Zebrafish Husbandry Association

3rd European Zebrafish Husbandry Association Meeting 1-3 October 2026!

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:00:26 GMT

Take advantage of Early Bird Registration, now through 2nd May 2026!

We hope this message finds you well. We wanted to gently remind you about registration for the 3rd European Zebrafish Husbandry Association Meeting (EZHM 2026), taking place in Naples, Italy, from 1–3 October 2026.

Early-bird registration is currently available, with discounted rates for all participants—and an additional reduction for current ZHA members. This early-bird pricing will end on 2 May 2026 , so we encourage you to secure your place soon to take advantage of the reduced fee.

EZHM 2026 will bring together researchers, facility managers, and technicians from across Europe to share best practices, innovations, and the latest developments in zebrafish husbandry and aquatic model care. The programme will feature keynote talks, topical sessions, and an optional workshop on severity assessment and scoresheets (1 October).

As a reminder:

Abstract submission is open until 15 June 2026
An online attendance option is available for those unable to travel

More details and registration are available at: www.ezham2026.com

We would be delighted to welcome you—either in Naples or online—for this exciting opportunity to connect and collaborate with the zebrafish community.

Zebrafish at the 16th FELASA Congress in Athens, Greece

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 18:21:45 GMT

The 16th FELASA congress took place last June 2-5, 2025 in Athens. The congress offered a dynamic mix of scientific sessions, technical workshops, and informal exchanges. It brought together a great diversity of professionals - researchers, facility managers, technicians, veterinarians, officials of the regulatory bodies, vendors - all committed to advancing laboratory animal science in line with the 3Rs. The congress also fostered a strong sense of community. Whether it was over coffee or during the evening socials, there was time for valuable conversations about everything from tank design to ethics committee reviews. And the ZHA was beautifully represented by members of the Executive Board and volunteers!!

While the programme covered a wide range of species and models, zebrafish had a stronger presence than ever.

Regulatory topics drew strong attendance and included the reporting of experimental animals and genetically modified fish. There were extensive discussions on the 2024 updates to EU Directive 2010/63/EU. The primary focus was on strategies for meeting the new minimum requirement of 1 liter of accessible water per zebrafish. Most commercially available breeding tanks currently do not comply with this regulation. In the absence of ready-made solutions, one interesting approach presented was a custom-made insert designed to fit 3.5L holding tanks already in use at the facility. This insert provides over 1L of swimming space while separating adults from spawned eggs. It also promotes sustainability by repurposing existing tanks rather than requiring new purchases.

A workshop on severity assessment in fish offered real case studies and helped attendees refine welfare scoring and end-point assessment for zebrafish and other aquatic species.

Methods for anesthesia and euthanasia were revisited. One presentation introduced a fully optimized setup for euthanizing zebrafish directly in their standard housing tanks using electrical stunning. Although this method represents a significant refinement in fish euthanasia, its broader adoption may be limited by the lack of commercial availability. Facilities would need to invest in custom-building the setup, which may pose a challenge in terms of cost and technical resources. In another presentation, the audience was reminded of chemical methods other than MS222, including lidocaine hydrochloride 1 g/L, buffered with 2 g/L of sodium bicarbonate and mixed with 50 mL/L of ethanol, which seems to be a faster and less aversive method of euthanasia for both adults and larvae. Secondary methods for confirmation of death were also discussed.

Welfare refinement was another hot topic. It was great to see an increasing number of evidence-based enrichment protocols, with new evidence in favour of physical environmental enrichment. The data showed the impact of visual barriers, substrate mimics, and tank complexity on fish behavior and physiology. Other topics discussed included refinements of genotyping methods and health monitoring, risk assessment, and control of pathogens transmission, among others. Several sessions offered practical suggestions for zebrafish management and care, including facility design, husbandry best practices, early disease detection, and larval rearing techniques.

Beyond the formal sessions, the poster area also counted with zebrafish content.

As we continue to refine husbandry and welfare practices, and navigate evolving regulations, gatherings like the FELASA congress are essential for sharing knowledge and building a knowledgeable, collaborative, and forward-thinking community.

And last but certainly not least, a heartfelt thank you to the Zebrafish Husbandry Association, who awarded me one of the 2024 Advancement Grants. Your support helped make my attendance to this congress possible!

Presenting ‘The 3Rs in Zebrafish Research’ at The European Zebrafish Husbandry Association meeting in Gödöllő, Hungary

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 18:12:32 GMT

In October 2024, I travelled to Gödöllő in Hungary for the second European Zebrafish Husbandry Association meeting (EZHAM); the first having taken place in London two years earlier. I had been invited to give a talk opening the 3Rs session, as the meeting coincided with the recently published book ‘Zebrafish: A Practical Guide to Husbandry, Welfare, and Research Methodology’, edited by Dr Claire Allen and Dr J-P Mocho. In this book, I had authored a chapter entitled ‘The 3Rs in Zebrafish Research’ and it was this topic I would be giving my talk on.

I’m a neuroscientist and dementia researcher, with a strong interest in bioethics, specifically the ethical use of animals in scientific research. I’m a senior lecturer at Teesside University in the UK, but I previously worked for the NC3Rs, a UK-based organisation that funds research and leads initiatives to promote and implement the 3Rs in scientific research. For those who may not be aware, the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) are an important ethical and legislative framework for the use of animals in scientific research. In research where zebrafish are used as a model organism, replacement may involve using mathematical or computer modelling as a complete replacement of the use of zebrafish, or alternatively using embryonic or foetal forms of zebrafish as partial replacement. Reduction refers to using the most appropriate number of zebrafish required to obtain statistically meaningful results and using methods and techniques to minimise the use of zebrafish where possible. Finally, refinements in zebrafish research involve any method or approach which can improve welfare or reduce potential harm to zebrafish. In my role with the NC3Rs, I worked with researchers and animal facility staff across several universities to share best practice, as well as being a member of several ethics committees where I advised on the 3Rs in animal-based projects.

Presenting at EZHAM provided me with an opportunity to inform delegates about advancing the 3Rs in zebrafish research, and share current research on zebrafish welfare, including husbandry methods and techniques. Gödöllő is situated about 20 miles northeast from Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. To keep financial costs down, I decided to stay in a hotel I’d been in before on a previous trip to Budapest and get the short train ride to and from Gödöllő on the days of the meeting.

The station in Gödöllő was located at the bottom of a small hill, with the venue a short walk to the top. I always feel that the best way to get a sense of a new place is by using public transport, and I thoroughly enjoyed travelling on the local trains with the commuters.

The meeting was hosted at the Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety of the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The specific venue was the Agricultural Machinery and Technology Curiosity Museum, which housed many fascinating exhibitions on historical use of machinery and equipment, which we could explore during the breaks.

When I arrived, I registered and took a wander around the exhibitors which were interspersed among the museum items. The posters were in a separate room adjacent to the large seminar room where the talks would be held. The meeting was extremely well organised, and it was clear that a lot of thought had gone into the best way to host a hybrid meeting and deliver a positive experience for online delegates. Professional cameras and recording equipment were set up, with around four or five dedicated technical staff responsible for this side of things. This meant I could give them my presentation slides without worrying about any IT issues, which is always the most stressful part of giving a talk! Having the meeting recorded also meant myself and other delegates could go back and watch any talks we enjoyed or may have missed.

Before I discuss my 3Rs talk, I want to share some of my personal highlights from the meeting. Of the posters, there were two that particularly appealed to my interests. The first was by Lisa Van Hateren from the University of Sheffield, UK. The poster evaluated methods of genotyping zebrafish and how procedure numbers can be reduced by genotyping embryos or using methods which are more refined than the commonly used fin clipping of zebrafish adults. Secondly, Anita Rácz from the University of Glasgow, UK, presented some interesting data on refining commonly used visible implant elastomer identification tags, with potential welfare benefits. There were some fantastic talks throughout the meeting, including two by Professor Lynne Sneddon from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. I’ve seen Professor Sneddon give talks on a number of occasions and it’s always a pleasure to hear her present her research which has truly advanced zebrafish welfare, and our understanding of this species as it has gained popularity as a model organism. Professor Sneddon shared her work on environmental enrichment, as well as methods to assess zebrafish welfare, recognising pain, and pain management protocols.

A talk by Dr Christian Lawrence from SmartLabs, USA, generated interesting discussions on a topic which is applicable across many areas of laboratory science, not just zebrafish research. Protocols and environmental conditions can vary greatly across labs and institutions, but should we be striving for greater standardisation? Human diseases and conditions can have significant variation in how they present, which can be attributable to heterogenous genetic and environmental factors. Perhaps greater translation between animal and human studies can be achieved by simply improving the reporting of any differences in laboratory studies rather than

trying to achieve standardisation. Finally, a talk by Dr Gregory Paull from the University of Exeter, UK, presented an interesting discussion on the UK Home Office Breeding and Maintenance protocol for genetically modified zebrafish. This stipulates that zebrafish are to be kept only to a maximum of 18 months of age, after which they are required to be euthanised. Dr Paull highlighted the lack of data on whether this is consistent with the 3Rs and maintaining welfare standards if the zebrafish are healthy at 18 months of age and continuing to breed successfully. Moreover, this policy could be leading to more zebrafish being used for breeding and maintenance than is necessary.

