Damascus students get hands-on lesson in trout lifecycle

DAMASCUS, PA — Middle school science students of Nancy Wood at Damascus School are engaged in a year-long project to raise trout eggs to maturity for release in the Delaware River. Wood was contacted by Trout Unlimited about a year ago with regard to the program, which is designed to give students a first-hand understanding of the life cycle and habitat of the rainbow and brook trout.

In early November, over 2,500 eggs were received from the Pennsylvania fish commission and Washington State, to be placed in a tank under careful environmental conditions. One of the most important pieces of equipment, a chiller, maintains water temperature at a steady 50-52 degrees Fahrenheit. Students say the most intriguing observation so far has been the absorption of the food sac, a process that takes about three weeks after hatching. Only after that is it necessary to add food to the aquarium.

Students Stephen Hook, Joey Maronna and Alexis McCarthy are in charge of maintaining the tank. They record growth and fatalities, feed the fish, change the water and monitor progress in a class log.

Students will take a field trip to the Delaware River in late April for release.

Other classes from the school have been visiting the school science lab for a peek at the project. Contact Wood at 570/224-4114 if you’d like to view the tank.