Preference For Fish Research Articles

Preference, avoidance, motivation and their importance to fish welfare

AbstractSeveral studies have reported the neurophysiological and behavioural mechanisms that enable fish to experience several types of affective states, such as fear, pain and joy. This is crucial for the welfare feelings‐based approach, as conditions that bring positive or negative valence to fish influence their affective state. A method to understand to what extent fish ‘like’ or ‘dislike’ their surrounding features is by evaluating their consistent choices (preferences) and propensity to reach environmental resources or traits (motivation). In this review, we propose how to assess preference and motivation tests in fish and discuss the limitations and potential biases that may affect such tests. Furthermore, we emphasize that understanding the avoidance responses of fish under a welfare context is a complementary method to improve the quality of life of fish in any type of rearing environment. Although there are other reviews about animal preference and motivation, this is the first one exclusively dedicated to the application of fish welfare.

Comparison of feeding preferences of herbivorous fishes and the sea urchin Diadema antillarum in Little Cayman.

On Caribbean coral reefs, losses of two key groups of grazers, herbivorous fishes and Diadema antillarum, coincided with dramatic increases in macroalgae, which have contributed to decreases in the resilience of these coral reefs and continued low coral cover. In some locations, herbivorous reef fishes and D. antillarum populations have begun to recover, and reductions in macroalgal cover and abundance have followed. Harder to determine, and perhaps more important, are the combined grazing effects of herbivorous fishes and D. antillarum on the structure of macroalgal communities. Surprisingly few studies have examined the feeding preferences of D. antillarum for different macroalgal species, and there have been even fewer comparative studies between these different herbivore types. Accordingly, a series of in-situ and ex-situ feeding assays involving herbivorous fishes and D. antillarum were used to examine feeding preferences. Ten macrophytes representing palatable and chemically and/or structurally defended species were used in these assays, including nine macroalgae, and one seagrass. All species were eaten by at least one of the herbivores tested, although consumption varied greatly. All herbivores consumed significant portions of two red algae species while avoiding Halimeda tuna, which has both chemical and structural defenses. Herbivorous fishes mostly avoided chemically defended species while D. antillarum consumed less of the structurally defended algae. These results suggest complementarity and redundancy in feeding by these different types of herbivores indicating the most effective macroalgal control and subsequent restoration of degraded coral reefs may depend on the recovery of both herbivorous fishes and D. antillarum.

Cognitive flexibility in a Tanganyikan bower-building cichlid, Aulonocranus dewindti

Cognitive flexibility, the ability to modify one’s decision rules to adapt to a new situation, has been extensively studied in many species. In fish, though, data on cognitive flexibility are scarce, especially in the wild. We studied a lekking species of cichlid fish in Lake Tanganyika, Aulonocranus dewindti. Males create sand bowers as spawning sites and maintain them by removing any objects falling into it. In the first part of our experiment, we investigated the existence of spontaneous decision rules for the maintenance of the bowers. We showed that if a snail shell and a stone are placed in their bower, fish prefer to remove the shell first. In the second phase of our experiment, we took advantage of this spontaneous decision rule to investigate whether this rule was flexible. We tested five individuals in a choice against preference task, in which the fish had to modify their preference rule and remove the stone first to be allowed to then remove the shell and have a clean bower. While there was no overall trend towards flexibility in this task, there was variation at an individual level. Some individuals increased their preference for removing the shell first, deciding quickly and with little exploration of the objects. Others were more successful at choosing against preference and showed behaviours suggesting self-regulatory inhibition abilities. Bower-building cichlids could therefore be a promising model to study cognitive flexibility, and other aspects of animal cognition in the wild.

Survey on performance of vertical slot and nature-like fishways at Angu hydropower station, Southwest China

To restore dam-blocked natural fish migratory passages, a growing number of artificial fishways have been built in water conservancy and hydropower projects in China. The Angu hydropower station involved diverse important fish habitats in the lower reaches of the Daduhe River in Southwest China. Therefore, a vertical slot fishway (VSF) and a nature-like fishway (NLF) were built near the backwater area of the reservoir to connect the upstream and downstream habitats. Hydrodynamic and aquatic ecological surveys were conducted after the completion of the project to estimate the fish passing effect of the two fishways. The results indicated that both fishways were in effective operation and could maintain the desired hydrodynamic conditions and be used by several local fish species. During the survey, 149 fish from 15 species and 111 fish from 17 species were captured by the traps in the VSF and NLF, respectively, while 1 263 fish from 27 species were found in the downstream area. Some species captured in the VSF were not found in the NLF, and vice versa, which implied the different preferences of fish. Meanwhile, 3 789 signals including 2 099 upward ones and 1 690 downward ones were monitored with an ultrasonic fish detector at the inlet of the VSF. These findings revealed the characteristics of fish species observed in and near the fishways and provided valuable insights into the different fish passing capabilities of VSF and NLF.

