The Aquarium
In addition to the revitalised stretch, a large aquarium has been built for observing the Chriesbach’s living organisms and processes, and it is continually provided with water from the brook. The aquarium houses some of the fish that can be found in the Chriesbach, though not all of the various species. Pike, for example, would eat the small gudgeon.
Species of fish and crabs
In the Chriesbach there are thirteen different species of fish and, in earlier times, at least, there was one species of crab. The stickleback is a new, invasive species of fish.
Building the Chriesbach aquarium
In November 2013, Pius Fessler from the firm Schreinerei & Aquaristik constructed an aquarium (3.15m x 1m x 1m) in front of the Forum Chriesbach. A pump was fitted and tested, supplying the aquarium with a constant flow of water from the brook.
In order to be able to show fish from the Chriesbach in the aquarium, authorisation to use animals in advertising was obtained from the veterinary office of the Canton of Zurich. This authorisation allows the fish to be exhibited over a long period, and not just for a single event.
In April 2014 two Eawag employees, Hans-Joachim Mosler und Marc Böhler, searched the Chriesbach for plants, stones and bushes for setting up in the fishes’ new home
The final stage was for Armin Peter (fish expert from Eawag) and his team to catch the fish using electro-fishing. Eight different species were caught, although the pike were returned to the brook as they would have attacked the other fish. There are thus seven different species of fish in the aquarium, and 40 fish in all.