Aquatic Animal Husbandry
Issued by
University of New England
Learners, through hands-on experience in UNE’s Ornamental Husbandry Lab and Zebrafish Education and Research Facility, gain a comprehensive understanding of aquatic animal husbandry. Skills include protocols and procedures for care, housing, enrichment, and compliance with IACUC regulations. Learners engage in both training and informational sessions, culminating in a final presentation that demonstrates mastery of husbandry techniques.
Skills
Earning Criteria
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Learners will be provided hands on training in animal husbandry care skills. They must then complete these skills consistently and to the required standard, in both fish facilities, over the entire course of the program. All listed skills are required. - Vertebrate animal feeding (AM and PM) -Invertebrate animal feeding Vertebrate animal health checks -Spawning breakdown and embryo collection -Euthanasia (embryo euthanasia will be a required skill. Adult euthanasia will be optional to observe.
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Participants will be provided hands on training in care skills related to housing and system maintenance. They must then complete these skills consistently and to the required standard in both fish facilities, and over the entire course of the program. All listed skills are required. -Water flow checks -Daily water quality checks -Weekly water quality checks -Tank cleaning Tank siphoning -System top offs -Cleaning mechanical filtration -Refilling saltwater bucket -Cleaning tank exteriors
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After training in skills related to health and biosecurity. Learners must demonstrate skills consistently and to the required standards. A second part of the evaluation will be an oral exam where participants will be asked to articulate the goals and functional differences between the OHL and ZERF. - Vertebrate animal health checks - Cleaning and disinfecting used items and tools - Changing disinfection solution -Articulate the goal and functional differences between the OHL and ZERF.
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Learners must attend their shifts w/o any unexcused absences and complete the required skills consistently (listed under criteria 1, 2, and 3), throughout the program. The 3 areas in which participants will be evaluated for this competency are: - Attend all scheduled shifts without unexcused absences. - Consistently complete all trained skills to the required standard without intervention or retraining. - Consistently communicate questions, concerns, and comments to the badge manager.
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Contact Erin Ducharme, M.S.GMSC Vivarium Manager at educharme1@une.edu for more information.