Our lab has been trying to establish zebrafish larvae culture. We purchase and introduce 2 dpf zebrafish into our culture and it always crashes on 8 or 9 dpf even though the fish seem just fine until 7 dpf.
Our culture is a closed system with no filtration but the water quality is closely monitored and all the parameters (ammonia, pH, temp, etc.) stay in the suitable/tolerable ranges. We feed rotifers in the morning and 50% water change in the evening. We have not tried feeding brine shrimp yet due to some experimental restrictions.
I, as a novice, was assuming that it would be either the amount/frequency/quality/type of feed that is causing the mass mortality at the same timing. But would that be really the likely case or should I be looking into something else first? If anyone could weigh in I would be extremely grateful.
Thank you for your help in advance!
Try to introduce the fish into the culture at 5 dpf. Feeding rotifers is good but also dry powder food works great. And We usually don't do any water change until day 15. We keep normally 50 larvae in 3.5liters of water until this stage and the survival is more than 80% After Day 15 we split them further and do regular water changes. But at this stage the larvae are more robust, eat easily and grow faster.
Filippo Del Bene Thank you so much for the advice! It is great help. I have a few questions - does the culture that you use until day 15 have a filter? I was curious how you are getting away with ammonia level without water change until then. Will ammonia not be an issue even with a closed system without a filter at that biomass?
Perhaps it is your stocking density, how high are you stocking the larvae? Also what are you feeding them at first feeding until 7dph? Feed size (copepod/rotifer; SS,S,L type), feed density (if using live feed) and nutritional qualities of the enriched diets are also aspects to consider. I am not familiar with working with Zebrafish but when is the yolk fully absorbed?
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