As I previously said, my talk opened the 3Rs session on Day 2. I used this opportunity to update delegates on contemporary definitions of the 3Rs and share resources and guidelines to assist with the design and reporting of scientific experimental studies that involve the use of zebrafish. I discussed how better reporting, more reproducible studies, and new methods and technologies contribute towards advancing scientific progress and ensuring the highest standards of welfare are applied. Following Dr Lawrence’s talk, I agreed that there was a lack of standardisation across zebrafish facilities, but I discussed that for improved translation, this shouldn’t necessarily be the goal. Instead, better reporting to ensure studies are reproducible, should be. In addition, following Dr Paull’s talk I agreed that more research was needed to determine the validity of not maintaining breeding zebrafish after 18 months of age. In my talk I discussed how if zebrafish are still healthy and breeding beyond 18 months of age, this would go against the 3Rs principle of reduction, as it would lead to more zebrafish being required for breeding. However, if maintaining the zebrafish for breeding beyond this age had a negative

impact on experimental outcomes, e.g., by affecting the quality of offspring, then this would go against reduction because more zebrafish would be required to minimise variation, and there could potentially be an increase in attrition rates. It would also go against refinement, if the breeding zebrafish experienced any negative health implications from breeding beyond 18 months of age. Finally, best practice in zebrafish husbandry techniques is direct refinement, so this was an opportunity to share knowledge within the community.

Research on zebrafish welfare is advancing quickly so EZHAM was an important opportunity for the zebrafish husbandry community to be kept up to date on best practice, particularly on evidence that has implications for the 3Rs. It was great to hear about recent advances in zebrafish husbandry and research and establish areas where more work is needed. I want to thank the Zebrafish Husbandry Association for awarding me the Advancement Fund, without which I wouldn’t have been able to attend the meeting.

Inside the Tank: A Peek into the Tecniplast Annual International Zebrafish Husbandry Course, 2023 Part III/III

Sun, 01 Sep 2024 18:12:00 GMT

by Charli Corcoran

The Lectures: top tips and takeaways

The course was rather intense, we had a jam-packed schedule from the course’s start on
Monday evening. It began with an opportunity for networking and to introduce ourselves to
each other and a keynote speech addressing all the amazing things that zebrafish can be
used for in research. It was a chance for us all to consider what we use zebrafish for in our
own facilities and to potentially think outside the box for ways that we could use the fish in
the future. The rest of the week was a mix of talks and social events that gave us a good
balance of learning and networking. I thought that the topics covered through the week were
a good range, covering the broader aspects of zebrafish care while also focusing on more
specific topics of interest.

I struggled to choose which lectures to summarise as there were 27 talks throughout the
week, plus a round table event at the end, each talk addressing a different aspect of zebrafish management. I have chosen 7 that I felt were relevant to the wider community.

 Disease and Disease Management
 Health Monitoring
 Water Quality Fundamentals
 “Refinement” and “Setting and Validating Standards”
 Genetic Colony Management
 Enrichment
 Sustainability

Some top tips from Lauren and Justin’s talks were:

 Understanding the design of our facility and whether it is doing its job properly helps
to mitigate the risk of disease
 Check the efficiency of your UV filter, don’t just assume that it is working properly.
Monitor the flow rate and the UV dose.
 Check your mechanical filters: what is actually getting through?
 Consider work flow and how that can help manage existing pathogen burden
 Colony health management planning is key to controlling your existing pathogenic
burden
 Use an online reporting system that notifies the users about any issues with their fish,
using health indicators and body condition scoring charts.

Health Monitoring
Bruce and Justin discussed health monitoring. They encouraged us to take the time every
day to observe everything we can about the fish, and to make sure that all staff are trained to
recognise an unhealthy fish. They talked about the different types of sampling for
diagnostics purposes, and what we should sample: fish, water, biofilms – and encouraged us
to think about what detection, or even lack of detection, of pathogens or microorganisms
might mean.
Key takeaways about Health Monitoring:

 Have a quarantine facility away from the main work room and consider your workflow
 Make decisions beforehand so that it is easier to decide in the moment, and have a
plan for what you will do if your monitoring gets a positive result
 Use sick fish charts and record what you are seeing so you can monitor trends.
Review logs regularly.
 Remove sick fish at earliest opportunity
 Investigate mortalities that shouldn’t have occurred
 Fecundity monitoring can be an early indicator for any problems.

Water Quality Fundamentals
This was one of the presentations that I was looking forward to going into the course, as
some areas of water quality continue to be a challenge for our facility. I was keen to hear
what Karen had to say on the topic and to discuss our concerns with other zebrafish people.
Karen’s talk addressed the impact of water parameters on zebrafish welfare. Water
parameters have a complex relationship with each other and it was good to relate some of
those with some potential welfare issues that we might see in our fish.
Some of Karen’s Water Quality dos and don’ts:

 Zebrafish can tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions but they do not
tolerate sharp changes so acclimate your fish to any changes slowly
 Remove chlorine using carbon filters

Water Hardness
 Low alkalinity can increase the toxicity of dissolved metals
 The recommended range for zebrafish is 50-75ppm
 Soft water (<60ppm) results in difficulties maintaining egg supply or survival

pH
 Haemoglobins affinity for oxygen decreases as pH decreases
 Nitrogenous waste is more toxic at high pH levels
 Zebrafish can tolerate a wide range

Temperature
 Higher temperatures speed up development and aging and also food
consumption
 Activity and behaviour are highly affected by temperature
 Toxicity of nitrogenous waste increases with temperature
 Dissolved oxygen decreases as temperature increases
 Chlorine and Chloramines
 Low levels of chlorine cause stress and irritated gills
 High levels are fatal

Water Flow
 High water flow is good for adult fish, high occupancy tanks, tanks in rooms
with low ambient temperatures and tanks getting a lot of food.
 Low water flow good for younger fish and for blind fish

Static Tanks
 Check water quality of static tanks regularly
 Change water regularly

Refinement and Setting and Validating standards.
Carrie’s talk on refinement in zebrafish, and Lauren’s talk on setting and validating
standards, were very motivating, encouraging us to make the small changes and
refinements that can be implemented at a local level, to do the validation studies, to publish
the results, and apply it from a facility management perspective.

Key messages from the refinement and setting and validating standards presentations:

 We can be so focused on trying to make big changes, that we overlook the small
improvements that we can make at a local level in our own facilities.
 Small changes can lead to improvements in welfare
 Start by asking the question “Why do you do it that way?”

 Validate your changes and publish any results: Zebrafish Journal* would be a good
place to start with publishing any results.
 Always assess the ‘new thing’ that you heard at the conference with what works in
your facility and with your users

*I did not know about the Zebrafish journal, here is a link for anyone like me:
https://www.liebertpub.com/loi/zeb.

Genetic Colony Management of Zebrafish

This session was of interest to many of the attendees, and Karin focused on things to
consider in preventing and identifying phenomena such as inbreeding depression and the
founder effect in our zebrafish colonies. She also linked good genetic health with the 3Rs:
how developing methods that focus on high survival is a good way to minimise the number
of animals used (Reduce), and she discussed methods to maintain good genetic diversity in
our wildtype stocks.

Some of the key messages from Karin’s talk on genetic colony management are:

Enrichment
Enrichment is another topic that we are discussing a lot in our facility at the moment, and a
topic which some of our undergraduate students are in the process of looking into, so I was
really interested in this session, and to hear the speakers and attendees’ views on
enrichment in zebrafish facilities. Karin defined enrichment as additions or modifications to
the basic laboratory environment which aim to improve laboratory animal welfare. She talked
about the benefits and objections, and the different types of enrichment that we might
encounter in our facilities.
Top Enrichment tips:

 Enrichment is not one size fits all: consider age, group size and sex
 Habituation can lead to lack of interest, so change enrichment frequently
 Simple tank changes can improve welfare
 Communicate changes with staff and users

Sustainability in a Fish Facility
I was looking forward to this session as sustainability is a topic that’s heavily discussed in
the wider environment of our institute. I think it can be quite overwhelming to think about
how we can be more sustainable in a facility where the large majority of our equipment has
to be running all the time. This session was a little different to the rest of the week, as we
divided up into small groups and separated out to discuss the ways which we have been
able to be more sustainable in our own facilities, and share ideas to help others take steps to
be more sustainable.

Obviously not all the ideas and solutions will be viable in all facilities, but having that time to
discuss in a group and hear how things had worked out in different facilities around the world
was very useful.

Some of those ideas:
 Adjust feeding regime to reduce required cleaning and filter changes and to reduce
food waste.
 Look at ways we can reduce our consumable use: wash the filter mats in hot water
instead of replacing them every time, and clean petri dishes in a bleach solution. In
this particular case, washing the petri dishes had cut down on petri dish purchase by
90%. Biodegradable petri dishes were also suggested, as was the use of glass petri
dishes.
 Adjusting water exchange when the total system volume changes to make sure that
water is not being wasted.
 Recycling the water that we use.

I really enjoyed the format of this session and I do wish there had been other opportunities to
discuss specific topics in more formal settings like this throughout the course.

