Fifth graders raising rainbow trout

Claire Kanzig and Julia Rahm extract juvenile fish from a tank. Photo by Elise Gourguechon

Julie Kemper's fifth graders have teamed up with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and are raising rainbow trout to release the first part of December.

Kemper first heard about the program "Fish Eggs to Fry" from Cheryl Renwick, science teacher at Cascade Middle School in Bend.

"Fish Eggs to Fry" is a Salmon-Trout Enhancement Program which is funded through the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

All the equipment is donated for class use.

"We wouldn't have been able to participate if the equipment wasn't donated," Kemper said.

"Just the refrigeration unit alone is $700."

Before the eggs arrived in the classroom the students had some work to do. A week in advance they had to set up the aquarium and stabilize the water temperature and the PH.

On October 14, 200 eggs in the "eyed" stage of development were delivered. After eight days the eggs began to hatch. The eggs are now at the alevins stage of growth.

They are nourished through the yolk sacs that are on their bellies, so the students do not need to feed the fish.

"We have two ichthyologists (person who studies fish) take the temperature of the water twice a day, monitor the PH level and check for dead fish," Kemper said. "Then they report their findings to the class."

Over the next several weeks the bellies will shrink. The fish will be released when they reach the fry stage.

"The students will be observing the changes in development the fish will go through during this time," said Kemper.

"They take the fish from the tank with a turkey baster and place them in bug box which has a built in magnifying lens on the lid. Up close they will actually get to see the heart because it's very red."

"Once the belly sac shrinks there's a five day period of time where the fish need to be released so they don't starve or get stressed," Kemper said. "We're hoping that time period doesn't fall over Thanksgiving break, and we've dropped the temperature to 48 degrees to help slow the growth process.

"The students are amazed by the project," Kemper said. "It's so new to them.

"Many of them go fishing, but to see the stages of development really has made their learning come alive."