Heyworth, C., Owens, D. 2019. Eureka! Enhanced water recipe and enrichment for oocyte quality and embryo development in the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis). Laboratory Animal Science Professional 7(1) (March), 43-45.

Husbandry staff set a goal to develop a health monitoring program for a Xenopus laevis colony that included not only specific pathogen freedom, but wellness. This article describes environmental enrichment and a water recipe for the insurance of proper water hardness and pH levels. Animal wellness could be observed through play and documented within the new comprehensive health monitoring program for this colony at our institution. The dramatic increase of good embryos due to this enhanced water recipe and the reduction of females being used, combined with the robustness of males due to species-specific enrichment being provided, yielded a greater quality of life for this Xenopus laevis colony.