I fully agree with Michaels point that a lot of the things that were discussed on the course
were things that many of us already knew, but didn’t really have any ways of enforcing in our
facilities or with our users. The course empowers us to enforce those things by sharing
some of the consequences of not enforcing those steps.

Each presentation had time for discussion afterwards. These were sometimes lively
opportunities to ask specific questions which had come up during the course and it was
really great to hear all the questions that the attendees had.

“I gained a lot of insights and useful information through sharing my challenges.”
-Iris Y.K. Woo, University of Hong Kong

Like Iris, I found these discussion times helpful, as well as the more informal networking at
lunch or during the social time. I found it helpful to be able to hear about issues that other
facilities had encountered, as there is always the potential for those problems to crop up for
me in the future. There was also the opportunity to write down any questions or topics for
discussion, and put them in the fish tank. A round table was held at the end of the week,
where the panel of speakers answered or discussed the questions that had been left in the
tank. This was a fantastic opportunity to get expert opinions on any zebrafish related topics.

The post Inside the Tank: A Peek into the Tecniplast Annual International Zebrafish Husbandry Course, 2023 Part III/III appeared first on Zebrafish Husbandry Association .

Inside the Tank: A Peek into the Tecniplast Annual International Zebrafish Husbandry Course, 2023 Part II/III

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 16:51:00 GMT

Top Tips from the Expert Speakers

Tecniplast has put together a great team of speakers, who are very knowledgeable in the field of zebrafish husbandry, and who have an amazing wealth of experience in their roles. Not only that, but they clearly love what they do, and it was great to have the opportunity to learn from them both during their lectures and during the social time of the course as well.

“…you (are) hearing from some of the best in the field…”

Paul Strachan, University of Edinburgh

Keynote Speaker: Professor Dimitris Beis
Dimitris is an associate professor of biochemistry at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ioannina, and delivered the keynote speech for the 10th International Zebrafish Husbandry Course. Dimitris addressed the many uses of zebrafish in research, which could fill an entirely new blog post, and did a fantastic job of setting the scene for the rest of the week.
Carrie Barton
The director of Aquatics and Associate Director of Animal Care for the Office of Comparative
Medicine at the University of Utah, and has nearly 25 years of experience working with
research zebrafish colonies. Carrie shared with us her expertise on the procedures and
techniques that can be used with zebrafish, her thoughts on Facility management, Genetic
Colony Management and some insights on refinement in zebrafish.

Carrie’s key points:

Michael is the head of Technical Development at Biosystems and Tropical Marine Centre,
specializing in lighting and the biology of light. Michael joined us to share the importance of
lighting in a zebrafish facility, and the use of lighting to improve zebrafish welfare.
Michaels key points:

The speakers were engaging and very knowledgeable and keen to help the course
participants in any way that they can, so thank you very much to all of them for sharing their
experiences and advancements.

The post Inside the Tank: A Peek into the Tecniplast Annual International Zebrafish Husbandry Course, 2023 Part II/III appeared first on Zebrafish Husbandry Association .

Inside the Tank: A Peek into the Tecniplast Annual International Zebrafish Husbandry Course, 2023

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 14:22:00 GMT

Charli Corcoran

Part I/III

In October 2023 I was fortunate to attend the 10th Annual International Zebrafish Husbandry Course, hosted by Tecniplast and held in Buguggiate, Italy. The course brings together zebrafish husbandry experts from around the world to present recent advancements in zebrafish husbandry to the course attendees. In 2023 the course ran from 9th October – 13th October, and there were 40 attendees representing 15 countries. My place among them was funded by both the Zebrafish Husbandry Association’s Advancement Fund, and my facility at the Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, and I am grateful to both for the chance to attend this course.

The week was full of education and collaboration, aligning with the Zebrafish Husbandry Association’s mission of promoting and developing zebrafish husbandry standards through education, collaboration, and publication. The course was attended by zebrafish enthusiasts with many years of experience behind them and those making their first steps into zebrafish husbandry, and the content covered a wide range of topics from the natural history of zebrafish, the details of managing a zebrafish colony to the intricacies of balancing water quality and the importance of disaster planning. Not only did we have the opportunity to learn from the expert panel of speakers, but there was also time for us to learn from each other during the networking and social events throughout the week.

“The knowledge and experience that people share (is) definitely not something that I can search online and find easily.” Iris Y.K. Woo, University of Hong Kong.

For me, the most important part of the course was the chance to engage with colleagues from around the world. Being able to discuss challenges and contribute to conversations with members of the international zebrafish community has opened doors to different and diverse perspectives, new approaches – and provided me with a list of people to email for advice if needed.

“I think the networking we got across the world is key to optimize and running a successful facility”
Michael Henningsen, University of Copenhagen

I spoke to several of the course participants, and asked their views on aspects of the course, including key takeaway messages, what they thought the zebrafish community should be excited about and how they might implement the knowledge that they gained on the course. Thank you to everyone who responded and shared their views with me, I feel that it really highlights the international and collaborative nature of this course.

While this blog is my opinion of and reflection on the course, I have included quotes from other participants to highlight the international impact that the course has had. The blog will discuss key take home messages from each of the eight expert speakers and summaries of the (in my opinion) key lectures throughout the course.

The post Inside the Tank: A Peek into the Tecniplast Annual International Zebrafish Husbandry Course, 2023 appeared first on Zebrafish Husbandry Association .

A First Time For Everything (ZHA & AALAS) – by Mollie Millington

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 18:35:00 GMT

As one of the Advancement Fund recipients, I cannot wait to fill you in on AALAS. For members outside of the USA, AALAS stands for American Association for Laboratory Animal Science and their conference is held annually in a different city each year. In 1998, AALAS had 8,994 members, 48 branches and 19 affiliate organizations so you can imagine how many they have today. In speaking with other attendees, I have heard 6000-7000 can attend annually, so was surprised to learn that only 3600 people attended this year. Personally, I felt the conference was huge in terms of expo and number of sessions, talks, and workshops (especially compared to the UK equivalent, IAT Congress).

Due to my experience with jet lag for Aquaculture American in San Diego in 2021, I intentionally arrived in Salt Lake City a few days early to help my body adjust. It was a seven-hour time difference from London, UK, which meant I had lots of emails to answer each morning before the talks started at 8am. Sunday was the first day of AALAS and was a slow crescendo of what was to come. I started the day by attending the Tecniplast welcome breakfast after registering for the conference. It was jam packed and there were activity tables with BRAD (Biomedical Research Awareness Day), VOEN (Vivarium Operational Excellence Network) and the 3RsC (The 3Rs Collaborative). I met some other first time attendees at this event, as well as other international attendees. After I ate and took part in the activities, I headed to Office Max to fetch some supplies for the ZHA booth. When I got back, we had a handful of people ready to move our boxes and start the set up. I was able to meet current e-board members, as well as some volunteers. It was fantastic to connect with other members in real life after being a part of the online community previously. At 2pm, there was a short orientation for first time AALAS attendees and then a welcome session with a buffet, quiz night, and networking. I only stayed for one drink but did bump into Marcus Crim from IDEXX before heading to a AALAC fellowship dinner hosted by Purina and Lab Diet.

On Monday, I spent most of my day learning about compassion fatigue, emotional well-being, building resiliency and creating an employee assistance program that is familiar with the work that animal technicians so. These sessions were suggested by my manager and department head as we are expanding our Culture of Care program for employee support. Many great ideas were shared and I am looking forward to putting some of these into practice at the Francis Crick in the new year.

One of the highlights of the week was a talk about the management of brine shrimp in the Great Salt Lake by a representative from the Utah Department of Natural Resources. Aquaneering hosted this fascinating talk at their booth. We discussing how long the management program has been in place and how stock levels and allocations are regulated. Questions from the audience included how climate change may affect the industry (and therefore supplies for zebrafish facilities) in the future. After the talk, Arrow Megginson won a framed stamp panel of “Life Magnified” which includes Dan Castranova’s zebrafish image.

The day wrapped up with a ZHA happy hour, hosted by many of the vendors exhibiting at AALAS. It was extremely well-attended and a way for everyone to catch up. The day’s programming goes from 8am-5pm without any set breaks, so it was easy to miss people during the conference. Of course, some of the chats became shop talk, but we had fun too. There was a ton of delicious food and a raffle with gift cards and an R&D Clipstation for fin clipping. At this gathering, I realized how many international members we had attending AALAS this year. I was grateful to have everyone in the same place to allow for introductions and catch ups. Many of the ZHA members I was fortunate enough to meet online during the pandemic but I haven’t had many chances to meet them in person yet. A few I had met at Aquaculture America in 2022, so it was good to see familiar faces too.

Tuesday was fish day! We started at 8am with four husbandry sessions. These touched on basics of aquatic systems and managing a facility; importance of water quality; larval feeding strategies; how to create mutant and transgenic fish. We had a short break before Lynne Sneddon have a lecture on optimizing fish welfare using behavioural strategies. During the afternoon, I manned the booth while the ZHA hosted a “Danio Zoom Live” session, fielding questions from the audience. Tuesday afternoon was also the poster session. Authors stood by their posters for two hours in order to answer any questions people may have. While I provided Xenopus laevis samples to Charles River for their new frog health monitoring service, I didn’t contribute to the analysis.

