Can simple tank changes benefit the welfare of laboratory zebrafish Danio rerio?

Abstract

This study examined the effects of simple changes in the tank environment on the wellbeing of laboratory-maintained zebrafish Danio rerio. Groups of D. rerio were either housed in stable environments (where they were maintained in the same tanks throughout the study) or in environments subject to change (where they were periodically moved to novel but identical tanks) and the effects of these treatments on morphometry, reproductive success and aggressive behaviour assessed. No effect of simple tank changes was found on body condition, reproductive output or aggression, for the periods of time studied, indicating that more complex scenarios in housing tank conditions are required for significant welfare benefits for captive D. rerio.

Physical enrichment research for captive fish: Time to focus on the DETAILS

“…Flow of water and current direction can in itself be a form of PE (DePasquale et al ., 2019), as can water changes (Lee et al ., 2018). Other environmental conditions can have subtle but important effects on fishes and may impact the findings of enrichment studies.…”

Shade as enrichment: testing preferences for shelter in two model fish species

“…Despite the known benefits of physical enrichment, it may be costly or inconvenient to provide (Lidster et al, 2017). This has led to recent studies exploring possibilities for easily-implemented and lowcost alternatives, such as the exploration of the use of frequent water changes (Lee et al, 2018). Any standardised type of enrichment should strike a balance between maximising the welfare benefits to the fish, while maintaining practicality and cost-effectiveness within a research environment.…”

Understanding fish populations

“…Salmo salar was also the focus of studies of population genetics undertaken at the landscape scale by Cauwelier et al (2018) and Ikediashi et al (2018) in north-east and southern U.K., respectively, while S. trutta was also used as a model species by Arevalo et al (2018) to investigate experimentally the likely effects of climate change on young salmonids. Representation of this session theme is completed by an elegant experimental study of welfare management for the widespread laboratory model species zebrafish Danio rerio (Hamilton 1822) performed by Lee et al (2018) and an extensive and authoritative review by Côté & Smith (2018) of over 150 studies addressing the remarkable invasion ecology of the Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterosis sp. The challenges and opportunities facing fish biology were considered by the discussion paper of Jacobs et al (2018) using a framework of five key knowledge gaps comprising the use of fish biology to inform aquaculture and wild fisheries to address food security, the use of evolutionary biology to predict contemporary responses to stressors, the use of correlated traits to improve predictions of responses to environmental change, the use of existing datasets and new analytical approaches to gain novel insights, and the use of animal collective behaviour to understand better the group level impacts of environmental stressors.…”

“…Representation of this session theme is completed by an elegant experimental study of welfare management for the widespread laboratory model species zebrafish Danio rerio (Hamilton 1822) performed by Lee et al . () and an extensive and authoritative review by Côté & Smith () of over 150 studies addressing the remarkable invasion ecology of the Indo‐Pacific lionfish Pterosis sp. The challenges and opportunities facing fish biology were considered by the discussion paper of Jacobs et al .…”