New School Year, New Trout!

Round two, the eggs have arrived!

In a boxed-up styrofoam container, including food bags sized 0, 1, and 2, the trout eggs arrived in the early afternoon of November 5th.  The fish tank was ready with the water chilled to approximately 53 degrees F.  However, first came the Sorting.  Viable eggs, those that still have life in them, are sorted out from the dead eggs.  One can tell the difference by the color of the eggs.  You can actually see the eyes of the fry in the live eggs.  The dead eggs are a white color and solid.

The final count is 307 viable eggs and 19 dead eggs.  Approximately 50 more eggs than last year!  The eggs will be spending some time in a wire basket (similar to the one above) submerged in the chilled water of the fish tank.  Once the eggs have hatched they will be gently released to the gravel on the bottom of the tank.  Fry will continue for a time to feed from the egg sac, to which they remain attached.  When they have taken all of the nutrients they can from the sac, they will free themselves from the shell and begin to eat size 0 food, which was sent with the eggs.  Some of our trout were already emerging from their eggs when we were sorting!

Check back for more updates on the 307 emerging fry and how they will be growing over the next few months before their release in the spring!