The last zebrafish-themed session was from 3-5pm and focused on infectious agents and disease processes; developing an importation and quarantine programs; non-infectious diseases surveillance; implementation of a health surveillance program. Unfortunately, I missed this session too but I heard it went well.

Lynne Sneddon and I were going to have dinner together Tuesday evening and we were kindly invited to join Aquaneering for a meal. Many people at dinner were excited to meet Lynne in person, having read her worked or corresponded with her via email. I didn’t stay too late as my talk was scheduled in the first session on Wednesday morning.

The 3Rs session I was scheduled to present at started at 8am. The session started with a talk about surgical implants in ferrets and then an overview of the Marseille Declaration. Kyra Byrd (Stanford University) gave a talk about using pebbles and group housing as enrichment strategies for zebrafish before my talks on analgesia pre- and post-fin clip and skin swabbing as an alternative to fin clipping. My talks went well from my point of view and there were questions afterwards (which is always a relief!). We have been providing analgesia for fin clips since 2014 and I was surprised that it hasn’t taken off more in the USA. The UK now requires implementation of analgesia and will be enforcing over the next few years, based on the individual project licence renewal schedule.

Sadly, the ZHA booth has to be taken down by 1pm so a few of us met to do so. I took a quick trip to the hotel to back up before heading to the farewell reception (which was mostly a fundraising auction) and casual ZHA meet up at the Beerhive. It was time to say our goodbyes. Some ZHA members were staying in town and going to a local aquarium the next day. Others were headed back home. I was going to Memphis, TN to see Transnetyx’s lab and present at their weekly meeting a summary of our skin swabbing collaboration.

Salt Lake City must have been said we were all leaving as it was pouring with rain on Thursday morning. I met with Marco Brocca for breakfast for a catch up before heading to the airport. It was a whirlwind of a trip and I would like to attend again at some point. It is brilliant at ZHA are able to showcase the work our industry does. I encourage those who are interested to apply to give a talk or poster about the work you do related to zebrafish. AALAS is a fantastic place to learn new things about many species and network. Hope you can make it to Nashville in 2024.

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Exploring the Wonders of Zebrafish: My Insights from the 10th Annual International Zebrafish Husbandry Course – by Candace Sparkman

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 14:20:00 GMT

I was immensely fortunate to receive a $1000 grant from the Zebrafish Husbandry Association,
which opened the doors for me to attend the 10th Annual International Zebrafish Husbandry Course in the enchanting city of Buguggiate VA, Italy, hosted by Tecniplast. From October 9th to 13th, 2023, I had the privilege of immersing myself in a world of zebrafish research and husbandry, and the knowledge I
gained during this experience has been nothing short of transformative. I’m profoundly grateful for the
opportunity to attend this conference, and I’m excited to share some of the invaluable insights I gathered
about these fascinating creatures.

Understanding Zebrafish Natural History and Behavior
The course kicked off with a captivating presentation by Bruce Newell, a professional who started his
career in retail aquatic stores and is now the Senior Technical Officer, Aquatic Aviary and Wildlife at
Deakin University with 26 racks of Zebrafish, each endearingly named George. Bruce’s talk went into the
natural history and behavior of zebrafish, shedding light on some remarkable aspects:
● Zebrafish have an R-type breeding strategy, characterized by high reproductive rates and minimal
parental investment.
● The name “Danio” finds its roots in “Rice Field,” alluding to the fish’s native habitat.
● Bruce highlighted the existence of nine recognized zebrafish species, with two more under
review, all of which belong to the carp family.
● Zebrafish have laterally compressed bodies and upward-facing mouths, adapted to their natural
environment in India, where fluctuating temperatures and water quality due to monsoons are the
norm.
● Observing zebrafish in their natural habitat is challenging due to limited research, making it
difficult to gain insights into their age range, which raises ethical concerns.

Delving into Water Quality Fundamentals
Another eye-opening session was conducted by Karin Finger-Baier, where she talked about the intricate
world of water quality fundamentals, a vital aspect of zebrafish husbandry:
● Karin emphasized that tap water quality can be influenced by plumbing and source, while reverse
osmosis (RO) water lacks buffering capacity, making pH regulation a priority.
● Maintaining stable pH levels around 7.5 is paramount, as deviations can lead to low oxygen
levels and high ammonia (NH3) concentrations, jeopardizing zebrafish health.
● Temperature control, maintaining it between 24-28°C, was underscored as essential for zebrafish
well-being, given its influence on growth rates and food consumption.
● Karin’s comprehensive insights extended to nitrogen management, covering ammonia (NH3),
nitrite (NO2), and nitrate (NO3) levels. Proper control is vital to maintain a healthy aquatic
environment.

Diving Deeper into Anesthesia, Euthanasia, and Stress in Zebrafish
One of the most eye-opening sessions was also conducted by Karin Finger-Baier, further emphasizing the
significance of fish welfare and care. Karin’s session focused on zebrafish anesthesia, euthanasia, and
stress management. It was enlightening to learn about the various methods and their implications:
● Anesthesia, a critical aspect of zebrafish research, means “no feeling,” and its humane
administration was a central theme. Karin highlighted the use of MS-222, commonly known as
Tricane, as a local anesthetic, while underscoring the importance of protecting it from light to
maintain its effectiveness. She also discussed alternative options, such as clove oil, which is quick
and cost-effective, and lidocaine, known for its quick action and analgesic properties.
Additionally, the use of propofol was discussed, despite its short duration and solubility
challenges.
● The diverse techniques ensure humane end-of-life care. However, Karin also raised a crucial
point about German law, which prevents the sacking of fish without a health concern, resulting in
a population of aging fish in zebrafish facilities.

Advancements in Zebrafish Procedures, Genetic Colony Management, and Personnel Training
Carrie Barton’s session provided a deep dive into zebrafish procedures, genetic colony management, and
personnel training. She spoke on zebrafish procedures and techniques and unveiled innovative methods
that can greatly benefit zebrafish researchers.
● Shipping of fish in ridgid cube containers and the use of ammonia (NH3) binders.
● Advancements in genotyping fish using skin swabs and techniques like cryopreservation and in
vitro fertilization opened new avenues for zebrafish research.
● The session emphasized the importance of staying up to date with the latest techniques to ensure
the highest standards of research and husbandry.
● The section on genetic colony management emphasized the potential risks associated with
inbreeding, genetic drift, and founder effects. These can lead to various health problems and
reduced reproductive success in zebrafish populations.
● Strategies to mitigate these issues included monitoring clutches, reducing sibling mating, and
adhering to a 3-to-1 rule, involving outcrossing to the AB strain every three generations.
● By maintaining genetic diversity and utilizing innovative methods, researchers can ensure the
health and vitality of zebrafish populations for years to come.

In conclusion, my journey to the 10th Annual International Zebrafish Husbandry Course was a
remarkable experience that enriched my understanding of these remarkable creatures. From their natural
history and behavior to the intricacies of water quality management, anesthesia, and euthanasia, I gained a profound appreciation for the research-based approach to zebrafish husbandry. Exploring advanced
techniques, genetic colony management, and personnel training emphasized the need for continuous
learning and adaptation in the field of zebrafish research.

As I return from this enlightening event, I carry with me a vision for the future of zebrafish
research – one that is rooted in compassion, innovation, and the unwavering commitment to
understanding these fascinating aquatic creatures. I’m profoundly grateful for the opportunity to have
attended the conference and the support of the Zebrafish Husbandry Association. With these newfound
insights, I am excited to contribute to the vibrant community of zebrafish researchers, working towards a
brighter future for both the scientific world and these remarkable fish.

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Advancement Fund Feature: Elizabeth Ibañez

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 17:48:00 GMT

Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to the Zebrafish Husbandry Association for the chance to further my knowledge in Zebrafish management and husbandry. The zebrafish program in our facility was started last year in March 2022, and the ZHA has provided great resources and connections that have furthered the success of our program.

I registered for the OVPRED 500-Zebrafish Husbandry Education online course at University of Alabama in Birmingham developed and peer-reviewed by the Zebrafish Husbandry Association. I enjoyed the break down and detail of the course especially implementing what I learned to our facility and being able to educate my colleagues when questions arise. As a student, and full-time employee, the pace and workload of the course was perfect. My favorite part of the course was the breakdown of the water quality parameters and how they are all tied together when working with zebrafish, especially when it comes to their well-being. Participating in the case-studies were interactive, fun, and relatable. I feel much more confident managing zebrafish husbandry after the course. Danio Friday’s have been an excellent resource as well, I look forward to them! Thank you so much for the opportunity to express my gratitude and experience.

Elizabeth Ibañez, LARC Technician II –UT Dallas

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The 2023 T-shirt contest is here!

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 20:56:00 GMT

Our annual fundraiser has returned! Every year, the ZHA t-shirt design contest draws on the immense talent of our members to design a t-shirt for the membership (and even non-members!) to buy. The proceeds from the t-shirt sales go directly to our Advancement Fund program, which provides small grants to the membership to advance their work with zebrafish.

The winning submission gets a free t-shirt of their choosing, and the t-shirt shop will be open for online purchases through Aug 21.

