Journal article 271 views
Different housing conditions for zebrafish: What are the effects?
Priscila Fernandes,
Carlos Garcia De Leaniz 
,
Fulvio A.M. Freire,
Vanessa A.M. Silveira,
Ana C. Luchiari
,
Fulvio A.M. Freire,
Vanessa A.M. Silveira,
Ana C. Luchiari
Behavioural Processes, Volume: 209, Start page: 104886
Swansea University Authors:
Priscila Fernandes, Carlos Garcia De Leaniz
DOI (Published version): 10.1016/j.beproc.2023.104886
Abstract
Zebrafish is a popular experimental model in several research areas but little is known about the effects of using different strains or housing conditions. Poor control of genetic background and housing conditions could affect experimental results and data reproducibility. Here we investigated the e...
| Published in: | Behavioural Processes |
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| ISSN: | 0376-6357 |
| Published: |
Elsevier BV
2023
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| Online Access: |
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa63384 |
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| Abstract: |
Zebrafish is a popular experimental model in several research areas but little is known about the effects of using different strains or housing conditions. Poor control of genetic background and housing conditions could affect experimental results and data reproducibility. Here we investigated the effects of two possible sources of variation on zebrafish behaviour: fish origin and environmental parameters (light intensity, water temperature and noise). Zebrafish behaviour was then examined using the ‘novel tank test’, one of the most common paradigms used to assess anxiety-like behaviours in zebrafish. Our results show that an increase in light intensity alters fish behaviour, particularly freezing duration and distance from the bottom of the tank, indicating increased anxiety. Swimming activity increased at the lowest temperature (25 °C). However, different levels of background noise did not cause any significant changes in behaviour. Differences were also found between zebrafish strains and populations: while the AB strain from laboratory 1 was minimally influenced by variation in holding conditions, the AB strain from laboratory 2 was highly affected by changes in temperature, light, and background noise. Our study shows that variation in strains and holding conditions can significantly influence the results of behavioural testing and should be carefully considered in the experimental design and properly reported to improve data interpretation and reproducibility. |
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| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |
| Funders: |
this study was funded by a Royal Society Newton Mobility grant to ACL hosted by Professor Sonia Consuegra and CGL at CSAR-Swansea University (Grant reference number: NA160190) and Coordenaç ̃ao de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). ACL is supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnol ́ogico (CNPq) 306207/2020–6 |
| Start Page: |
104886 |