Background: There are a variety of published standard methods and water chemistry recommendations for zebrafish ( ) husbandry, but empirical evidence for their justification is often lacking, as is information on some variables that have important biological effects on fish. Importantly, these different recommendations could contribute to variability in results and fish welfare between or within institutions.
Methods: Here we document the current range of water chemistry used by various research institutions around the world and report initial findings on their effects on the development and growth of zebrafish.