TIC Weekly - Week 3
TIC Weekly will feature PFBC’s Trout In the Office (TIO) updates as they raise Rainbow Trout from eyed eggs to fingerlings.
Hello Trout in the Classroom participants and partners!
In this week's newsletter, we are going to explore the mechanics associated with stream habitat. The following resources will provide you with information regarding:
• Stream characteristics to look for when describing natural stream habitat.
• How PA Fish and Boat Commission’s stream habitat improvement structures are built and how they benefit the aquatic organisms that live within the watershed.
• How stream improvement projects benefit people who live within the watershed.
Learn more about fish habitat needs at PFBC’s Activities & Education Portal (Aquatic Habitat, Conservation, and Pollution)
Visit: PFBC's Activities and Education Portal
Next week, we will take a virtual tour of how the PFBC monitors Trout populations in PA!
Observations
The TIO trout are currently in the sac fry stage. As you can see in the video, the yolk sac has decreased in size since last week. The Trout are also becoming more active and move around the egg baskets with quick bursts of speed!
As our Rainbow Trout continue to develop, the yolk sac will soon be completely absorbed. When this occurs, they will be in the "button-up” or "swim-up" stage of the trout life cycle. As a “button-up” or “swim-up”, the trout will soon swim to the surface of the water and gulp air, filling their swim bladder (e.g. The organ that enables trout to go from the bottom of the stream to the water’s surface. They inflate it to go up and deflate it to go down.). This is when we will begin to introduce food to our trout. Stay tuned!
PFBC’s Trout In the Office Eggs arrived on September 25, 2020!
Water Quality Parameters
Temp - 55 F pH - 8.2 Ammonia - 0.5 ppm
Nitrites - 0 ppm Nitrates - 20 ppm DO - 10.9 ppm
Our water quality parameters are within acceptable limits this week. Notice, we have a small amount of ammonia present in our system. Since we had a slight increase in ammonia, we will continue to keep an eye on it through water quality monitoring. Rather than adding any chemicals, we conducted a 10% water change and will continue to monitor the water daily.
Life Stage Facts
Although our trout are very active, they are still vulnerable. At this stage, any pollution event could impact their development and/or survival.
Special note – In PA, mid-October through November, Brook and Brown Trout are preparing to spawn, creating the next generation of trout. The female trout will begin cleaning gravel and digging a depression to deposit her eggs. These areas are known as “redds” or trout nests. They are usually found in areas where there is small gravel and springs filtering up from the bottom of the stream. It is best to not walk in streams where you are unsure if trout are spawning. Leaving these areas undisturbed will provide the young trout a good chance at survival.
PFBC Resources For This Week's Theme
Videos
Let’s go on a virtual field trip!
Virtual Field Trip – Stream Habitat - This playlist takes you “streamside” and introduces you to PFBC’s Stream Habitat Management Section; stream habitat importance; equipment found on a stream habitat section truck; a stream habitat enhancement project; the importance of partnerships, planning, permits, and pre/post stream surveys.
Printable Activities/Publications
Activity/Lesson
Habi-Trout Activity - Teachers can utilize this activity, from PFBC’s “WILD About PA Fishes” curriculum, to introduce students to basic methods of assessing stream habitat.
PLAY Newsletter
The following publication is a PFBC PA League of Angling Youth (PLAY) newsletter pertaining to this week's theme. PLAY newsletters include activities, facts and more.
Good Fishing Needs Good Habitat - This PLAY newsletter dives into the importance of stream habitat, the role diversity has in stream habitat improvement, and provides a description of different stream improvement structures.