FinS Team
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How often should we be testing pH and ammonia levels. Appendix E says start testing when you start water changes and to do them on those days, but the fish health spreadsheet says to do it daily.
HighPark
asked
14 days ago
Although it never hurts to monitor the water quality of your Aquarium, you do not have to test pH and ammonia routinely while the fish are in their egg and alevin stage of life. Egg and alevin do not produce waste materials, so they have little effect on the water chemistry. Once your fish begin eating and producing waste in the fry stage of life, you must test pH and ammonia regularly to monitor water quality.
Hope this helps!
- FinS Team
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One of my eggs has a white something coming out of it. Should I remove it or is this normal?
PatHardyFish
asked
18 days ago
Hi there!
White eggs or white substances coming out of your egg should be removed from your tank. It is either a egg mortality or water fungus which can impact the health of other eggs.
FinS Team
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Hi!
We just finished our aquarium set up! The manual and videos were very helpful. I just need some clarification about when to add Nutrafin Cycle. We have all brand new equipment. I'm just not sure if I should add it for three days as part of the setup procedure (as stated in the video) or wait until 400 ATUs.
Thanks!
siararogers
asked
25 days ago
Good catch! Although it does not harm the fish eggs to add Nutrafin Cycle to the water, it is not necessary when completing the wet set-up of your Aquarium. Nutrafin Cycle is important at 400 ATUs to build up the biofilter to feed on fish waste and maintain good water quality.
The Nutrafin AquaPlus must be added during wet set-up to remove chlorine and chloramine from the water in your Aquarium.
- FinS Team
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Do we require zeolite in the tank?
lpuderer
asked
about 1 month ago
Zeolite is not a requirement for the tank.
Zeolite is used as a treatment for fish with obviously red gills in the fry stage of life. Discolouration of your fish’s gills is indicative of high ammonia levels. If this happens to your fish:
Move to a schedule of increased water changes immediately.
Add zeolite rocks (can be found at your local pet store) in their porous container to the bottom of your tank to help with ammonia absorption.
- FinS Team
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Is it required that you use the Oceanic chiller. I have having trouble to find for purchase this online. Would this be suitable? Poafamx Aquarium Water Chiller 42gal Fish Tank Cooling System for Home Fish Coral Shrimp Farming 110V with pump: link to amazon listing: https://www.amazon.ca/Poafamx-Aquarium-Chiller-Temperature-Constant/dp/B08SK1MSVZ/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=fish%2Btank%2Bchiller%2Bfor%2B30L%2Btank&qid=1635199494&rnid=5264023011&s=pet-supplies&sr=1-1-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyS0NIWDZYMk1DTkhCJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzUyMDQwM0VPMVBJR0NDRzM2UyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwOTQ0NDQxMzdLSUZKS0wzUTBQSCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1
michelle.dinel
asked
over 1 year ago
Hello,
Thank you for your question. No, the chiller linked above will not work. This chiller will not cool the water to the appropriate temperature for the fish. Rainbow trout require 8-10C/46-50F and the chiller linked above has a temperature range of 20-26C/68-78F. Note that the chiller must be capable of chilling a 30 Gal aquarium.