Rehoming

When zebrafish become older, they do not breed as successfully. Many of our wild-type fish are only used to produce embryos, so are retired from breeding once their embryo quality declines. These fish are typically still in good health at this age, so we offer them for rehoming. This supports our commitment to high standards of animal welfare and ensures a culture of care in our facility.

Adopters should be over the age of 18 with a suitable, established tropical freshwater tank. They should have fishkeeping experience and be prepared to maintain a good standard of care for the remainder of the animals’ lives. If you’re not sure if your setup is suitable, our staff are happy to advise.

We aim to ensure that rehoming is suitable for both potential adopters and our fish. In the process, we will ask about:

• Tank setup and maintenance
• Water quality testing
• Compatibility of existing tank inhabitants
• Fishkeeping experience
• Feeding routines and acclimation plans

This is to ensure a smooth transition and help us to support adopters in the process.

Zebrafish are social animals and are rehomed in groups. The number available for adoption depends greatly on your tank size, current fish population, and suitability of the environment. These factors are assessed in the application process.

Fish identified for rehoming undergo a period of preparation to help them transition to home aquaria. This includes:

• Exposure to new objects
• Housing in larger, more complex tanks
• Introduction to mixed-sex groups (if previously housed as single-sex)
• Fish are monitored from the moment they enter our facility to when they are rehomed, and only those deemed healthy and adaptable by the NVS are approved for rehoming.

Yes. Rehoming of wild-type zebrafish is authorised under our Establishment Licence and is regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 under section 17A (3).

Our Rehoming Policy requires that fish are only rehomed if the following criteria are met:

• They are of a wildtype strain, not genetically altered in any way.
• The latest available health screening results indicate that rehoming will not lead to the spread of any pathogens harmful to humans, animals, or the environment.
• They are no longer required for research purposes, and their rehoming will not lead to any increase in breeding in order to replace them.
• They have not undergone any regulated procedures.
• They have undergone a Fitness to Rehome Assessment and the NVS has declared them fit to be rehomed.
• They have undergone appropriate measures to ensure that they are able to adapt to a new environment.
• The NACWO and/or NVS are satisfied, after making suitable enquiries, that the new owner has suitable knowledge and facilities to provide for the ongoing care and welfare of the animal(s).

No. All zebrafish available for rehoming have not been exposed to any chemical or biological treatment and have not been genetically modified in any way. These fish are wild-type and have been bred either for use as control groups or to produce embryos for research or teaching.

No. All fish are assessed by the Named Veterinary Surgeon and pose no risk to human or animal health or to the environment. The rehoming process is carefully managed in compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) and our internal policies.

All fish in our facility are housed in tanks clearly labelled in accordance with UK legislation. The genetically modified fish that are used to study particular types of health conditions are kept in entirely separate tanks and cannot be offered for rehoming due to regulations surrounding genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Zebrafish are highly adaptable animals, and we aim to ensure all fish are adequately prepared for life in their new home. In the rare case that issues arise, adopters should contact the University staff for advice and support. Contact details will be provided upon agreement for rehoming.