A Zebrafish Fairy Tale

(Science Communication from the very beginning) 


Mom:  Uff… that was tough! I was running to set up those fish crosses for the experiment to be able to get to the school bus stop on time to pick up my kid. I have just beaten my record, 15 minutes by bike, not bad! Sometimes it is just so difficult to distinguish between the female and male fish… especially when I’m in a hurry… Anyway, let me see if I have the dinner ready… ah, there she is! Tonight, if she doesn’t ask for Little Red Riding Hood I will explain her about my fish, she will love it. 

 Mom:  Come on Sweetheart, it’s time to go to bed.

Kid:  Mummy, first you have to explain a fairy tale!

Mom:  Why don’t you explain what you have done at school today?

Kid:  Hmmm… we went to swim. Now it’s your turn, what have you done at your school?

Mom:  I was with my fish again.

Kid:  The ones with the black and white stripes!

Mom:  Yes, the zebrafish.

Kid:  Were you playing with them?

Mom:  Actually yes, we were playing Mom and Dad. I selected couples; I put one girl and one boy into a hotel room. During all night, they will be close to each other and tomorrow morning, probably they will have babies.

Kid:  I was playing that with my friends today!

Mom:  And how many babies did you have?

Kid:  One, I was giving her baby food.

Mom:  So just imagine, those fish can have up to 200 babies!

Kid:  Wow, they must eat a lot! Do you give them food?

Mom:  It’s not me who is giving the food, but a colleague of mine. He knows a lot about what they like to eat. He gives the adults shrimps.

Kid:  Oh, I like shrimps! Do they suck their head as we do?

Mom:  Hahaha, they just eat them as a whole. And just imagine, they call this food Artemia.

Kid:  Is it Hungarian?

Mom:  I know it’s a difficult word, but it’s not Hungarian. Going back to the babies, they don’t eat shrimps on the first days! Their Moms prepare them a bag full of baby food and they eat it alone. Wait, I can show you some pictures I have done of them!

Kid:  Why are they green or red?

Mom:  Mmm… at my school we made some part of these fish fluorescent, so we can see them in the dark, just like in medusas.

Kid:  Like the star-stickers on my ceiling! When you switch of the lights, they shine!

Mom:  Yes babe, you are such a clever girl!

Kid:  Mummy, I want to have a Zebrafish at home, may I?

Mom:  Dear, we already have a cat. Besides that, these fish are not originally from here, they might not be happy in our flat. They were brought here from far away, from India, for example.

Kid:  Isn’t it where your teacher comes from?

Mom:  Yes.

Kid:  Did he bring them here?

Mom:  No. Other people brought them here.

Kid:  Mom, I want to see your fish! May I go with you tomorrow to your school? Pleeease…

Mom:  No dear, it’s impossible. Actually, you have seen several fish in your life. Do you remember when we went to the Aquarium with the grandparents? And during summer holiday when we went snorkeling? Or on the weekends when we go to the market to buy some for lunch?

Kid:  But those are dead! That lady cuts their fins off!

Mom:  Well, at my school we do that as well and they are alive.

Kid:  What?

Mom:  We just cut a tiny little piece and it grows back in 3 weeks. This is the only way to take blood from Zebrafish because they are much smaller than the ones you see at the market. Sometimes it is needed, like when you go to the doctor.

Kid:  Tomorrow I will explain all this to my friends, they will be amazed!

Mom:  That’s a good idea! You can even prepare a drawing. But for that now you should sleep and rest a bit. Close your eyes, have a nice dream! Good night!