Name: the complete and updated "rotifer polyculture method" for rearing first feeding zebrafish
Uploaded: 2016-01-17T15:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about The Complete and Updated "Rotifer Polyculture Method" for Rearing First Feeding Zebrafish at JoVE.com

The care and usage of fish generated for representative results described in this protocol was performed in full accordance with the guidelines set forth by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at Boston Children&#39;s Hospital, protocol # 14-05-2673R.

1. Rotifer Culture
<ol>
	<li>Basic Components of a Culture System using a 100 L Culture Vessel
	<ol>
		<li>Gather all the components for the rotifer culture setup . The rotifer culture setup consists of a culture vessel (CV) to grow the rotifers; a similar vessel to maintain feedout rotifers (feedout culture vessel, FCV); a round-bottomed hatching jar (Feed Reservoir, FR) for storage of the algae feed mixture (AFM); an air supply (AS) to aerate the CV, FCV and the FR; a peristaltic pump with a metering...

<ol>
	<li>Ribas, L., Piferrer, F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+zebrafish+(Danio+rerio)+as+a+model+organism,+with+emphasis+on+applications+for+finfish+aquaculture+research.">The zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model organism, with emphasis on applications for finfish aquaculture research.</a> Reviews in Aquaculture. 6, 209-240 (2014).</li><li>Poss, K. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Advances+in+understanding+tissue+regenerative+capacity+and+mechanisms+in+animals.">Advances in understanding tissue regenerative capacity and mechanisms in animals.</a> Nature reviews. Genetics. 11, 710-722 (2010).</li><li>Gemberling, M., Bailey, T. J., Hyde, D. R., Poss, K. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+zebrafish+as+a+model+for+complex+tissue+regeneration.">The zebrafish as a model for complex tissue regeneration.</a> Trends in genetics TIG. 29, 611-620 (2013).</li><li>Santoriello, C., Zon, L. I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Hooked!+modeling+human+disease+in+zebrafish.">Hooked! modeling human disease in zebrafish.</a> Journal of Clinical Investigation. 122, 2337-2343 (2012).</li><li>Selderslaghs, I. W. T., Blust, R., Witters, H. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Feasibility+study+of+the+zebrafish+assay+as+an+alternative+method+to+screen+for+developmental+toxicity+and+embryotoxicity+using+a+training+set+of+27+compounds.">Feasibility study of the zebrafish assay as an alternative method to screen for developmental toxicity and embryotoxicity using a training set of 27 compounds.</a> Reproductive Toxicology. 33 (2), 142-154 (2012).</li><li>Lawrence, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+husbandry+of+zebrafish+(Danio+rerio):+A+review.">The husbandry of zebrafish (Danio rerio): A review.</a> Aquaculture. 269, 1-20 (2007).</li><li>Harper, C., Lawrence, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> The Laboratory Zebrafish (Laboratory Animal Pocket Reference). , (2010).</li><li>Nusslein-Volhard, C., Dahm, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Zebrafish, A Practical Approach. , (2002).</li><li>Westerfield, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> The Zebrafish Book. A Guide for the Laboratory Use of Zebrafish. , (2007).</li><li>Carvalho, P., Arau, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Rearing+zebrafish+(Danio+rerio)+larvae+without+live+food:+evaluation+of+a+commercial,+a+practical+and+a+purified+starter+diet+on+larval+performance.">Rearing zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae without live food: evaluation of a commercial, a practical and a purified starter diet on larval performance.</a> Aquaculture Research. 37, 1107-1111 (2006).</li><li>Spence, R., Gerlach, G., Lawrence, C., Smith, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+behaviour+and+ecology+of+the+zebrafish,+Danio+rerio.">The behaviour and ecology of the zebrafish, Danio rerio.</a> Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc. 83 (1), 13-34 (2008).</li><li>Best, J., Adatto, I., Cockington, J., James, A., Lawrence, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+novel+method+for+rearing+first-feeding+larval+zebrafish:+polyculture+with+Type+L+saltwater+rotifers+(Brachionus+plicatilis).">A novel method for rearing first-feeding larval zebrafish: polyculture with Type L saltwater rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis).</a> Zebrafish. 7 (3), 289-295 (2010).</li><li>Lawrence, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Advances+in+zebrafish+husbandry+and+management.">Advances in zebrafish husbandry and management.</a> Methods in Cell Biology. 104, 429-451 (2011).</li><li>Lawrence, C., Sanders, E., Henry, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Methods+for+culturing+saltwater+rotifers+(Brachionus+plicatilis)+for+rearing+larval+zebrafish.">Methods for culturing saltwater rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) for rearing larval zebrafish.</a> Zebrafish. 9, 140-146 (2012).</li><li>Tucker, C. S., Hargreaves, J. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Biology and Culture of Channel Catfish. 34, 634-657 (2004).</li></ol>

