Effect of water turbidity on zebrafish behaviour
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1
Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Department of Animal Welfare, Poland
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2
Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Institute of Biology, Poland
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3
Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Department of Genetics, Poland
Introduction
According to existing knowledge water turbidity can affect fish behaviour. In many species turbidity decreases anti-predator behaviour and changes foraging methods or activity (Thetmeyer & Kils, 1995; Meager & Batty, 2007). In presented study we examined influence of water turbidity on zebrafish (Danio rerio).
Materials and Methods
84 Zebrafish (Danio rerio) were evenly distributed into 12 tanks. Half of the animals were kept in clear water conditions (<5NTU) and other half in turbid water conditions (>300NTU) for 3 weeks. During this period overall activity, aggression and shoaling density in the tank was observed (using video cameras, one suspended above the tank, second in front of the tank, this allowed for full three dimensional tracking of fish movement in the aquarium). Recordings were analysed with Noldus Observer XT using a 10 minutes recording from each day of experiment.
Results
Zebrafish kept in water of higher turbidity exhibited lower activity level (13,5 vs 26,10 zones changed in one minute), lover aggression (1,88 vs 3,25 aggression incidents in 10 minutes) and higher shoaling tendency (3,5 vs 2,6 fish per shoal). Fish kept in clear water exhibited higher aggression and overall activity. They also spend more time at the bottom third of the tank compared to the turbid water group.
Conclusions and Discussion
This rather simple research shows that fish behaviour can be affected by water clarity changes. This is especially important in zebrafish as it is a fish that is widely used in different laboratory tests. Water conditions in these tests (while for sure not as extreme as in presented research) can affect the outcome of the test and this should be taken into consideration.
References
Meager, J. J., & Batty, R. S. (2007). Effects of turbidity on the spontaneous and prey-searching activity of juvenile Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences, 362(May), 2123–2130. doi:10.1098/rstb.2007.2104
Thetmeyer, H., & Kils, U. (1995). To see and not be seen: the visibility of predator and prey with respect to feeding behaviour. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 126(1968), 1–8. doi:10.3354/meps126001
Keywords:
water turbidity,
zebrafish behaviour,
activity level,
Agression,
Shoal density
Conference:
XV European Congress of Ichthyology, Porto, Portugal, 7 Sep - 11 Sep, 2015.
Presentation Type:
Poster Presentation
Topic:
Physiology, Behavior and Toxicology
Citation:
Wojtas
K,
Pokorny
P and
Mucha
A
(2015). Effect of water turbidity on zebrafish behaviour.
Front. Mar. Sci.
Conference Abstract:
XV European Congress of Ichthyology.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fmars.2015.03.00102
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Received:
20 Nov 2015;
Published Online:
21 Nov 2015.
*
Correspondence:
PhD. Krzysztof Wojtas, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Department of Animal Welfare, Wroclaw, Dolnoslaskie, 50-375, Poland, krzysztof.wojtas@up.wroc.pl
Dr. Przemyslaw Pokorny, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Institute of Biology, Wroclaw, Dolnoslaskie, 50-375, Poland, przemyslaw.pokorny@up.wroc.pl