Feeling Caged In?

Cage Culture

Cage culture is an aquaculture production system where fish are held in floating net pens. Cages are widely used in commercial aquaculture overseas and individual cage units come in all shapes and sizes and can be tailored to suit individual farmer’s needs. Cage units can be purchased through commercial outlets, but can also be made from readily available construction materials such as polypipe, wood or/and steel. Cages can be used in both freshwater and marine environments. The advantages and disadvantages of cages compared with other culture systems, include: Use existing waterbodies, Technical simplicity with which farms can be established or expanded, Lower capital cost compared with land-based farms,
Easier stock management and monitoring compared with pond culture.

Tank Gravel dumped! IN!

Tanks survived the pressure/water test. We NOW begin filling with a gravel base over the gravel filter. AND so begins the movement of sea water from the Rock Pool Boat Ramp...

Water Tight? Alright!

Testing new 'old' Aquarium to be water tight. The silicon holding the
glass can age and ...
All seems good, ready to fill!

Whale of a time?

A NEW Blower to replace our Compressor/air pump (went non stop for 4 years).
AND the return of LG! Thanks Lance for your valued help in installing the blower and returning air to our recirculation system.
The fish, students and community thank LG for his continued commitment to our school and community.

No Lost Fingers!

The proper Handing of livestock is vital. Today showed the respect that our students are developing for our animals and the recognition of animal welfare and care.
Most of the class were confident and held the Yabbie while examining the 'walking legs', sex appendices, exoskeleton while dodging those fierce nippers.
The Yabiies showed the 'flee' reflex by rapidly constricting their tail to 'jet' water and retreat. Although Yabbies do attack, injure and kill other Yabbies they MOSTLY attempt to flee, in order to survive!
Yabbies, unlike fish can survive and 'breathe' out of water for an extended period of time! The secret to this is that Yabbie gills are located behind their exoskeleton and retail water in this cavity. Their gills are also constructed differently so that they DO NOT collapse (like fish). So Yabbies can continue to extract air/oxygen from their gills- even out of water. The Yabbie was returned to Tank 5 to contribute to building the bacteria colony in the biofilter/recirculation system.

* photos on the way