A technique for maintaining water quality in fish tanks containing eels and fish larvae

Abstract. A technique which uses electrodes at the mouths of meshless water outlets of fish tanks is described. The electrical field generated by the electrodes was effective in discouraging fish from approaching the open outlet, and allowed free discharge of debris‐laden water without the usual blockage of the outlets by faeces and uneaten food. The system was found to be particularly effective for the rearing of eels (from the glass eel stage on) which typically cause a rapid deterioration in water quality due to their feeding behaviour. It was also found very useful for rearing other fish larvae in tanks.