Questions? Email admin@zhaonline.org.

Terms: At this time, ZHA is only accepting submissions from members in good standing. Member who has their design chosen agrees to allow ZHA to use their design for the t-shirt fundraiser program. ZHA will ask permission for any other potential uses of the image. ZHA reserves the right to not accept submissions if they are outside of the scope of the fundraiser or the image is deemed too complex for the t-shirt producer to create.

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Call for Abstracts: ANZAAP 2023!

Sat, 12 Nov 2022 16:35:00 GMT

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The ZHA is Getting Recognition!

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 14:25:00 GMT

The Zebrafish Husbandry Association (ZHA) is getting noticed: Lab Animal Europe, the leading publication for Scientists, Facility Managers and Technicians throughout Europe has just included a meeting announcement for the ZHA 1st European Meeting in its latest issue.

Lab Animal Europe is circulated monthly and is packed with European content and topical issues, it is the go-to scientific journal for those working in laboratory animal science. It is available in both printed and digital format therefore readers can have access anywhere at any time.

Subscriptions are free to those working in laboratory animal science and can be easily accessed here: www.lab-animal.com/subscribeLAE.

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ZHA Leadership Changes and Accomplishments

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 21:31:00 GMT

The Zebrafish Husbandry Association is growing! We are happy to report that our membership numbers have grown by over 60% in the past two years. We’re working hard to provide even more value for your membership, and to elevate the field of zebrafish husbandry worldwide.

To continue our pace, we feel that we need to expand our executive. Currently, we run our non-profit with just five members of our Executive Board. We are all volunteers, and we do our best to complete tasks outside of our “day jobs” but it’s been a tough mission for the current and past board members. In addition, we want to provide additional support to this amazing community as we continue to grow our membership.

For the 2023 election period, we would like to begin restructuring the executive board slightly, with the addition of two additional Board members, to complement our current five. This odd number would help to ensure successful voting on meeting matters, and would help to ensure we can still reach quorum in our monthly meetings.

Here is how our Executive Board structure will look like for 2023:

President: Josh Barber (was elected president-elect for 2022, becomes President the following year)

President-elect: up for election for 2023

Vice President: Joan Hedge

Treasurer: up for election for 2023

Memberships: up for election for 2023

Industry and Association Partnerships: up for election for 2023

Social Media and Outreach: up for election for 2023

This year we have done a lot of work to ensure our non-profit is up to date on paperwork and taxes, and we are working into the next year to further develop our written policies and bylaws, as well as provide better training on non-profit executive governance.

We also continued our Annual T-shirt Design Competition and Fundraiser, the Zebrafish Advancement Fund, the organization of free Monthly Webinars, now with certificates of attendance issued to all attendees, and started hosting the Danio Zoom Friday online meetings. ZHA has also been working hard to introduce our community to many new people in the field. We had representatives at several conferences (WAS, CALAS, FELASA, AALAS) and we are organizing the first ZHA European Meeting, to take place in London, UK with the option of online attendance to ensure that we include a worldwide membership.

We are looking forward to developing new projects in 2023, always keeping in mind ZHA principles of inclusiveness, community engagement, education, collaboration and publication.

We hope that you’ll consider joining the Board this year. It can be a great way to learn more about how a non-profit organization is operated, and you’ll help your colleagues by being part of an amazing resource for zebrafish users everywhere.

Thank you,

The ZHA Executive Board

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The ZHA Advancement Fund is now open for 2022!

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 15:19:00 GMT

The Zebrafish Advancement Fund (ZAF) is a reimbursement program created to provide funds for ZHA members who may want to pursue a specialist designation, take an aquaculture or zebrafish related course, attend a conference, transition to a new aspect of the field, or for ZHA members that require monetary support to engage in new initiatives related to the zebrafish husbandry team. Applications will need to show how the funds will enhance the skills, goals, or career development of the ZHA member while benefiting the zebrafish husbandry community and supporting the goals of the ZHA. All submissions are anonymized by a volunteer and submitted to the selection committee to review and select.

Eligibility : Members of ZHA in good standing, except vendors, current e-board members and winners of the last year fund.

Submissions documents : Documentation of costs, a short letter (500 words or less) explaining the need, and 2 professional reference contacts.

Submissions open : August 1 2022

Submissions due by : Sept 12 2022

Successful candidates notified by email on or before : Sept 23 2022

Number of submissions selected in 2022: up to three

Maximum funding amount per submission: $1000

Please send your submission by September 12 2022. Submissions are accepted at the admin@zhaonline.org email address only.

Selection criteria:

Applications with a total score of 5 or more will be ranked and awarded by order to the extent of the available fund ($3000).

Winners confirmation and anouncement:

Candidates with the three highest scores above 5 will be asked to sign the Zebrafish Advancement Fund Agreement. Candidates who agree with the ZAF terms will be announced as winners on ZHA social media.

FAQs:

The ZAF is a reimbursement program. You’ll receive the funds you are entitled to once you submit the appropriate documentation (paid invoices, receipts, etc.) as well as a draft of your blog post/article/presentation/other submission for ZHA to share about your experience.

The ZAF replaces the travel grant. It allows members to get some funding for a wider variety of opportunities, both online and offline.

Every year for members of ZHA in good standing who are not vendors or current e-board members and who did not win the funds in the previous year

Every two years for winners from the previous year (if you win one year, you must wait a year to apply for another AF grant).

Professional and educational sources only, no family/friends.

Only if absolutely necessary to verify information in the submission.

Yes, a minimum of a blog post for the ZHA website is required. Other valid submissions include a vlog, a presentation online or at one of our annual meetings, a poster at a conference or an article published in a magazine or online.

The e-board understands that the exact costs may not be available when submitting for the ZAF. Therefore, you should try your best to get an accurate estimate which may require research on your part. For example, if you are attending a conference requiring an overnight stay, you could include the cost for last year’s conference and an estimate for a night’s stay at a local hotel.

We require the request for funds within 1 calendar year of the submission closing date.

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ZHA European Meeting!

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 15:32:00 GMT

The Zebrafish Husbandry Association (ZHA; zhaonline.org) is pleased to announce their 1st European meeting. The meeting will be taking place October 10-11th 2022, both online and in-person in London, UK. The two full days’ programmes and on-demand content are equally perfect for those new to the industry and those with years of experience. There is certainly something for everyone. You do not need to be based in Europe to attend although all live sessions will be on GMT. The programme will cover global zebrafish community updates, husbandry, severity, PREPARE and ARRIVE guidelines, and much more.

Over ten pre-recorded webinars covering basic zebrafish husbandry are available as soon as registration on the Whova platform is completed. Live content streamed during the conference will remain available until the end of the year.

Get involved! We would love to hear from both ZHA members and non-members.

Please join us in London, UK or online by purchasing your ticket here https://zhaonline.org/zha-euro-meeting-2022/ There is a discount for ZHA members in good standing. If you have any questions or would like to join the organising committee, please email mollie.millington@crick.ac.uk .

Please find attached an advert to print and hang within your facility or lab.

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FELASA 2022

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 19:20:00 GMT

Vickie Thomas-McArthur shares here experience as an attendee of this year’s FELASA conference.

I was slightly nervous in the run up to attending FELASA 2022. It was to be my first conference on such a large scale, my first conference since the start of Covid and my first time travelling alone to a foreign country. Luckily I was attending the conference with colleagues, one of whom is very experienced with large conferences and my travel went smoothly.

The night before the conference we met up with fellow zebrafish people at a Zebrafish Husbandry Association (ZHA) event. This was a brilliant way to start the week as I met up with people I knew from other conferences and events and chatting to them over some food and drink helped me to relax and settle the nerves about the conference.

I found the timetable for the conference a little confusing, both on the app and the website, I spoke to numerous people who felt the same. Once I had got my head around it it was actually fairly simple to follow. Due to the number of sessions in a day, and the number of different talks/workshops within a session, I would definitely recommend sitting down and working out which talks and sessions you want to attend in advance, especially as some have restricted numbers on a first come first served basis. The conference was spread over a few rooms across two buildings so becoming familiar with the map provided is also a good idea.

There were two sessions with a focus on aquatic animals, mostly zebrafish. This was useful as I didn’t need to be in two places at once and/or sit through other talks that would not be as relevant to me. The fish talks were very informative, some of the information was completely new and some was progress on information I had heard before. I also enjoyed and gained knowledge and ideas from presentations on animal care, communication between different roles involved in animal care/research and updates on EU Guidance.

I spent most of the time between the talks at the ZHA stand where I helped introduce people to the association as well as talking to people from within the zebrafish community. This time was, to me, as useful as the presentations and talks. We discussed new technology that was available, how we had adapted old technology, new and improved husbandry methods and reconnected or developed new working relationships and potential collaborations/sharing of information. Zebrafish husbandry and methods are not standardised to the same level as that of other animal models and so communication between facilities and working groups is essential to improve this.

There were many supplier stands, mostly aimed at mammals but there were some that were relevant to zebrafish including new products that our facility wasn’t aware of but are interested in. I only spotted some of these stands on the third day so it is definitely worth walking round the stands more than once to be sure of not missing anything.

