Method and apparatus for incubating eggs and larvae of fish crustaceans and similar organisms
OwnerLeif Jorgensen, Hans Grasdaleninventors
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Abstract
A method for incubating eggs or larvae of fish, crustaceans, or related organisms. The eggs or larvae are located in depressions in the surface of a plate formed of an aqueous polymeric gel, and the surface is sealingly covered with a porous membrane capable of gas transport therethrough. The plate sealed with the membrane is placed in at least intermittent contact with water during the incubation period, and the eggs or larvae are separated from the plate and membrane after incubation is complete.
Claims16
In a process for incubating live eggs or larvae of fish or crustaceans in an aqueous environment for a predetermined time and at a predetermined temperature to obtain an incubated live organism,
- the improvement comprising:
- a) protecting said eggs or larvae from mechanical forces and infection by casting, using a mold, a plate of a predetermined shape and dimensions of an aqueous polymeric gel, said plate having at least one depression in a surface thereof for receiving said eggs or larvae, depositing at least one said live egg or larvae in said depression, and covering and sealing said surface and said depression with a porous gas and water permeable membrane;
- b) exposing said plate with covered surface to a source of oxygen and at least intermittent flow of water externally of the membrane for a time and at a temperature sufficient to achieve incubation of said eggs or larvae with passage of oxygen through said membrane to said eggs, and passage of excretory matter through said membrane away from said eggs;
- and thereafter
- c) removing an incubated live organism from said membrane and plate.
A method according to claim or 1 or 2, wherein water is sprayed onto said membrane continuously or intermittently during the incubation period.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.