Aquarium systems for Marine & Freshwater organisms

The IBERS aquarium facility currently comprises several smaller research based units, a large main teaching/research aquarium and also a large research aquarium which is currently under construction.

 

The main teaching aquarium is “flexible” in terms of set up – giving researchers and students the scope to establish circulating or closed housing systems in both marine and freshwater. 

Room temperature and lighting is variably controlled and constantly monitored. Seawater is transported from Cardigan Bay regularly to replenish the reservoir from which the circulating marine system operates; ensuring specimens brought into the unit for study are housed in an aquatic environment chemically similar to the one from which they were removed – reducing stress on the subject. Habitats and environments can be reconstructed to suit experiments using the large stock of tanks, substrates and equipment available.

Two smaller annex rooms adjoin the main aquarium, both being individually temperature controlled, to cater for coldwater or tropical species. One of these rooms currently houses a large stock of tropical fish species’, including convict cichlids, domestic and wild type guppies and mangrove killifish (the only known naturally occurring self fertilizing vertebrate).  These in-house bred fish are frequently used in behavioural dissertation projects carried out by undergraduate students and as models for animal behaviour based practical classes.

The facility is run by two qualifiedNACWO’s (Named Animal  Care & Welfare Officer), whom assist students and researchers in setup and maintenance of experiments, as well as taking students out on fieldwork trips to collect specimens.

Combined with their knowledge of the abundant sampling sites available for study around the Aberystwyth and Cardigan Bay area; this makes for a wide array of interesting behavioural, ecological and physiological based projects for undergraduates to carry out. Students are taught the importance of good animal husbandry and are given the necessary practical guidance to carry out successful experimentation.