Overall I found the conference very enjoyable and informative, although I would have liked there to have been more zebrafish based talks.

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Syndel: Tricaine-S is now Syncaine!

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 17:58:00 GMT

Syndel’s key fish anesthetic has a new name – Syncaine!

Syndel is pleased to announce that after achieving the recent milestone of moving into our new US manufacturing facility, we have rebranded our fish anesthetic previously sold under the names, Tricaine-S and Aqualife TMS, to the brand name ‘Syncaine’.

Syncaine is an approved fish anesthetic used for the temporary immobilization or sedation of fish, amphibians, and other aquatic cold-blooded animals and contains 100% Tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) soluble powder. Aside from the rebranding, all other aspects of the product remain unchanged.

The name change will allow Syndel to harmonize the product across multiple markets as we expand globally. Syndel is committed to developing and providing high quality pharmaceutical, health, and nutritional products to the aquaculture industry.

If you have any questions regarding the re-branding, the application of Syncaine, or our other high-quality Fish Health products, please contact Syndel.

US FDA ANADA # 200-206, Health Canada DIN # 02168510, UK VMD VM #22389/4000

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The 2022 T-shirt contest is here!

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 04:38:00 GMT

The t-shirt design submission window is now open! From April 1st 2022 through April 30th 2022. Submit your designs to admin@zhaonline.org.

T-shirt designs from our members will then be voted on in May, also by our membership!

The winning submission gets a free t-shirt of their choosing, and we anticipate the t-shirt shop will be open for online purchases in June and July.

Questions? Email admin@zhaonline.org.

Looking forward to your submissions!

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Advancement Fund Recipient Blog Post

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 13:56:00 GMT

Regis College is foremost a teaching institution that prides itself on the positive outcomes attained by our students. To improve the outcomes for undergraduate biology students, we found it is imperative to offer on-site research and independent study opportunities in the laboratory setting. Various recently received funding including the 2021 ZHA grant have positioned the Regis Zebrafish Research Facility to offer undergraduate students rich internship and independent study opportunities that will spark in them a love for science and a passion to succeed. The BI students completing internships and research opportunities using the zebrafish animal model during the last three years have grown immensely in both their academic understanding and critical thinking skills that will benefit them throughout their future studies and careers.

The Regis Zebrafish Facility received this generous grant from the Zebrafish Husbandry Association (ZHA) in 2021 to assist in the purchase of LaMotte Water Quality testing equipment to maintain the required standards in our single rack zebrafish habitat. Our system is an Aquatics habitat rack retired from a Boston hospital research lab and repurposed in our facility for undergraduate training. The system requires manual water quality assessments, and we previously used colorimetric aquarium tests (ex. API kits available from Amazon) performed by students. The reading of these tests can be somewhat subjective. Our system measurements are now more like research/industry sites, and it is more accurate to have students utilize an instrument such as the LaMotte WaterLink SpinTouchFF photometer in water quality testing for alkalinity, ammonia, hardness, nitrate, nitrite, pH and phosphate using disposable disks containing reagents that are spun with a water sample and provide precise results in two minutes.

A big thank you to the ZHA board and members for supporting education through advancement grants and helping to prepare students for employment in zebrafish labs.

BS in Biology undergraduate and Zebrafish Lab Intern Maria Toumbouras Class of 2023 is seen using the equipment

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Aquaculture 2022!

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 16:34:00 GMT

Aquaculture 2022 was a rousing success! ZHA kicked things off right on Tuesday morning with a focus on fish diseases followed by basic husbandry sessions from some of our past and present E-Board members and updates from some of our vendors. We held our Annual General Meeting (AGM) and updated the community on past and future plans of the ZHA. We hosted our annual luncheon at Lappers Restaurant where newcomers and veterans alike got a chance to sit and eat together. We finished off the afternoon sessions with a focus on feeding alternatives and some new technologies brought to the zebrafish field via robotics! In the evening, Aquaneering took everyone out for dinner and drinks at Bali Hai with scenic views and the strongest Mai Tais you could imagine.

On Wednesday, the ZHA E-board represented once again, showcasing rotifer culturing techniques and how to best feed your fry. Fish disease talks followed where we learned about the microbiome and how heat can be a useful preventative measure for a number of diseases. Speakers shared new imaging technologies, strategies for pest management, and cryopreservation. Our keynote speaker, Piyumika Suriyampala, gave us something to think about in “A Tale of Two Worlds: Behavior of Wild and Domesticated Zebrafish in Response to Habitat Alteration”. We finished off the day with a town hall discussion on feeding, staffing, and other various challenges we face in our facilities. To celebrate, Lance from Tecniplast took us out for dinner and drinks at Blanco specializing in tacos and tequila!

On Thursday and Friday, Aquaneering hosted a workshop to go in depth into water quality monitoring, system function and trouble-shooting of zebrafish systems. It was a very informative experience!

Overall, Aquaculture 2022 was a great success and hopefully you took something away from it to make your facility better. Thank you to all who participated and to vendors who supplied items for our goody bags (Aquatic Enterprises, Aquaneering, Tecniplast, Danio Lab, Bionomous and Sparos)!

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Aquaneering Scholarship Contest

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 04:14:00 GMT

Aquaneering Contest Rules for Zebrafish Husbandry Workshop Speaker Scholarship Contest

Join us in San Diego!

Submit a one paragraph abstract for a presentation you will give at the 2022 Zebrafish Husbandry Workshop.

If your abstract is chosen, you win free registration and $1,000 toward travel (flight and hotel accommodations) to the Zebrafish Husbandry Workshop at Aquaculture 2022 in San Diego from February 28 – March 4, 2022!

RULES

Submittal deadline is Friday, November 12, 2021, 12:00 am PST. Submit your abstract to caitlinc@aquaneering.com. Winner will be chosen on Friday, November 19, 2021.

Entrants must be first-time speakers at the Zebrafish Husbandry Workshop.

Entrants must be either working or volunteering in a zebrafish facility or planning to do so in the future.

Employees of Aquaneering or any other business entity serving the needs of the animal research industry are not eligible.

Winner will receive free admission to the Aquaculture meeting and the Zebrafish Husbandry Workshop, as well as flight and hotel accommodations. The 2022 Zebrafish Husbandry Workshop will be held March 1st and 2nd, 2022 in San Diego, CA as part of the Aquaculture 2022 Meeting.

If the winner is not able to attend for any reason, Aquaneering reserves the right to select another winner from the pool of applicants.

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Advancement Fund Recipient Blog Post

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 01:59:00 GMT

This submission comes from one of our Advancement Fund grant recipients, Amber Park Chiodini. Thanks for sharing your experience!

From the moment it was posted on Twitter, I knew that I wanted to take the ‘Health and Colony Management of Laboratory Fish’ course.

I recently started a new position as a research tech in a lab that studied Alzheimer’s disease in mice, leaving my position working with zebrafish. However, I still couldn’t keep myself away from these quirky aquatic creatures. I already possessed extensive training in zebrafish husbandry with some research experience, but I still felt that here was more to learn. I wanted to engage more with other experts in the field and learn all that I could. The course was also a great opportunity to start travelling again, especially to a location that is known for its stunning coastal beauty and lobster boats. Let me tell you, it didn’t disappoint!

I’ll be honest, I felt an immense wave of imposter syndrome when I received the course acceptance letter from the MDI Biological Laboratory. As excited as I was and as much as I wanted to grab hold of this opportunity, I felt like I wouldn’t be able to hold a casual conversation with these people, let alone contribute to the material that was being presented. But luckily I was wrong and instead, was met with acceptance and a lot of guidance from both the lecturers and other participants.

What I loved most about the course, aside from hiking up a mountain, eating lobster fresh from the Atlantic Ocean, and talking around a campfire, was the curriculum. Each day, we made our way through different topics that ranged from general fish anatomy and health to a broad list of both infectious and non-infectious fish diseases. We also were able to engage with some new wet lab techniques when preparing fish for necropsy or dissections.

Overall, if there is one thing that I have learned from this course, it’s that the zebrafish community is filled with people that care immensely about both the animals and the research. Although many of us come from different backgrounds (research, veterinary services, facility management), there is so much that each of us can contribute in order to further our goal of establishing zebrafish as a model organism for biomedical research. So, if you’re still waiting for some confirmation to take this course, this is your sign! Anybody that works with zebrafish and/or has an interest in learning more about them, would benefit from this course. Plus, you might even get to meet some pretty cool people that are ~~crazy~~ passionate about what they do. Growing and strengthening the community is, as I believe, the best way to ensure advancement in research, and what better way is there to do that than to travel somewhere new and be around others just as passionate about the field as you?

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Zebrafish education resources for Credentialed Veterinary Technicians

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 16:23:00 GMT

This time of year, veterinary technician associations across the globe are celebrating credentialed vet techs. Whether you celebrate RVT Month, National Vet Tech Week, or RVN Day, part of recognizing our role in the veterinary team is celebrating that credentialed vet techs are always looking to expand their animal health and welfare knowledge.

One of the more seemingly unattainable knowledge areas is that of aquatic animal medicine, especially pertaining to fish. Vet techs don’t get much fish health coverage in school, and it can be difficult to make connections to educational resources which are relevant to our specific type of work.

