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| The Effect of a Net Stressor on Zebrafish Shoal Cohesion |
| Ryan Roman Ugovsek1, Eren Aday2, Benjamin Tsang3, Robert Gerlai1,3. 1Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; 2Department of Chemical & Physical Sciences, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; 3Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada |
Zebrafish are becoming increasingly popular in behavioral neuroscience. In several zebrafish studies, the subjects are captured by a net in their home tank and transferred to an experimental arena. This handling method may be highly stressful. Yet, the potential confounding effects of human handling are almost never considered in zebrafish research, including in the analysis of social behavior. Here, we investigate how two handling methods with different levels of aversiveness affect shoaling in adult zebrafish. We transfer each shoal to the experimental arena by one of two handling methods: (1) net-chasing and transportation of fish in the net to the arena, or (2) gently pouring from the home tank into the arena. Using video-tracking software, the behavior of each group was recorded and analyzed post-transfer. The two handling methods resulted in robust and sustained effects on shoal cohesion: netted shoals exhibited lower shoal cohesion compared to poured shoals throughout the duration of the recording session. As stress may represent a significant confound in zebrafish studies, our results confirm that human handling matters, and that avoiding a net stressor may be beneficial. |