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Paul,
You may want to check with the Baltimore Aquarium. If I remember
correctly they have an electric eel with the same type of set up that
you are proposing.
My only concern is that loud noises like a bell will scare the fish and
eventually teach it a bit of a Pavlov-ian response of not using it's
voltage in fear of the "much-bigger-and-loud-bell-Fish"... Just a
thought, worked on my dog (darn barking)
Happy Holidays!
George E. Buss, Jr.
Theatre and Outreach Manager
Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts
222 Market St, Harrisburg, PA 17101
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There is one message totalling 62 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Electric Catfish
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Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2003 20:06:48 -0800
From: Paul Allan <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Electric Catfish
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
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*****
Recently we received the donation of an African electric catfish =
(Malapterurus electricus.) It is about 25-30 cm long (10-12 inches) and
=
is being kept in a 55-gallon freshwater aquarium. Besides telling the =
interesting facts about this unusual fish in signage, we would like the
=
display to have a bit more pizzazz.
There are conflicting reports on whether the fish uses it's electrical =
discharges for navigating or just for feeding, but as far as we have =
determined, using a digital multimeter, it can produce about 2-3 volts =
when feeding and does not register any discharge when swimming around =
it's tank. We used alligator clips to attach two stainless steel wires
=
to the multimeter probes, put the wire into opposite ends of the tank, =
and fed the fish a small feeder goldfish. Adult fish of this type (over
=
1 meter in length) are reported to produce up to 350 volt discharges.
We would like to have visual and auditory events occur when there is a =
discharge. We've thought of a large, analog galvanometer/voltmeter. We
=
would also like to have a light turn on and/or a buzzer sound. The =
light and buzzer would not necessarily need to be powered by the =
electrical discharge, but the discharge should stimulate the lighting of
=
the light or buzzing of the buzzer.
Has anyone had experience with this kind of display? Please lend us =
your expertise or point us to resources we can use to determine the =
easiest route to make this a great exhibit. We know we can turn to =
local electrical engineers/electricians, but I thought I would ask the =
list first to see if we could get a head start on the project.
Thanks- Paul
*********************=20
Paul J. Allan=20
Palouse Discovery Science Center
Pullman, WA
[log in to unmask]
=20
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End of ISEN-ASTC-L Digest - 3 Dec 2003 to 4 Dec 2003 (#2003-295)
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