Implantable PIT tags, submersible readers and remote monitoring systems for broodstock identification, hatchery research, selective breeding programs and fisheries science — supplied locally from Melbourne since 1989.
For a complete guide to choosing PIT tags including FDX-A vs ISO FDX-B comparisons and Australian use cases, see our PIT tags Australia overview.
Six of the most common aquaculture and fisheries applications we support across Australia — from large commercial hatcheries to university research programs.
Individual lifetime ID for breeding fish in northern Australian and Queensland commercial hatcheries. ID162C (ISO FDX-B) or ID100C (FDX-A) sterile 10-packs implanted at sexual maturity.
Small-format 8mm × 1.4mm Midi chips (ID100 Midi or ID162B Midi) for tagging Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout and brook trout fingerlings in Tasmanian and Victorian hatcheries.
Smallest 8mm × 1.25mm Nano chips for tracking individual oysters in Australian pearl farming operations, and conventional chips for adult pearl oyster broodstock.
Juvenile abalone, marron, yabby and prawn studies using Nano chips. Larger ID100C chips for adult broodstock identification in selective breeding programs.
Mark-recapture studies on Murray cod, golden perch, freshwater catfish and Macquarie perch. FDX-A chips paired with creek-bed submersible readers for long-term monitoring.
Lifetime individual ID supports selective breeding programs across multiple generations. Trovan chips remain readable and reliable for the life of the animal.
Trovan transponders were among the first implantable RFID systems certified for aquaculture use. Four reasons Australian fisheries researchers and commercial aquaculture operations choose Trovan.
Bioglass capsules tested for long-term use in fish, crustaceans and shellfish. Hermetically sealed against moisture ingress at any depth or salinity.
The Trovan Unique FDX-A protocol (ID100 range) is the most widely-used implantable RFID system in Australian aquaculture and fisheries research. FDX-A delivers reliable read range through water that ISO FDX-B systems often can’t match — critical for swim-through and remote applications.
Compatible with the full Trovan reading ecosystem including swim-through tunnel antennas, frame-type readers, AquaPocket scanners, FishReader installations, and submersible creek-bed receivers with IP68-rated antennas for permanent in-water deployment.
Once implanted, a Trovan chip remains readable for the life of the animal — supporting multi-year mark-recapture studies, multi-generation breeding programs and long-term broodstock management.
Beyond chips, Trovan offers reading infrastructure designed specifically for aquaculture environments and fisheries fieldwork.
Tunnel-style reading system for high-throughput hatchery and broodstock workflows. Logs every chip that passes through, with timestamp and reader location.
Compact handheld reader designed for splash-resistant fieldwork on boats, pond-side, and hatchery floors. Lightweight enough for one-handed scanning during sorting.
Mounted in fish ladders, fyke nets, sluice gates and trap-and-transport facilities. Detects every tagged fish swimming through without handling, enabling stress-free mark-recapture.
IP68-rated reader and antenna combinations (e.g. LID-650 + ANT-612) designed for permanent in-water deployment in creeks, rivers and culverts. Used in long-term passive monitoring studies.
In 2025, Mt Roland Land Care deployed Trovan LID-650 submersible reader systems with IP68-rated ANT-612 antennas in remote Tasmanian streams to passively monitor the movements of the Giant Freshwater Crayfish (Astacopsis gouldi) — the world’s largest freshwater invertebrate, listed as Vulnerable under Tasmanian and federal legislation.
The submersible reader system records every tagged crayfish passing through culverts and stream sections, building a dataset on home-range, migration timing and culvert-crossing behaviour without requiring researchers to physically capture individuals after the initial tagging.
Microchips Australia is the exclusive Australian distributor of Trovan RFID products. Founded in 1989 by three Australian veterinarians, we have supplied aquaculture and fisheries researchers continuously for 37 years — longer than most aquaculture operations have been microchipping.
From our Melbourne base we serve commercial hatcheries, fisheries researchers, universities, and government agencies right across Australia, with dedicated account managers for aquaculture customers.
Read our complete PIT tags guide for protocol selection and sizing, or contact our aquaculture team for project consultation on chip selection, reading infrastructure and bulk pricing.
PIT Tags Australia guide Contact our team