One way to stay up to date on educational resources including conferences, webinars, and publications, is to follow the ZHA social media pages: Twitter , Facebook , and Instagram . There’s also LinkedIn if you are into that kind of thing. Joining ZHA as a member also grants you access to several educational materials as well as opportunities for advancement and research funding. Whether you are a member or not, ZHA has monthly free webinars, which you can find links to on our Events page .

Here’s more resources that you might find helpful:

Associations (aside from the ZHA):

IZFS – International Zebrafish Society

WAVMA – World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association

AAFV – American Association of Fish Veterinarians

ANZAAP – Australia New Zealand Association Of Aquarium Professionals

LAZEN – Latin American Zebrafish Network

AALSO – Aquatic Animal Life Support Operators

Courses:

UAB Zebrafish Husbandry Education Online Course (every semester)

MDIBL Health and Colony Management of Laboratory Fish (August annually)

Tecniplast International Zebrafish Husbandry Course (October annually)

EZRC International Zebrafish and Medaka Course (in English and German, six times/year)

CITI program Working with Zebrafish (Danio rerio) in Research Settings (online)

Conferences:

Zebrafish Husbandry Workshop

IZFS husbandry 1/2 day

European Zebrafish meeting

International Zebrafish and Medaka Meeting of the Latin American Zebrafish Network (LAZEN)

ANZAAP Aquatics Symposium

AAFV Conference

AALSO Symposium and workshop

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New job postings Sept 2021

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 02:11:00 GMT

UNC: We have an opening! Pass this on to anyone who might be interested in working with zebrafish, frogs, toads, and sea turtles. We cross-train in all areas and expect everyone to work wherever they are needed. Our current need is 50/50 zebrafish/toads.

Title: Exotics Laboratory Animal Technician
Vacancy ID: P013456
Position Number (if applicable): 00061445
Department: Comparative Medicine – 621500
This posting can be accessed directly at https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/198800

Northwestern: Aquatics Technician 1, job ID: 41717

https://careers.northwestern.edu/psc/hr857prd_er/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=1&JobOpeningId=41717&PostingSeq=1

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Want to get involved? Become a volunteer

Sat, 04 Sep 2021 11:48:00 GMT

We are looking to fill the following volunteer positions :

Webmaster : add blog posts, maintain events calendar, keep vendor member page up to date. Helpful to have knowledge of WordPress and basic html.

Historian : review archived documents to determine what information is still relevant. Keep records of ZHA milestones and e-boards up to date.

Educator : work with community to update protocols and presentations

Vendor relationship manager : develop working relationships with vendors to create mutually beneficial events and biannual STRIPES issues.

Membership drive: lead annual membership drive to grow membership by 10% annually with a referral program.

There are many ways to become involved with the ZHA. Please email admin@zhaonline.org if you have a different skill set to those listed above and want to help.

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Nominations for 2022 ZHA E-Board are now open

Sat, 04 Sep 2021 10:53:00 GMT

The current executive board is excited to announce that general elections will be happening in the fall. As a volunteer-run organization, we rely on our community to keep us going. We have two posts opening in 2022 (more info below) and hope you consider taking a leadership position with the Zebrafish Husbandry Association.

What do the roles entail? The President (former president elect) shall: Preside at all meetings; Chair the Executive Board; Make appointments and reservations; Serve as the primary contact person for the organization; and, Advise the President-elect for future installment.

The President-elect shall: Assume the duties of the President if the latter is unable to act; Chair the Executive Board as President in the 2nd term year;Chair the position to administer all operations, committees, and surveys; and, Serve on the Executive Board.

The Vice-President shall: Assume the duties of the President and the President-elect if the latter is unable to act; Chair the position to oversee all educational webinars, and act as chief point of contact for AALAS affiliate membership.

How do nominations work? Anyone can nominate, self nominate, or be nominated for office, but to vote or hold office you have to be a member in good standing. This means you have to be either a dues paying member or someone who has had their dues paid for by their organization (school, institution, company, etc). Persons nominated who choose to run must be in good standing by paying their membership dues, or having their membership paid for. Otherwise you will not be included in the voting ballot. We encourage you to check when your membership is due for renewal to avoid missing out in the election. Please submit your nominations via email to admin@zhaonline.org . We look forward to receiving your nominations and hope that all members participate in this year’s ZHA elections.

Election Timeline

Good luck to everyone who is nominated!

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News from ZHA member Maureen Hobbs

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 17:49:00 GMT

Maurine Hobbs from the University of Utah asked ZHA to share this exciting news with everyone today:

We are pleased to announce that Carrie Barton (currently of Oregon State) has signed on as the new Associate Director to run the Centralized Zebrafish Animal Resource (CZAR) and several satellite zebrafish programs at the University of Utah. Her expected start will be sometime this fall.

Carrie brings over 20 years of experience in zebrafish research facility work to this position. She has management experience from working at the Zebrafish International Resource Center (ZIRC) early on, and currently manages the Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory at Oregon State University – the only specific pathogen free zebrafish colony in the world.

Carrie has been a member of ZHA since 2009, and served as president of ZHA in 2014. She is an instructor at the Zebrafish Husbandry Education Short Course as well as the International Zebrafish Husbandry Course. Her commitment to improving and advancing zebrafish husbandry methodology, care and welfare standards, disease mitigation, and colony management strategies is evident through her various publications, consulting work, and awards.

Carrie’s background and experience make her the ideal candidate to take over the large and growing program here at the University of Utah. I’m excited to hand over the reins to such a competent and proven leader, and I have every confidence that she is the right leader to move our aquatics program forward.

Please join me in congratulating Carrie on this exciting new step in her career.

Thanks Maurine! All the best to Carrie in the new role.

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Aquaneering Texas Zebrafish Workshop

Sun, 04 Jul 2021 21:51:00 GMT

The ZHA is always looking to share information about events where our membership can meet to discuss husbandry and learn more about research using zebrafish.

At WAS 2021, Aquaneering will be hosting a series of short talks by prominent members of the Zebrafish community. It will be a great chance for the local zebrafish community to get together for talks on husbandry, lab presentations on what they have been doing, and community discussion. This event will be in-person, with no virtual component.

Check the Event Page for more information on the event and how to register. ZHA members will be in attendance and presenting as well!

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Zebrafish Advancement Fund submissions are now open!

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 13:37:00 GMT

We are now accepting submissions for the ZAF through July 31st 2021. Please send your submission to grants@zhaonline.org .

For more info on submission requirements and what to submit for, check our previous blog post .

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An addendum and feedback on our June Webinar

Sat, 26 Jun 2021 00:08:00 GMT

ZHA has worked with our vendors regarding topics discussed during our June Webinar covering zebrafish nutrition. You can find a link to all of our previous webinars here .

ZHA hosted webinars do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ZHA and should not be considered as an endorsement of any product or service. We value our vendor members and are working to ensure they can share their product lines with our members.

Skretting wanted to share the follow statement about their products with our membership:

Fish Feed made by Skretting – Your Assurance of Quality

The formulation of GEMMA micro is based on exact & fix nutrient standards. Those specifications have not changed since the product was launched, in its current form, more than 10 years ago. There have not been any changes made to the nutrition specifications during that time period. We cannot speak for other large feed companies but we are 100% committed to stable and consistent formulation and thorough and timely communication with our customers, both large and small.

Furthermore, we are very much aware the crucial role our diet plays in providing a consistent nutritional input to complex biomedical trials and would never change our formula without prior notification

Thank you for all the work that ZHA does and for the informative material put out during last week’s webinar!

Tim Harder, MS
Technical Sales Representative
Skretting / Bio-Oregon East

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The submission period for the 2021 Zebrafish Advancement Fund (Zebrafish AF) opens soon!

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 03:49:00 GMT

In July, the Zebrafish AF will open to ZHA members. Below, you’ll find more information and the details for submitting a request:

The Zebrafish Advancement Fund was created to provide funds for ZHA members who may want to pursue a specialist designation, take an aquaculture or zebrafish related course, attend a conference, transition to a new aspect of the field, or for ZHA members that require monetary support to engage in new initiatives related to the zebrafish husbandry team. Applications will need to show how the funds will enhance the skills, goals, or career development of the ZHA member while benefiting the zebrafish husbandry community and supporting the goals of the ZHA. All submissions are anonymized by a volunteer and submitted to the selection committee to review and select.

Submissions require: Documentation of costs, a short letter (500 words or less) explaining the need, and 2 professional reference contacts.

Submissions open: July 1st

Submissions due by: July 31st

Successful candidates notified by: Email

Number of submissions selected/year: up to $4000 total

Award amount ($) per submission: up to $500

FAQs :

What happened to the travel grant?

The Zebrafish AF replaces the travel grant. It allows members to get some funding for a wider variety of opportunities, both online and offline.

Who is eligible to receive funds?

Members of ZHA in good standing who are not vendors or current e-board members.

Who can the reference contacts be from?

Professional and educational sources only, no family/friends.

Will you contact my references?

Only if absolutely necessary to verify information in the submission.

Do I have to submit a report or presentation after I have completed my experience?

