Trout Life Cycle
Partnered with Trout Unlimited Warren T Jackson strives to introduce students to cold-water conservation. The students learn about the life cycle of a trout as well as how to be conservationist for the future. Twice a year, 5th grade trout patrol will exchange water, check chemical levels, and care for the trout. Students and teachers will observe the life cycle changes we see throughout the process. 5th grade will release the trout in the fall semester. 2nd grade will release the trout in the spring semester.
Egg
The egg stage lasts for about 21 to 28 days in optimal conditions such as an artificial hatchery. Eggs that arrive at the small fry hatchery are about 14 to 21 days old. They hatch in approximately seven more days.
Alevin
The sac fry or alevin (larval) stage lasts about seven to ten days. During this period the yolk sac is gradually absorbed by the fry. It provides all the nutrients necessary to sustain fry growth.
Fry
Buttoning-up occurs when alevin absorb the yolk sac and begin to feed on zooplankton. Fry swim close to the water surface, allowing the swim bladder to fill with air and help the fry float through water.
Fingerling
When a fry grows to 2-5 inches, it becomes a fingerling. When it develops large dark markings, it then becomes a parr. We will release the Rainbow Trout into the Chattahoochee River at this stage.
Juvenile
In the natural habitat, a trout avoids predators, including wading birds and larger fish, by hiding in underwater roots and brush. As a juvenile, a trout resembles an adult but is not yet old or large enough to spawn.
Adult
Now the trout are adults. A trout’s life span is typically about 5 years. Trout turn vibrant in color during spawning and then lay eggs in fish nests, or redds, in the gravel. The life cycle of the Rainbow Trout continues into the egg stage again.