Zebrafish

Color preference of zebrafish (Danio rerio) differs in midday and midnight

This study aimed to examine whether zebrafish exhibit different color preferences during the day and night under controlled laboratory conditions. Twenty adult zebrafish (3 months old, 1:1 male/female ratio) were housed under a 14:10 h light/dark cycle and tested using a...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Shadman, A. F. 2025. Color preference of zebrafish (Danio rerio) differs in midday and midnight. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 293, 106860.

Blue light exposure mitigates vibration noise-induced anxiety by enhancing serotonin levels

Prolonged exposure to vibration and noisy environments has been shown to contribute to the development of anxiety disorders. Pharmacological interventions are typically not administered during the early stages, which may lead to the uncontrolled progression of anxiety symptoms. In this...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Huo, L., Miao, X., Ren, Y. et al. 2026. Blue light exposure mitigates vibration noise-induced anxiety by enhancing serotonin levels. Physiology & Behavior 304, 115187.

Environmental enrichment increases aquatic animal welfare: A systematic review and meta-analysis

With the rapid development of aquaculture and the gradual decrease in fishery resources, aquatic animal welfare (AAW) has received increasing attention from animal protection organisations, government departments, biologists, fish culturists and consumers. Although environmental enrichment (EE) can potentially benefit AAW,...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish, Salmon, Tilapia, Trout, Zebrafish

Citation: Zhang, Z., Gao, L., Zhang, X. 2022. Environmental enrichment increases aquatic animal welfare: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Reviews in Aquaculture 14(3), 1120–1135.

Nondestructive larval genotyping of Danio rerio for mitochondrial and nuclear DNA genetics

The rapid advancement of nuclear and mitochondrial genomic editing tools has created an urgent need for efficient, nonlethal larval genotyping methods in zebrafish (Danio rerio) research. This study optimizes and validates a nondestructive proteinase K digestion method for mitochondrial and...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Body Modification/MutilationAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Mitra, K. S., Holmberg, S. R., Mota, M. et al. 2025. Nondestructive larval genotyping of Danio rerio for mitochondrial and nuclear DNA genetics. Zebrafish 22(6), 197–207.

Temperature-dependence of early development of zebrafish and the consequences for laboratory use and animal welfare

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are widely used in biological research, but the impact of incubation temperatures on developmental endpoints is still insufficiently studied. This study quantifies developmental differences in zebrafish embryos incubated at 26°C and 28°C, focusing on key endpoints (heartbeat...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Miller, A., Schröder, K. L., Braun, K. E. et al. 2025. Temperature-dependence of early development of zebrafish and the consequences for laboratory use and animal welfare. PLOS ONE 20(12), e0340193.

Simple life, simple minds? How habitat simplification in aquatic ecosystems shape fish cognition

This narrative review synthesises current knowledge on the effects of habitat complexity, defined as the variation in physical structures within ecosystems, on fish cognition, brain morphology, and personality. Globally, habitat complexity is declining through a process known as habitat simplification,...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Natural Behavior, PersonalityAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish, Salmon, Shark & Ray, Tilapia, Trout, Zebrafish

Citation: Klinke, A., Brown, C. 2026. Simple life, simple minds? How habitat simplification in aquatic ecosystems shape fish cognition. Animal Cognition 29(1), 23.

Exploring the impact of acute solvent exposure on larval zebrafish behaviour

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are commonly used to test the impact of pharmacological and toxicological compounds. Larval zebrafish are extensively used because of high throughput procedures allowing simultaneous behavioural measurement in 24-, 48-, or 96-well plates. Often solvents are used as...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Drug/Substance AdministrationAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Hagen, E. V., Harper, M. M. M., Zhang, Y. et al. 2025. Exploring the impact of acute solvent exposure on larval zebrafish behaviour. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 19.

Environmental enrichment influences the relationship between lateralization and neophobia in zebrafish larvae

Neophobia, the aversion to novelty, is a conserved survival trait that influences individuals’ decision-making. In many species, juveniles showed less avoidance of novelty than adults, likely due to their limited experience and their need to gather environmental information. A challenging...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Gjinaj, G., Gatto, E., Dadda, M. 2025. Environmental enrichment influences the relationship between lateralization and neophobia in zebrafish larvae. Animal Cognition 29(1), 3.

Fish welfare in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS): The imperative for environmental enrichment (EE)

Aquaculture has become the fastest-growing food production sector worldwide, recently surpassing wild-capture fisheries in total output. This rapid expansion underscores the need to ensure sustainability through robust animal welfare standards. Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) are increasingly adopted due to their...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish, Salmon, Tilapia, Trout, Zebrafish

Citation: Fruscella, L., Passantino, A., Kotzen, B. 2026. Fish welfare in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS): The imperative for environmental enrichment (EE). Animals 16(4).

Where the wild zebrafish are

Journeying into the field to study a model organism in its natural habitats. “Seeing them in the wild and seeing what kind of substrates they are on has really helped inform that for us, and we hope that helps inform...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Neff, E.P. 2020. Where the wild zebrafish are. Lab Animal 49(11), 305–309.