Yes, a minimum of a blog post for the ZHA website is required. Other valid submissions include a vlog, a presentation online or at the annual husbandry meeting, poster or an article published in a magazine or online.

What if exact costs are not yet available?

The e-board understands that the exact costs may not be available when submitting for the Z AF. Therefore, you should try your best to get an accurate estimate which may require research on your part. For example, if you are attending a conference requiring an overnight stay, you could include the cost for last year’s conference and an estimate for a night’s stay at a local hotel.

When do I get my funds?

The Z AF is a reimbursement program. You’ll receive the funds you are entitled to once you submit the appropriate documentation (paid invoices, receipts, etc.) as well as a draft of your blog post/article/presentation/other submission for ZHA to share about your experience.

How often can I apply?

Winners: every 2 years (if you win one year, you must wait a year to apply for another AF grant). Non-winners: yearly.

To send in your submission, email grants@zhaonline.org .

The post The submission period for the 2021 Zebrafish Advancement Fund (Zebrafish AF) opens soon! appeared first on Zebrafish Husbandry Association .

2021 T-shirt Fundraiser

Sun, 23 May 2021 15:08:00 GMT

Every year, we hold a t-shirt fundraiser to support all the things the ZHA does to educate, collaborate and publish knowledge related to zebrafish husbandry.

Get this year’s winning ZHA design, by Jan Powell, on a t-shirt, long-sleeve shirt or hoodie. All printings will include metallic gold and silver instead of the white and yellow lines. Orders available here link until June 1 , so place your order today!

Don’t want a shirt? You can still use the fundraising site to make direct donations to ZHA.

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Call for volunteers

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 11:21:00 GMT

If you were able to watch the annual general meeting (a recording is available for members on our Vimeo channel), you saw that we are looking for volunteers. Having more people build the ZHA will help strengthen our community and get our mission out there. Here are some of the roles we are looking to fill. If you have a different skill set not listed below that you think would be valuable to the ZHA, please get in touch via email: admin@zhaonline.org.

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Registration is open for the Zebrafish Husbandry Education Online Course at UAB, Summer 2021

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 02:42:00 GMT

Dates : 5/11 to 9/6/2021; Registration fee: $450USD; CEUs: 6 credits

Registration Link: OVPRED 500 Zebrafish Husbandry Education Online Course | University of Alabama at Birmingham (uab.edu)

Offered as an asynchronous web-based course, OVPRED 500 is designed to teach husbandry, facilities management, and basic animal health care for zebrafish used in biomedical research. Animal husbandry technicians, animal facility administrators, veterinarians, researchers, and others with an interest in zebrafish husbandry will benefit from this 15-week course with a curriculum developed and reviewed by the Zebrafish Husbandry Education Team of the Zebrafish Husbandry Association (ZHA).

The course includes presentations, quizzes, and case studies focused on biology and physiology of zebrafish, optimal water quality management, aquatic systems and facilities design, filtration processes, spawning and larviculture, nutrition and live feeds, diseases, regulations, emergency procedures, and more.

Access to this Canvas-based course is available on any computer or mobile device with an internet connection. Each video session is online for 3 weeks to accommodate time differences. Two new sessions open online each week. Each session includes PDF notes and a transcript to assist in learning. Each session is followed by an online quiz. A score of at least 80% on each quiz and the completion of a course evaluation earns the participant a Certificate of Completion.

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What ZHA affiliates thought of the 16th Annual Zebrafish Husbandry Workshop

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 19:24:00 GMT

We challenged Ana Cristina Borges ( Vivaria Unit, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência , Portugal) to share her experience during the 1st virtual edition of the ZHW. Here’s what she has to say:

The 2021 edition of the Zebrafish Husbandry Workshop organized by Aquaneering and ZHA took place last week on February 23 ^rd -25 ^th . It was a 3-half day virtual meeting held on the Zoom platform. The programme was very well put together. It included exciting talks covering the latest research on zebrafish husbandry, welfare, health and biology. The schedule of the first and third days was organized as “plenary” talks in a webinar format. The speakers delivered very enthusiastic talks followed by lively Q&A sessions with plenty of questions posed by the audience through the chat. The second day included ZHA Annual General Meeting followed by 9 concurrent sessions, for which the workshop participants were subdivided into dedicated breakout rooms. These sessions covered a wide range of topics that were presented, each, by a moderator, followed by an informal discussion within the small groups of attendants. I found the session on Core Services very good, with very clear and systematized ideas exposed by the moderator Diana Baumann, and the discussion that followed had lots of useful tips shared among participants.

Overall, I really enjoyed the meeting. The virtual format was very rich and captured the main goal of bringing the community together. Sure, I miss the live interaction with friends and colleagues of a “classical” meeting, but this format has advantages that should not be overlooked: it´s affordable, inclusive, and environment friendly. This was my second ZHA husbandry workshop and I´m looking forward to the next edition.

Kudos to the organizers! Long live the zebrafish community!

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2021 Monthly Webinar Series

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 10:31:00 GMT

The ZHA is proud to announce that in 2021, we will bring you a monthly webinar series. Now that the world is even more connected by technology, we want to further develop the zebrafish community by sharing our knowledge and experiences with each other.

To kick things off, on Thursday 21 January, acting microbiologist at the Francis Crick Institute, Yasmin Laing, will be sharing her zebrafish health monitoring program. You can register for this webinar here https://forms.gle/GGUBuU2iSX55pLUTA . Don’t worry if you can’t make it, as all webinars will be recorded and shared in the members only area of the ZHA website.

There isn’t a webinar scheduled in February due to Aquaneering’s zebrafish husbandry workshop http://www.aquaneering.com/zebrafishworkshop2021.php, but we are back in March with JP Mocho, DVM and his thoughts on humane killing. Bookmark our events page https://zhaonline.org/upcoming-events/ to stay up to date on the latest webinar offerings and other networking events.

If you have something to share with the zebrafish community, register your interest to host a webinar here. https://forms.gle/wx4yMza6AoiNY5PC8

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Health and Colony Management of Laboratory Fish Symposium 2020

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 14:53:00 GMT

The Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory announces HCMLF Symposium 2020: Managing Fish Health, Husbandry, and Welfare in the Time of COVID19

This two-day online symposium aims to be a platform for the research community to discuss aquatic animal facility challenges that have arisen during the coronavirus pandemic, and provide an opportunity for participants to share and learn about potential solutions. Topics covered will include health and welfare, sanitation, facility design, and other pertinent updates.

Click here for more details: https://mdibl.org/course/hcmlf-symposium-2020/

Dates: August 11–12, 2020

Location: Online

Tuition: Registration Fee is $125.00 USD. Some scholarship support may be available.

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Effective use of PPE

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 12:28:00 GMT

For many fish technicians, PPE was already a part of daily working life. We still need to care for our animals on a daily basis, often working in humid rooms that might not be conducive to social distancing. Because of this, we need to take more care and rely the PPE we use to also keep us safe from this disease. Each facility will have its own PPE requirements, and we wanted to share some videos and info graphics on how to safely put on and remove PPE.

Corona virus is a pandemic that is spread through respiratory droplets when a person coughs, sneezes, or speaks (source: World Health Organization https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 ). The effective use of PPE is becoming much more of a conversational topic these days, not only for those working on the front lines, but also as people leave their homes for exercise and essential shopping. Because of this, the use of masks and gloves by people outside the health care world has become much more popular. In addition to Centre of Disease Control guidelines for US residents, follow your state and local guidelines and/or wear additional PPE you feel is necessary to protect yourself.

Thanks to Christine Archer for sharing these videos with us. If you have any questions, please speak to your line manager and/or Health and Safety department.

Safely removing gloves:

Safely donning and doffing disposable masks:

Safely donning and doffing N95 respirators:

In the USA, the Center for Disease Control is recommending that everyone wear cloth masks or face coverings when out in public https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html . Ideally, these should be washed after each use. The instructions from the CDC on removing the face covering are as follows:

Individuals should be careful not to touch their eyes, nose, and mouth when removing their face covering and wash hands immediately after removing.

Safely donning and doffing isolation gowns:

Full barrier level one donning and doffing:

Removing several pieces of PPE (gloves, goggles, gown, mask):

The ZHA sends out our thanks to all animal technicians who continue to care for their animals during this time. We hope the information above helps you stay safe.

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2020 ZHA T-Shirt Fundraiser

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 16:12:00 GMT

Support the Zebrafish Husbandry Association!

Buy a T-shirt or Hoodie of this year’s stunning design by Reni Hamar and help support the ZHA community. Each year, the ZHA T-Shirt Fundraising Campaign helps fund the ZHA Travel Grant Award. The Travel Grant Award is a program where members of the ZHA community can apply to help subsidize their registration and travel to zebrafish husbandry related workshops and conferences. Visit ZHAonline.org today to learn more about the Zebrafish Husbandry Association, it’s mission, and to become a member today!

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Save the Date! Zebrafish Husbandry Workshop 2020!

Mon, 30 Dec 2019 22:14:00 GMT

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Hello world!

Thu, 09 May 2019 21:46:00 GMT

Welcome to the ZHA blog. Check back here often for community updates, interesting articles, and job postings. If you would like to contribute a blog, please reach out to admin@zhaonline.org !

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