Dear colleagues,

We are in the process of attempting to develop a laboratory culture of
blacknose dace, Rhinichthys atratulus.  We have conducted a literature
search to no avail and were wondering if anyone had any experience in
the maintenance of a dace population in their labs.  We have obtained a
sample of approx. 100 individuals from a nearby stream and kept them in
a 400L tank with some tiles and pvc pipe for cover.  The fish are
maintained in water from a well which is conditioned and aerated in an
outdoor reservoir.  It is then piped into the lab, where it may either be
temperature adjusted and treated or fed to the tanks directly.  The tanks
have been kept within a few degrees (C) of the ambient temperature at
which the fish were caught.

However, in the last few days, we have experienced a fairly large
temperature swing which resulted in approximately a 4 degree swing in
water temp. in 24h.  Today, fish started dying.  Examination of the fish
showed no gross pathology except that the gills were very dark
(described to me as "almost black").

If anyone has any suggestions about aquaculture of this species and a
possible explanation of the gill discoloration, please EMAIL me directly.  I
will post a digest of responses to the list.

With many thanks,

Frank H. McCormick
Research Ecologist
USEPA - National Exposure Research Laboratory
26 W. Martin Luther King Dr.
Cincinnati, OH 45268
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