Generation time of zebrafish (Danio rerio) and medakas (Oryzias latipes) housed in the same aquaculture facility

The zebrafish and the medaka are both important model organisms in biomedical research. Both species are frequently characterized as having a generation time of approximately 2-4 months, but the precise onset of sexual maturity and the variability of reproductive success with age have not been previously examined. The authors studied reproduction in replicate groups of wild-type zebrafish (strain AB) and medakas (strain Cab) that were maintained together in the same aquaculture system. Length, weight and survival of the fish were measured and recorded once per week. Reproductive success and viability of offspring were also evaluated. Both zebrafish and medakas began producing viable embryos within 60 d post-fertilization. These findings show that it is possible to successfully maintain populations of both species within the same research infrastructure without compromising reproductive success or embryo viability.