Successful implementation of the rotifer polyculture method for feeding early larval zebrafish requires effective protocols for two tasks: the establishment and maintenance of a continuous rotifer culture system to feed the fish, and culturing first-feeding zebrafish larvae along with rotifers in the same tank.
The setup for a continuous saltwater rotifer production system for zebrafish laboratories first described by Lawrence and co-authors14 has been modified and enhanced in a num...

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a pre-eminent laboratory animal utilized in a growing number of scientific disciplines, including but not limited to developmental genetics, toxicology, behavior, aquaculture, regenerative biology, and the modeling of many human disorders1-5. Although the species is relatively easy to maintain in the laboratory, there are a number of management challenges associated with their culture6. The most prominent of these is larval rearing, particularly when the fish first begin to feed subsequent to gas bladder inflation7. Under normal, controlled conditions, this developmental event occurs at ~5 days post-fertilization (dpf), with the following 3 - 5 days of growth being particularly critical7. The central technical difficulty during this stage is to adequately meet the nutritional demands of the first feeding larvae - feed items must be appropriately sized, digestible, attractive, and available on a nearly continuous basis, without creating excessive waste in culturing tanks. Historically this has been achieved typically by delivering numerous small amounts of feed to the fish in tanks, along with routine water exchange8,9. While these methods are to some degree successful, they are inefficient, require high labor inputs, and return only variable and limited rates of growth and survival10.
In nature, zebrafish larvae presumably feed on abundant small zooplankton present in the water column11. For this reason, larviculture protocols that incorporate live feeds such as Paramecium, rotifers, and Artemia are typically most efficient7. In 2010, Best and co-authors demonstrated that it was possible to grow larval zebrafish in static, brackish water along with saltwater rotifers for the first 5 days of exogenous feeding12. This approach, which harnesses the natural high productivity of rotifer cultures to provide ample, highly nutritious prey without polluting the water, yields very high rates of larval growth and survival with low labor input12,13. In recent years, an increasing number of laboratories around the world have adopted variations of this protocol, and many are now culturing rotifers in a continuous fashion to support nursery systems14.
Over the past several years, methods for both rotifer/zebrafish polyculture and rotifer production have been refined and improved to become more standardized and readily scalable. This article provides step-by-step instructions for 1) continuous and robust rotifer production and 2) the establishment of the rotifer/zebrafish polyculture system used to support robust growth of fish for the first 5 days of exogenous feeding.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="823">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:305px;">Rotifer Culture Infrastructure</td>
			<td style="width:135px;"></td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:264px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">100 Liter Culture Vessel</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Aquaneering</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Custom</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Polycarbonate culture vessel, conical bottomed, with drain valve</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">5 Gallon Culture Bucket Kit</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Reed Mariculture</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">CCS Starter Kit</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Small volume culture vessel for small facilities</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">Rigid Clear Tubing 1/2&#34; O.D., 36&#8221;</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Pentair Aquatic Ecosystems</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">16025</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Rigid clear tubing for air delivery</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">Mesh tube</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Pentair Aquatic Ecosystems</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">RT444X</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Mesh tube support for floss filter</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">Rotifer Floss</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Reed Mariculture</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Rotifer floss 12&#8221; x 42&#8221;</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Particulate waste trap</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">Peristaltic Metering Timer Pump, 5 GPD</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Grainger</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">38M003&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Metering pump with timer for dosing feed to rotifers</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">Peristaltic Metering Timer Pump, 1-100 mL/h (for smaller-scale culture)</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Coral Vue</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">SKU: IC-LQD-DSR</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Metering pump with timer for dosing feed to rotifers</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">Silicone Tubing&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Cole Parmer</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Tubing for algae delivery to rotifer vessel</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">Rigid Clear Tubing &#34; O.D.,36&#8221;</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Pentair Aquatic Ecosystems</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">16025</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Rigid clear tubing for air delivery to algae paste</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">Rigid Clear Tubing O.D., 36&#8221;</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Pentair Aquatic Ecosystems</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">16025</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Rigid clear tubing for algae delivery</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:305px;">Rotifers</td>
			<td style="width:135px;"></td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:264px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">Live Rotifers Brachionus plicatilis Type L</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Reed Mariculture</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Type L 5 million</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Rotifer stock culture for system startup</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:305px;">Rotifer Feed</td>
			<td style="width:135px;"></td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:264px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="45">
			<td height="45" style="height:45px;width:305px;">Sodium hydroxymethylsulfonate</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Reed Mariculture</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">ClorAm-X&#174; 1lb tub</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Ammonia reducer for algae feed mix</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:305px;">Sodium Bicarbonate</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">S25533B</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">pH buffer for algae feed mix</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="45">
			<td height="45" style="height:45px;width:305px;">Microalgae concentrate</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Reed Mariculture</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Rotigrow Plus&#174; 1 liter bag</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Nutritionally optimized rotifer feed</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:305px;">Water Preparation</td>
			<td style="width:135px;"></td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:264px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="96">
			<td height="96" style="height:96px;width:305px;">&#160;Reef Crystals Reef Salt</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">That Fish Place</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">198210</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Salt for making culture water (NOTE: this item is an example only; any contaminant free salt formulations may be used).&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">Refractometer</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Pentair Aquatic Ecosystems</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">SR6</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">measuring salinity</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:305px;">Rotifer Culture Equipment</td>
			<td style="width:135px;"></td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:264px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">Plankton Collectors 12&#34; Dia, 53 microns</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Pentair Aquatic Ecosystems</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">BBPC20</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Mesh screen for collecting rotifers</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">Scrub Pads</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Pentair Aquatic Ecosystems</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">SCR-58</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Scrub pad for cleaning inside of culturing vessels</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:305px;">Scrub Brush</td>
			<td style="width:135px;"></td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:264px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">Bucket</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Grainger Supply&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">43Y530</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Graduated bucket for mixing culture water</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">Hatching Jar</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Pentair Aquatic Ecosystems</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">J30</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Storage of algae feed mix</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">Lugol&#8217;s Solution, Dilute</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">S99481</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Agent used to immobilize live rotifers for counting</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">Sedgewick-Rafter plankton counting slide with grid&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Pentair Aquatic Eco-Systems</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">M415</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Counting rotifers</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:305px;">Miscelleneous</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:305px;">Tea Strainer</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Kitchenworks</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">971972</td>
			<td style="width:264px;">Used for collecting zebrafish embryos after spawning</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

