Gettin' Fishy With It

In this episode, " Aquatics Training and Continuing Education Opportunities ," the crew breaks down important approaches to training technicians in the aquatic space. They highlight the usefulness of in-person training and workshops, live online courses, online training modules and organizations that help equip you with what you need to care for your aquatic animals in the lab and elsewh...

In this episode, “ Science Communication ”, the crew is joined by Dr. Robert Frawley of the BioBus and the Facts Machine Podcast. We discuss why science communication is so important, and we play a round of trivia! Thanks so much to Rob for joining us this week. This podcast is brought to you by the wolf eel, the grumpy looking grandfathers of the sea.  Despite their appearance, wolf eels are quit...

In this episode, “ Zebrafish as a Model for Developmental Neuroscience ”, the crew discusses why zebrafish are an important model for developmental neuroscience! This podcast is brought to you by the pilot fish.  Despite its name, you will never hear these striped fish on the intercom during a flight.  They'd never say something like, please keep your fins inside the aisle and your seats in th...

In this episode, “ Zebrafish as a Model for Infectious Disease ”, the crew discusses why zebrafish are an important model for infectious diseases! This podcast is brought to you by the blobfish, an inhabitant of the deep sea of the coast of Australia and New Zealand.  They live at depth of up to 12 hundred meters under pressure 120 times that of sea level.  One would think that the blobfish being...

In this episode, “ New England Aquarium ”, the crew talks about their visit to the New England Aquarium in Boston! This podcast is brought to you by the Jewel Cichlid, the singer-songwriter of the fish world. The Jewel Cichlid can be found playing its guitar and singing to crowds of people with hits such as Grouper Meant for Me, Who will Save your SOLE and Pool Fish Games. The Jewel Cichlid has ea...

In this episode, “ Natural History of the Great Salt Lake ”, the crew is joined by conservation biologist, Jaimi Butler, as they discuss the history of the Great Salt Lake where the amazing Artemia are found! This podcast is brought to you by the krill. Krill are known to be one of the most important and abundant prey species on earth. They provide nutrients to whales, fish and birds alike. There...

In this episode, “The Brine Shrimp Harvest Industry”, the crew is joined by wildlife biologist, Ashley Kijowski, as they discuss the history of artemia cyst harvesting in Utah's Great Salt Lake and how these "shrimpy" little critters are not shrimp at all! This podcast is brought to you by the brine shrimp, Artemia salina. Popularized in the early 60’s, these tiny household pets were marketed as s...

In this episode, “ Starting Your First Fish Tank ”, the crew discusses all the things you need to know about preparing for your first ever freshwater fish tank! Which fish to choose? What components are important for a fish tank? How do you keep the water clean? This podcast is brought to you by the sarcastic fringehead.  Despite its name, the sarcastic fringehead is incapable of sarcasm. Instead,...

In this episode,   we dive headfirst into “ Automation in The Lab”  as the crew is joined by Bionomous Co-Founder and COO, Ana Hernando Ariza. They discuss her fascinating career path from grad student in an academic lab to the COO of a startup and how the company’s platform, the EggSorter, is bringing the power of AI and automation to fish facilities around the world. This podcast is brought to y...

In this episode, "Navigating Regulations in Laboratory Fish Research" , the crew delves into the intricate yet essential regulatory framework that encompasses various fish species employed in scientific research. Let's make regulations fun! This podcast is brought to you by the African Turquoise Killifish. The name “Killifish” is of Germanic origin, with the root word meaning “bay” o...

In this episode, "Species Spotlight: Livebearers" , the crew explores a new episode format by delving into the fascinating world of a beloved group of fishes: livebearers! Discover the most commonly seen species, learn essential care techniques, and gain insights on creating a happy and healthy home tank for these aquatic wonders. This podcast is brought to you by the false cleaner fish....

In this episode, "Staffing and Compensation for Aquatics Technicians" , the crew chats with Dr. Raphael Malbrue, an Attending Veterinarian and Director for the Center for Comparative Medicine at UVA, about the complex topic of hiring and properly compensating aquatics technicians and managers. This podcast is brought to you by the anchovy. The pepperoni of the fish kingdom. It's a sh...

