Fish

Welfare in Nile tilapia production: Dorsal fin erection as a visual indicator for insensibility

In aquaculture, to ensure animal welfare in pre-slaughter and slaughter stages, it is fundamental that fish are insensible. A method for evaluating fish insensibility is based on visual sensibility indicators (VSI) assessment (i.e., self-initiated behavior, responses to stimuli and reflexes)....

Year Published: 2021Topics: Anesthesia & Sedation, Surgery & Post-OpAnimal Type: Fish, Tilapia

Citation: Camargo-dos-Santos, B., Carlos, C. L., Favero-Neto, J. et al. 2021. Welfare in Nile tilapia production: Dorsal fin erection as a visual indicator for insensibility. Animals 11(10), 3007.

Refining procedures within regulatory toxicology studies: Improving animal welfare and data

During the development of potential new medicines or agrochemicals, an assessment of the safety profile to humans and environmental species is conducted using a range of different in silico and in vitro techniques in conjunction with metabolism and toxicity studies...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, Cannulation, Catheterization, & Intubation, HousingAnimal Type: Dog, Fish, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Prior, H., Blunt, H., Crossman, L. et al. 2021. Refining procedures within regulatory toxicology studies: Improving animal welfare and data. Animals 11(11), 3057.

The effect of tank cover on welfare of farmed Nile tilapia

Welfare in aquaculture is a pressing topic. One of the main measures to improve the life of farmed fish is implementing environmental enrichment, which can include the addition of structural covers to rearing tanks. Here we test the effects of...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Fish, Tilapia

Citation: Saraiva, J. L., Nogueirinha, M., Teodósio, R. et al. 2021. The effect of tank cover on welfare of farmed Nile tilapia. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 241, 105396.

Tank cleaning temporarily increases stress and decreases affiliative behavior in zebrafish

Small, tropical fish are popular companion animals and constitute a major proportion of the vertebrates used in scientific research, but little is known about how they are affected by routine husbandry practices. Manual tank cleanings are a common and potentially...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Powell, C., von Keyserlingk, M. A. G., Franks, B. 2021. Tank cleaning temporarily increases stress and decreases affiliative behavior in zebrafish. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 242, 105414.

A novel miniaturized biosensor for monitoring Atlantic salmon swimming activity and respiratory frequency

The advanced development of sensor technologies has led to the emergence of fish biosensors that are currently used for research and commercial purposes. AEFishBIT is a miniaturized biosensor attached to fish operculum that measures physical activity and respiration frequencies. In...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, External Bodily Equipment, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Fish, Salmon

Citation: Kolarevic, J., Calduch-Giner, J., Espmark, Å. M. et al. 2021. A novel miniaturized biosensor for monitoring Atlantic salmon swimming activity and respiratory frequency. Animals 11(8), 2403.

Proof of concept: Visual categorization of carotenoid pigmentation in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus L) can predict stress response

Carotenoid pigmentation in Salvelinus alpinus has been connected to stress responsiveness in earlier studies. This has, however, only been tested with time-consuming image analysis from photos. Here, we used quick visual categorization of carotenoid pigmentation to investigate the stress responsiveness...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish

Citation: Backström, T., Brännäs, E., Nilsson, J. et al. 2021. Proof of concept: Visual categorization of carotenoid pigmentation in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus L) can predict stress response. Journal of Fish Biology 98(4), 1192-1195.

Using individual-specific conditioning to reduce stereotypic behaviours: A study on smooth dogfish Mustelus canis in captivity

Despite how frequently stereotypic behaviours are discussed in the field of animal behaviour and welfare, research on stereotypies in captive elasmobranchs is far less represented in the literature compared to studies on mammalian species. This is particularly unfortunate as aquatic...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish

Citation: Hart, A., Reynolds, Z., Troxell-Smith, S. 2021. Using individual-specific conditioning to reduce stereotypic behaviours: A study on smooth dogfish Mustelus canis in captivity. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research, 9(3), 193-199.

Clarification of early end-points for refinement of animal experiments, with specific reference to fish

Appropriate end-points are integral to the refinement of laboratory animal experiments. Our recent experience has highlighted that ambiguity around end-points is hampering their adoption in experiments that cause severe suffering to fish. In toxicology, the term endpoint (single word) refers...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Humane Endpoint, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish, Salmon, Tilapia, Trout, Zebrafish

Citation: Ellis, T., Katsiadaki, I. 2021. Clarification of early end-points for refinement of animal experiments, with specific reference to fish. Laboratory Animals 55(3), 244-253.

Zebrafish water quality for laboratory animal technicians

Zebrafish are an increasingly popular model organism in many aspects of animal research; however, some aspects of their husbandry needs are quite disparate from that which most lab animal technicians are trained. Possibly the most important aspect of zebrafish husbandry...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Archer, C. 2021. Zebrafish water quality for laboratory animal technicians. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 9(4) (July/August), 11-13.

Taste preferences and feeding behaviour in the facultative herbivorous fish, Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

Taste preferences in fishes are known mainly for carnivorous species, whereas herbivorous consumers were rarely used in such studies. The main goal of the present study was to evaluate the taste preferences in the herbivorous African cichlid fish, Nile tilapia...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Fish, Tilapia

Citation: Levina, A. D., Mikhailova, E. S., Kasumyan, A. O. 2021. Taste preferences and feeding behaviour in the facultative herbivorous fish, Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. Journal of Fish Biology 98(5), 1385-1400.