USFS visits NMSD

Shane King of the Santa Fe National Forest visits the New Mexico School for the Deaf.

Week 4 at RGS

Despite some challenges keeping the ammonia levels under control, we have a bunch of happy fish.  They are swimming freely around the tank and are curious about everything.  When we use the pipette to collect water samples, they swarm it, hoping that it is food. 

Thanks to all that gave advice about the water issues.  We are continuing to replace water at about 20% a day, and this is working for the time being.  We will reassess as the continue to grow.

Here are is a picture of them as alevin...

This is our first swimmer...

We have noticed a few odd mutations, four fish have curved spines, making it impossible for them to swim.  We feed them by sinking food to the bottom of the hatching box.  In addition, two have had facial deformities, missing eyes and developed lower jaws.  One of these has died and the other seems to be struggling.  This has made for some interesting conversations with the students about mutations and why this might happen, both for fish and for people. 

Current count:
4 eggs didn't hatch
3 fish have died
Assuming we started with 100...  about 93 living trout!

Pecos ASP

Local & state agencies kick off the spring Pecos ASP with demonstrations and local water analysis.

Steve Reichert, Tierra y Montes

Nick Salayandia, Pecos water treatment

Jerome Tapia, Pecos water treatment

Doug Jeffords,
Upper Pecos Watershed Assoc.

Melanie Sanchez, NM Env. Dept. 

Eggs to Alevins (photos from Eldorado TIC)

Can you find the first stage of Trout development (Alevins) in this photo?

How about here? Look for the eyes and then a long tail. Compare them to the other Alevin photos. 

Rio Grande School

We are so excited to be a part of Trout in the Classroom.  Four of our eggs are not hatching, but the rest of the trout are looking happy and healthy.  Every morning the students visit the tank and are excited to see the growth.

Our tank in the front hall

Friday February 17th

The trout eggs arrive

Tuesday February 21st

• By Tuesday most have hatched

Friday February 24th

• All the trout hatched except for four eggs
• A few trout are swimming in circles... We hope they are not showing signs of whirling disease!

Our Alevin - Newly Hatched Trout

Foam on the water that we have been trying to remove

21st Century, Rio Grande, and Eldorado Receive TIC eggs

TU-Truchas Chapter Volunteers, David Murchison, Jim Pelner, and John Wright deliver Lisboa Hatchery eggs.

TU-Truchas Chapter Volunteers, Jim Pelner and John Wright, deliver NMDGF Hatchery trout eggs to Ms. Wallin's 3rd grade class. Around 60 students participated in the tempering and introduction of the eggs in to their trout habitat.

Students inspect the eggs before they are tempered

John and student start tempering eggs

Student comparing tank temperature to egg container temperature

                                         

Eggs are being poured into breeding basket

Students study "natural" trout foods (insects)

                                

The Rainbow eggs will hatch within a week to become alevins
Let's look for the swim-up stage

Award winning TIC teacher

Mr. Andy Cordova of 21st Century in Albuquerque was awarded Teacher of the Year by the New Mexico Coalition of Charter Schools. One of the key topics for his nomination was Trout in the Classroom.  Mr. Cordova and his students take a few hundred rainbow trout eggs and over the course of a few months, the students learn about the trout life cycle and the importance of keeping their habitat safe and thriving.  But they also celebrate their release by making it a family affair in which the students, their parents and siblings can participate in their success.  Mr. Cordova commented "TIC and the release has become one of the high points of the 8th graders at 21st Century Public Academy".

Mr. Cordova distributing frys for his students to release in to the Pecos

Mr. Cordova discussing natural food (aquatic insects) found in the Pecos

Mr. Cordova explaining how to fish for Pecos trout

After School Fun

The NMDGF held an after school program for the Valencia Middle School students. The students dissected a trout, casted a fly rod, and tied flies. TCYEP volunteers lend a hand.

K. Holladay, NMDGF Aquatic Education Director,
hands out trout to students for the dissection portion of program.  

As NMDGF, Rick Castell, instructs the students;
 the TU volunteers help students with their dissection.
You can do a virtual fish dissection on this site:
Dissection Game

The students tie some flies with Arnold.

Afterwards Kevin Holladay made the comment "I can truly say that at least one and very likely two of the girls there will end up in wildlife related field and maybe fisheries!"

2011-2012 TIC Year has started!

  The Rainbow trout eggs came from the Lisboa Springs Hatchery in Pecos, NM.  Go by and see trout in different stages of their growth. NMDGF also has available to teachers a "Hatchery Tour Kit" so the entire class can visit a trout hatchery.

TU-Truchas Chapter volunteers John Wright and Jim Pelner delivered the rainbow eggs  to the 3rd grade students at Georgia O'Keefe   elementary.

In this photo, John is soliciting help from one the students. They are going to compare the tank and bottle (with eggs) water temperature. Then they will adjust the bottle water temperature to the tank temperature. This tempering prevents any temperature shock to the fragile eggs.

 After tempering, the eggs are poured into the fish tank which gives the eggs a stream-like habitat. The students will raise the fish and then in April the fingerlings will be released at Tingly Beach in Albuquerque.

 After the eggs were in their new habitat, the students read their stories about themselves being a trout egg and growing into a fish.

John attempts to answer all the students questions about trout. How do the eggs breathe? How long do they live? What do they eat? How big do they get? (Photos by Jim Pelner)

TCYEP helps with a Birthday!

The Wildlife Center  http://www.thewildlifecenter.org/ celebrated it's 25th Birthday on Saturday, September 10. Volunteers John Wright and Jim Pelner demonstrated fly tying, fishing knots, and casting to over 80 kids and parents. 

Both kids and parents take interest in tying the "Wooly  Bugger" fly (See, A Kid's Guide to Fly Fishing NM). The kids choose the colors for their flies and then watched John and Jim create their wooly bugger.

Some 25 organizations were in attendance to help celebrate TWC's Birthday; an example is the Ohkay Owingeh Community School Buffalo Dancers

        Some special TWC friends also showed up at the Event!

Red Tail Hawk

Skunk

Learn about New Mexico Bald Eagles 

At the end of the day, Jim and John were given some great food by local
Espanola parents. Thanks!

Pecos Students Go Fishing

After seven Wednesdays of instruction in the areas of conservation, community service, and fishing; the students go fishing. Over 50 students came out to enjoy the festivities. Truchas Volunteers participated along with NMDGF Dan Williams and Kevin Holladay. Also, Shane King of the Santa Fe Forest Service was there to lend a hand. The kids enjoyed fishing, eating, and a raffle. Thank you volunteers!

A special thanks to Nakya and Emily for inviting TU-Truchas to participate in their after school program.

Fishing license in hand and ready to get started!

Truchas Volunteers getting the rods ready for the students.

Volunteers Karl and Ed making suggestions to their young fishermen.

Volunteer Mimi helping a student with his backcast.

A fish and other things were caught?

Volunteers cooked (Jerome) and served hot dogs for the students.

Boy, can they put it away!

The event finished with a drawing for a tackle box and a rod combo.

(Donated by Truchas member Jim Jones)

Photos by Truchas volunteer Jim Pelner.

Rods, Thanks Ti.