Reproduction and development
Reproduction of ornamental fish —angelfish, koi, gouramis, zebrafish, guppies, cichlids and mollies— and descriptions of embryonic development in angelfish and common carp.
History · FES Iztacala
From a student initiative to the creation of knowledge
It grew out of student and professor projects in building L-5 and opened its doors on 11 September 1991. Its trajectory brings together teaching, professional training, research and outreach focused on aquatic life.
The aquarium’s four objectives ↓A story that begins in the classroom
In the late 1970s, students and professors from the earliest cohorts developed projects on silverside reproduction and ornamental fish feeding in General Biology I and II, Cell Biology and Field Biology. Their meeting place was Laboratory 04 in building L-5 (L-504), whose ground floor was known as “the cubicles”.
The detailed slide dates this stage to 1978–1989; the overview timeline gives 1977–1989.
Making the work of biologists visible
In 1990, an administrative restructuring at ENEP Iztacala placed the aquarium in the Department of Support Centres alongside the herbarium, botanical garden, map library, museum and vivarium. While health programmes were visible through their clinics, the aquarium offered a window into biologists’ work and an opportunity to promote aquatic ecosystem conservation.
Timeline
Late 1970s–1989
The initiative of students and professors
1990
Administrative restructuring: the Department of Support Centres is established
The aquarium opens
The Juan Luis Cifuentes Lemus Aquarium opened on 11 September 1991. Biologist Mario Alfredo Fernández Araiza was responsible for its design, installation and operation. A ground-floor laboratory in building L-5 was adapted for exhibition, with fewer tanks than today, and an experimental space behind it for student projects.
2004
More tanks in the exhibition area
In 2004 the exhibition area was remodelled with masonry supports for the tanks, allowing larger structures in this area.
2006
The trout area
In 2006 a rainbow trout research space was added behind the building. The prawn and diet annex and another trout farming space followed.
From consolidation to new questions
1990s
Consolidation
Teaching and professional training gave rise to research in reproduction and nutrition. The aquarium connected its academic, research and exhibition spaces.
1990s–2025
From the aquarium to the Aquaculture Production Laboratory
Studies of vitamin A requirements in juvenile giant freshwater prawns, Artemia nauplius enrichment and plant-protein diets are part of the path towards the Aquaculture Production Laboratory described in the presentation.
2025
A trajectory that opens new perspectives
The presentation brings together work on nutrient requirements, plant-based diets for rainbow trout, nutrigenomics and microplastic detection. Aquatic organism production and care link these questions with university training.
The expansions, in order
The team remembers these expansions in this order, but not the exact dates. They are listed as a sequence rather than assigned a year nobody has confirmed.
The annex: prawns and diets
The annex followed, now housing prawn culture and dietary research.
The newest trout culture area
The most recent extension, behind the annex room, dedicated to trout culture.
Three areas for a university project
- Academic work
- Research
- Exhibition
Planning, design and construction incorporated these three operational areas. Their work is organised around four objectives connecting students, researchers and visitors.
The aquarium’s four objectives
- Teaching
- Professional training
- Research
- Outreach
These areas describe the university project’s functions, rather than three public rooms.
Training across its history
- 62theses and social service placements
- 20master's degrees
- 2doctorates
Training and figures documented in the 2025 presentation. Ask the team about current options, requirements and availability.
Knowledge that grows from practice
The 2025 archive brings together these topics studied across the laboratory’s history.
Nutrition and live feed
Production of Chlorella and Scenedesmus microalgae, rotifers and cladocerans; evaluation of live feed and commercial diets; Artemia enrichment and diet formulation with plant protein sources.
Nutrients, diets and nutrigenomics
Determining nutrient requirements in native freshwater prawns, evaluating plant-protein diets for rainbow trout and studying the expression of genes involved in immune system development.
Microplastics in aquatic organisms
Detection of microplastics in inland waters and edible fish as part of the environmental questions addressed by aquarium research.
Results reported in the 2025 presentation
Figures summarising the trajectory described in the 2025 material; they do not represent output from that year alone.
- 42publications in indexed journals
- 10book chapters
- 3books
- 76national conference presentations
- 116international conference presentations
Sharing knowledge with the community
Guided visits, science fairs and outreach events, and workshops with rural communities take the aquarium’s work beyond the laboratory. They offer opportunities to learn about aquatic life and discuss its conservation.
Who the name belongs to
The aquarium is named after Dr. Juan Luis Cifuentes Lemus (Mexico City, 1929 – Puerto Vallarta, 2025), a marine biologist and science communicator, director of UNAM's Faculty of Sciences between 1973 and 1977, with 45 papers and 18 books published.
The name was chosen during the restructuring as a Biology support centre, recognising his contributions to marine biology, teaching and outreach. The team recalls that finding his name on the plaque at the inauguration surprised him. He later visited the aquarium on several occasions.
A story built across generations
The initiative of students and professors remains the thread running through this story: learning, researching and sharing knowledge about aquatic organisms.
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