Nature Club Brook Trout Released

The first release, on May 2, of Brook Trout reared in Northern Virginia schools was a 100 percent success with all 19 fry surviving the two hour trip to the property of Mr. and Mrs. Phil Daley on Little Stony Creek near Woodstock, VA. Thanks to the Terraset Nature Club's careful nurturing of the eggs delivered from Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries hatcheries in October, the Brookies have a new home.

The biggest winners, however, are the students themselves who learned about a range of topics related to biology, chemistry, and habitat. Mrs. Cury and Nature Club volunteer teacher, Dianne Rose, have already declared they will do it again next year.

See a video of the release!

All About Fish

The fish are huge and they have lumps at their stomachs, Margo observed. Zoe says they have stripes. Haley and Zak both think there are still 18. Jack K. says they have many spots. Margo noticed that lots of the fish swim at the top and not the bottom. Hannah A. pointed out that the fish are not spotted, they are striped. Jack K. corrected her and they agreed that they have both spots and stripes.

"I noticed that the fish still have their food pouches (egg sacks)." said Hannah W.

Margo said, "The eyes are getting big."

"The fish are simming around in the left corner." commented Zak.

Jack K. reported that the tank is the right temperature.

Mrs. Rose noticed that the children in Nature Club have not been outside in a VERY LONG TIME and they need to RUN! Recess needs to be restored. NO MORE SNOW! NO MORE INDOOR RECESS!

Hannah W. noticed that the fish are swimming faster.

The New Year and the Trout

Since November, lots of fish have died. James and Haley and Margo and Zoe and Hannah A. counted 18 fish today. We've had 18 since the beginning of January - Zak and James checked the chart to make sure. Zoe said the fish are defintely bigger since we got that big snowstorm. Margo said there's lots of gunk under the rocks and we probably need to vacuum. Hannah A. thought that any fish caught in the filter might be blind.

We're still looking for a place to release the trout this spring. There is one stream in Fairfax County that might be OK, but we're afraid the water will be too warm in the summer due to pavement runoff. The club members are in agreement that we'd prefer a mountain stream. We want the trout to have the best chance of survival they can.