the complete and updated "rotifer polyculture method" for rearing first feeding zebrafish

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a model organism of increasing importance in many fields of science. One of the most demanding technical aspects of culture of this species in the laboratory is rearing first-feeding larvae to the juvenile stage with high rates of growth and survival. The central management challenge of this developmental period revolves around delivering highly nutritious feed items to the fish on a nearly continuous basis without compromising water quality. Because larval zebrafish are well-adapted to feed on small zooplankton in the water column, live prey items such as brachionid rotifers, Artemia, and Paramecium are widely recognized as the feeds of choice, at least until the fish reach the juvenile stage and are able to efficiently feed on processed diets. This protocol describes a method whereby newly hatched zebrafish larvae are cultured together with live saltwater rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) in the same system. This polyculture approach provides fish with an "on-demand", nutrient-rich live food source without producing chemical waste at levels that would otherwise limit performance. Importantly, because the system harnesses both the natural high productivity of the rotifers and the behavioral preferences of the fish, the labor involved with maintenance is low. The following protocol details an updated, step-by-step procedure that incorporates rotifer production (scalable to any desired level) for use in a polyculture of zebrafish larvae and rotifers that promotes maximal performance during the first 5 days of exogenous feeding.

The continuous rotifer culture system described here is dynamic, and it is normal for rotifer numbers to fluctuate to a small extent over time if there are variations in daily feeding and harvest rates. The population of the rotifers in one of the active cultures in the aquaculture facilities at Boston Children&#39;s Hospital, maintained in the manner described above, was monitored for 30 days (Figure 3). The mean culture density during this period was 932 rotifers/mL, wi...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about The Complete and Updated "Rotifer Polyculture Method" for Rearing First Feeding Zebrafish at JoVE.com

The Complete and Updated "Rotifer Polyculture Method" for Rearing First Feeding Zebrafish

Larval zebrafish are adapted to feed on zooplankton. It is possible to capitalize on this natural feature in the laboratory by growing first feeding fish together in the same system with live saltwater rotifers. This "polyculture" strategy promotes high growth and survival with minimal labor and disturbance to the larvae.

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a model organism of increasing importance in many fields of science.  One of the most demanding technical aspects of ...

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