A Psychological Aversive Condition Does Not Change Individual Zebrafish Preference For Background Color Or Artificial Plant Enrichments. Issue 4 (2nd October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Maia, Caroline Marques; Volpato, Gilson Luiz; Braithwaite, Victoria Anne
• Is Part Of: Journal of applied animal welfare science. Volume 25:Issue 4(2022)
• Page Start: 427
• Page End: 438
• Publication Date: 2022-10-02
• Subjects: Preferred option -- physical effort -- psychological stressor -- aversive condition -- danio rerio; Laboratory animals -- Periodicals; Animal welfare -- Periodicals; 636.0832
• DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2021.1980726
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1088-8705

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Information on fish preference for environmental conditions can be a useful tool to offer them what they want, an important requirement for welfare purposes. Giving that such an approach deals with psychological states of the fish, we investigated whether psychological stress affects fish preference. In this study, we found that the aversive condition of crossing a white open field did not change individual zebrafish's preference for color background or for plant enrichments, despite a great individual variability of preference response. We conclude that individual preferences for environmental conditions are maintained even following a psychological stressor, and highlight that variability in preference options among individuals raises questions about how to best improve welfare of grouped zebrafish.