Biological Sciences in Space
Online ISSN : 1349-967X
Print ISSN : 0914-9201
ISSN-L : 0914-9201
Fish Mating Experiment in Space
What It Aimed at and How It Was Prepared
Kenichi Ijiri
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1995 Volume 9 Issue 1 Pages 3-16

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Abstract

The code name ‘MEDAKA’ was given to the fish experiment in the IML-2 (the second International Microgravity Laboratory), a Space-shuttle mission (STS-65) carried out in July 1994. Medaka is the Japanese name for a small fresh-water fish, Oryzias latipes. This experiment titled ‘Mating behavior of the fish Medaka and development of their eggs in space’ aimed to present data for designing the future fish-culture in space. The Medaka experiment accomplished its objectives to the point of 100 %. The fish mated, laid eggs in space, and these eggs developed normally to hatching (coming out as a baby fish) under microgravity. Its success totally depended on selection of the four fish sent to space. This paper describes the aims of the IML-2 Medaka fish experiment and how it was prepared, together with a brief report on what were achieved in space.

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© 1995 by Japanese Society for Biological Sciences in Space
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