The Fish Are In!

Daily Observations Hall School students were extra excited this week as they received 300 trout eggs from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife's hatchery in Casco! From now until early May, the students will raise the trout in their classroom while monitoring their growth and the health of the water in their tank. To do this, students will make the following observations:

• • Temperature - The trout like COLD water! Students will check the water temperature in the tank to ensure that it stays between 34°F - 38°F.
  • Fatalities - Dead eggs can cause bacteria to grow and spread throughout the tank. Students will check for fatalities daily and have them removed.
  • Changes in appearance - Students will monitor the trout's growth by writing daily descriptions and sketches of what they look like.

Weekly Observations

• pH Tests - Once a week, the students will test the acidity of the tank water. Trout prefer water with a pH between 6.8 - 7.8 (but can tolerate pH up to 9).
• Out of tank observations - Students will have the chance to take a closer look at the trout once a week. Their teacher will carefully remove 2-3 trout and place them in a clean beaker for students to look at.

Stay tuned to see how the Brook Trout develop! The students plan to release the trout this spring at the Mill Brook Preserve in Westbrook.