Smoked Salmon

The salmon are just growing and growing. One of them has one fin missing on the right side but he's still hanging in and swimming. The tank is 49.5 degrees fahrenheit on the digital thermometer. On the mercury thermometer it reads 49.0 degrees fahrenheit. On average, they are 2 and a half inches. They are mostly on the right side of the tank in a school. There is only ten or fifteen of them away from the school on the left side of the tank. We think this is because the bubbler is on the left side of the tank and there is some sort of current. Two have died and have dried up outside of the tank. One of the dried fish's eyes fell out of it's head. It has been about 2 weeks since we have started feeding the fish. Some of them have more spots than others.

Growing Up

Our salmon have changed greatly since we got them. Their sides have gone from clear to silver/green with stripes. They are also much more active. Their yolk sacks are getting smaller. They have also grown longer.  They used to be more active when it's light, but now, they are more active when it's dark.
One fish in particular has built up strength so that it can almost swim to the top of the tank. We even witnessed that one swam to the top and stuck his head out of the water. Our hypothesis is that this fish was getting air to fill his swim bladder. They are acting more like older salmon by beginning to form schools.  We've observed how they collect in the corners of the tank.

Why do the salmon huddle in the corners of the tank?

                                           Why do the salmon huddle in the corners of the tank?

                                   Maybe it is because they don't like all the loud noises that people make.

                                    Or is it because they want to keep warm and trying to

                                    sleep. 

  

                                    Their yolk sacs are their main source of food while they are 

                                    still young. It weighs them down when they try to swim to the top

                                    of the tank. It also gets smaller as they grow. One of the salmon 

                                    only has a drop of yolk in the sac.

   

    

Racing Salmon

                              3,2,1 go! The salmon line up in the corner as if they're getting ready for a race. They crash into each other like bumper carts. They are swimming up bouncing off the walls then floating back down. The Salmon look like galloping horses. It looks like they're scared of us because we are much bigger and louder. They also look like there trying to escape. Who will win the race?!

                             

Small V.S Big

Small V.S Big

We have noticed that our salmon have been moving in strange clumps. Our class was wondering why the salmon move in strange clumps? We found out that our loudness was ear piercing to them, and the farthest they could get away from the loudness was the corners of the tank.  

When we walked into the science lab we saw a two headed salmon, thats not something you see every day. When this happens it's usually not very good because if one dies the other one might die too. The dead fish could also weigh the other one down. They hang out around the dead salmon so it looks like their death whispers. Our group named them Skipper and Scooter and their tail's are stuck together.

Disgustingly Amazing

Disgustingly Amazing 

For some of us it was disgusting for others it was awesome, dissecting a salmon. We did so many things and learned a lot. Each part of the salmon that we dissected was slimy and sticky. We took out the heart which was as red as a tomato. The gills had little spikes on them that looked like a toothbrush. We also took out the milt, which was thick long and white. Next the liver was as black as a night sky and as jiggly as a  gummy worm. We also dissected the brain it was very clear and white it was very small and as squishy as silly puddy.  Mr. Miller also cut off some of the 

scales, we saw blood under the scales. Some kids took home some of the parts of the salmon and some of the eggs that were in the salmon too. Bottom line, it was disgustingly amazing!

Snail Salmon

Snail Salmon

We have three snail salmon named Herbert,Tingle,and Phoenix.Their tails are like a piece of string swirled like a lollypop. Herbert tries to swim to the top of the tank but his yolk sac weighs him down.Tingle is lazy and just gets blown all around. Phoenix is just like Tingle and doesn't move. Some mornings it seems like they drank coffee because they are very hyper. Hopefully they will grow big and strong like the other salmon.

Hatching

We came back from our weekend to a lovely surprise!  

Our eggs were starting to hatch!

Picture taken 11.24.14

Growing

We are amazed at how quickly these eggs are growing.  On November 19, 2014 our class noticed that we were able to see their eyes much more than before.  We also noticed that a black line started to
grow around the inside.

Week 1 and 2 Thoughts...

What are your thoughts about our first two weeks

 of raising salmon eggs?

Our Journey Begins

Wednesday, November 5th Mr. Lloyd and Mrs. Miller spent the day at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery Visitor Center in Mattawan learning about the program Salmon in the Classroom.