Objective In this study,we tested different disinfectants and different action times to establish an efficient protocol for zebrafish embryo disinfection,which may in turn improve the management of zebrafish facilities.Methods We tested three reagents that can be used for embryo disinfection and are readily available in the domestic market:reagent-grade povidone-iodine,sodium hypochlorite,and chlorine dioxide.We evaluated the toxic effects of the reagents at three concentrations and two action times on zebrafish embryos at three stages,in term of survival,dechorioning,and malformation rates.The effects of the three disinfectants were also compared in terms of the amounts of embryos with surface bacteria after disinfection.Results Chlorine-containing disinfectants,i.e.sodium hypochlorite and chlorine dioxide,were better able to kill bacteria on the embryo surface,while povidone-iodine was not quite effective.Survival,dechorioning,and malformation rates were similar in embryos treated with 30 ppm sodium hypochlorite or chlorine dioxide to those in control embryos.Treatment with chlorine-containing disinfectants for 10 min were more effective in sterilizing than for 5 min.Conclusions The result of this study suggest treating 6～30 hpf embryos with 30 ppm sodium hypochlorite for 10 min as an operational method.

Objective In this study,we tested different disinfectants and different action times to establish an efficient protocol for zebrafish embryo disinfection,which may in turn improve the management of zebrafish facilities.Methods We tested three reagents that can be used for embryo disinfection and are readily available in the domestic market:reagent-grade povidone-iodine,sodium hypochlorite,and chlorine dioxide.We evaluated the toxic effects of the reagents at three concentrations and two action times on zebrafish embryos at three stages,in term of survival,dechorioning,and malformation rates.The effects of the three disinfectants were also compared in terms of the amounts of embryos with surface bacteria after disinfection.Results Chlorine-containing disinfectants,i.e.sodium hypochlorite and chlorine dioxide,were better able to kill bacteria on the embryo surface,while povidone-iodine was not quite effective.Survival,dechorioning,and malformation rates were similar in embryos treated with 30 ppm sodium hypochlorite or chlorine dioxide to those in control embryos.Treatment with chlorine-containing disinfectants for 10 min were more effective in sterilizing than for 5 min.Conclusions The result of this study suggest treating 6～30 hpf embryos with 30 ppm sodium hypochlorite for 10 min as an operational method.

Zebrafish is a relatively new and booming vertebrate animal model.Over the past three decades, ze-brafish has been applied in various aspects of life science, as well as health sciences, environmental studies and aquacul-ture research.To meet the requirement for different research purposes, large amounts of zebrafish resources, including mu-tant and transgenic lines, have been developed with different techniques.All of these resources need well and careful col-lection and maintenance, therefore several zebrafish resource facilities have been built worldwide.As one of them, the Chi-na Zebrafish Resource Center (CZRC, http://zfish.cn) was founded in 2012.This review is trying to introduce the devel-opment and maintenance of zebrafish scientific resources, and the updated progress of CZRC.