Yesterday, there were only two eggs visible on the mesh frame and only a couple of alevins left… On closer inspection though, you could see there was activity at the bottom of the tank, underneath the mesh. It was time to check how the alevins were doing and we removed the mesh frame on which the ova had been lying and … they were all there, about 160 alevins, newly hatched! They look incredibly frail and yet, about 15 mn after we removed the mesh frame and left it to drip outside in the sun, Grace and Sarah spotted two alevins on the ground, still healthy as can be, and they were returned to the tank! We also rescued another two alevins which were trapped in the mesh and were returned, safe and sound, after spending 20mn on dry land!

On Monday, Jamie and Oscar had a unique experience: as they removed what they thought was a dead egg, they checked it closely in their hands but noticed a tail and then, the alevin hatched in front of them as they were holding the egg!

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The first alevins have hatched today at the North Walls school! They were very difficult to spot through the Hoy peaty water! However, the clue was revealed this morning when Jamie and Oscar said they had noticed foam in the tank, a sure sign of the alevins hatching. Class 1 and 2 went to have a look and when looking very closely, Callum noticed some of the eggs rocking as the alevins were wriggling inside their shells! Oscar even spotted an ova with a tail sticking out!