In this episode, "Cuttlefish Husbandry and Research" , the crew talks to Connor Gibbons, a Cephalopod Facility Manager, about all things cephalopods and their applications in a research setting. Curious about the distinction between arms and tentacles? Tune in to discover the answer! This podcast is brought to you by the Giant sunfish, the largest bony fish in the world.  Truthfully they...

In this episode, "A Year in Review" , the crew reflects on the past season and discusses what they'd like to see in season two of the GFWI podcast! This podcast is brought to you by the Mexican tetra or Astyanax mexicanus.   These fish are famous for a subset of their species assuming a blind cave form which adapted to living in the darkness. These fish have no eyes and only sunken h...

In this episode, "Aquatic Veterinary Medicine (with Dr. Michelle Greenfield -Feig/Aquadocs)" , the crew is joined by Michelle Greenfield-Feig DVM, CertAqV, the host of the Aquadocs Podcast , for an in-depth conversation on aquatic veterinary medicine! Our discussion delves into professional development and career prospects for aspiring veterinarians, while also providing valuable tips fo...

In this episode, "Loveland Living Planet Aquarium" , the crew talks about visiting the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper, Utah. They got to see lots of native & tropical fish and...other animals that they just do not care about (sorry mammals! 😅). This podcast is brought to you by the Queen Angelfish. Could there be a more majestic creature in name or appearance?  As if roya...

In this episode, “ AALAS National Meeting and the ZHA ”, the crew talks about their experiences at the 74th AALAS National Meeting along with being a part of the Zebrafish Husbandry Association (ZHA) . What better place to nerd out about animals than at a 100% animal-centric conference! This podcast is brought to you by the zebrafish. Zebrafish are also known as the science nerds of the aquatic an...

In this episode, “ Fishy Video Games ”, the crew discuss video games where you can play as a fish, interact with fish, simulate an aquarium, or that just have a really fishy theme to them. We don’t cover games where fishing is the main goal (or a commonly used mechanic), we will save that topic for an upcoming episode! This podcast is brought to you by the Dolly Varden trout. The Dolly Varden can...

In this episode, “Scariest Fish!”, we explore species that look scary and intimidating, but there is definitely more to them than meets the eye... Listen to us talk about gulper eels, ghost sharks, piranhas and more in this special spooky episode! This podcast is brought to you by the ghost knifefish. There is no spookier name on the planet than the ghost knife fish. They have tiny beady eyes whic...

In this episode, “ Underwater Experts: RVTs in the World of Fish Health ”, Nora Toney RVT joins our hosts to talk about what it’s like being a Registered Veterinary Technician that works with fish. We learn what an RVT’s role is in animal health, why they are an essential part of the animal health team, and what a day in the life of a fish RVT looks like. Christine and Nora talk about their experi...

In this episode, “Extreme Fish”, we explore species that exist at the far ends of every category. A veritable who’s who of record setters, we cover the world’s fastest, slowest, largest, smallest, most adaptable to cold, heat and much more! Evolution grants immense biodiversity to allow fish to live in almost every environment.  You’ll be surprised to find out some of these interesting fishy facts...

In this episode, “Invasive Fish Species”, we discuss ecosystems and the many fish species that end up thriving in new habitats, threatening other native species that live there. Who is usually at fault?  Humans! We break down 6 types of invasive fish that either eat their competition or outcompete them for food. From gigantic carp that jump into your boat, to aquatic vampires that suck the blood o...

In episode 9, the crew breaks down part 2 of water chemistry!  We discuss conductivity, hardness, alkalinity and why they are important for stabilizing your water and pH.  We cover dissolved gasses, the dangers of extremely low oxygen and extremely high nitrogen in your system and what to do about it.  Next, we talk about phosphates, their source and what happens when levels get high.  Finally, we...

In this episode, the crew covers water chemistry for aquarists, specifically in freshwater systems. We learn about water temperature, pH and nitrogenous wastes, and the interplay between these three factors in fish systems. This episode equips you with what you need to know to keep your fish happy and healthy.  The most important takeaway?  Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to adjusting...

In episode 7, we are joined by Ernesto Gagarin, a Research Assistant in a zebrafish lab at Columbia University. He will be joining the University of Chicago in the fall to start his PhD! With another fish fan on the podcast this week, we wasted no time to start nerding out about fish keeping and how it has shaped our current paths in life. Having a closet and/or a bathroom full of fish tanks is cl...