Fish preference at different value chain levels and implications for management of mariculture

In this paper we assess the perceptions on fish consumption behaviour at different value chains using survey data from 3 coastal counties (Kilifi, Mombasa, Kwale) in Kenya. Study profiled the different sectors; fishers, fish traders, fish shops, fish mongers, fish farmers and consumers. Qualitative and quantitative data was captured to evaluate availability of target species, market trends, pricing and fish consumption. A 1–5 Likert scale was adopted to analyse consumption behaviour. The Likert scale data was subjected to ANOVA analysis in SPSS to assess significance. Rabbit fish showed a higher preference compared to milkfish, Nile tilapia grown in sea water “marine tilapia” and silver pompano. High value fish attracted higher prices per kg in all seasons. The market prices of milkfish and Nile tilapia grown in sea water were 25 − 35 % lower than rabbit fish and silver pompano. There were variations in landings during North East Moonson and South East Moonson and more fish landings from open water as compared to near shore areas. Species preference was influenced by palatability, price, demand and quality meat where more than 30 % of the fisher’s preferred rabbit fish based on the attributes. Farming skills, seed availability and management informed species farmed. The study demonstrated significance of demographic characteristics: family, age, culture, gender and education on fish preference. The paper reveals a need for high returns and value for money in the preference of fish species thus guiding mariculture management. Findings recommend rabbitfish as a suitable species for mariculture based on reference from both high income level and low income level consumers.

Spatiotemporal variability in diet composition of Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) from the eastern Canadian Arctic.

Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) sustain one of the most lucrative fisheries in the eastern Canadian Arctic and Labrador Sea. This species also plays an important role in food web connectivity and benthic-pelagic coupling. Despite the relatively rich knowledge of this species, R. hippoglossoides ecology in these specific areas remains poorly understood. The main aim of this study was to characterize the diet of this deepwater fish in the Labrador Sea and Davis and Hudson Straits and characterize the predator-prey relationship with northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis), another commercially important species in the region. Stomach contents analyses were conducted on 1199 fish captured from 2018 to 2020. Small specimens (<20 cm) fed on invertebrates, whereas larger individuals (>60 cm) fed primarily on fish, indicative of size-related changes in diet composition. The relative abundance of Pandalus shrimp species in the environment was reflected in the diet. Location appeared to be the most influential variable on feeding patterns. Distinct oceanographic conditions among areas, resulting in differences in prey availability, could explain these results. Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) and redfish (Sebastes sp.) were selected in locations where fish prey were the most abundant. These results shed light on the opportunistic nature of R. hippoglossoides and its preference for fish at large size. With the rapidly changing oceanographic conditions of Arctic waters, a distributional change in the biomass of shrimp is expected. Results suggest that an increase in abundance of predatory groundfish species in the system (e.g., Sebastes sp.) could lead to acute predation on shrimp and competition with R. hippoglossoides. By revealing key trophic links within the demersal ecosystem, this work provides valuable information on the development of ecosystem approaches to fisheries management for the region.

Simulating individual movement in fish

Accurately quantifying an animal’s movement is crucial for developing a greater empirical and theoretical understanding of its behaviour, and for simulating biologically plausible movement patterns. However, we have a relatively poor understanding of how animals move at fine temporal scales and in three-dimensional environments. Here, we collected high temporal resolution data on the three-dimensional spatial positions of individual three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus), allowing us to derive statistics describing key geometric characteristics of their movement and to quantify the extent to which this varies between individuals. We then used these statistics to develop a simple model of fish movement and evaluated the biological plausibility of simulated movement paths using a Turing-type test, which quantified the association preferences of live fish towards animated conspecifics following either ‘real’ (i.e., based on empirical measurements) or simulated movements. Live fish showed no difference in their response to ‘real’ movement compared to movement simulated by the model, although significantly preferred modelled movement over putatively unnatural movement patterns. The model therefore has the potential to facilitate a greater understanding of the causes and consequences of individual variation in movement, as well as enabling the construction of agent-based models or real-time computer animations in which individual fish move in biologically feasible ways.

Vasotocin expression is associated with social preference development of the medaka fish

The neurohypophysial peptide arginine vasotocin (VT) and its mammalian ortholog, arginine vasopressin, function in physiological and behavioral events. These functions have been identified in neuroendocrinological studies using adult animals; however, there is little information on whether VT is associated with social behavior development in fish. Here, we examined social preference in medaka fish of various ages and investigated how VT expression changes during development. The 1-, 2-, 4-, and 8-week post-hatching (wph) larvae, juveniles, and 5-month-old adults were individually introduced to the grouped fish of each age group, and the social preference index (SPI) was compared among ages based on the time spent in the interaction zone near the grouped fish in a test tank. The SPI was significantly higher in the 4-wph larvae, 8-wph juveniles, and adult fish than in the 1- and 2-wph larvae. VT expression increased with age from 1 to 4 wph. Similarly, the expression was high in 4-wph, 8-wph, and adult fish. Furthermore, it was also found that the SPI and the VT expression decreased in the socially isolated larva during the 4 weeks after hatching compared to the levels in the grouped 4-wph larvae. These findings suggest that social preference develops with age and that conspecifics are necessary for social development in medaka larvae. Furthermore, our results suggest that VT is associated with the development of social preferences in medaka.

Evaluation of yellow pumpkin seed extract (Cucurbita moschata D) on the successful masculinization of betta fish (Betta splendens)

Betta fish is one of the most popular freshwater ornamental fish. This ornamental fish is very popular among people of various ages because it is easy to maintain. However, fans of these ornamental fish prefer male fish over females because male fish have aesthetic values and better and attractive colors and have higher profits. The experiment aims to determine the effect of yellow pumpkin seed extract on the successful of male betta fish larvae, as well as giving the best dose. The design used was a completely randomized design (CRD) with 4 treatments and 3 replications. The immersion doses used were control A, treatment B with a dose of 40 mg/L, treatment C with a dose of 80 mg/L and treatment D with a dose of 120 mg/L. Maintenance period for 30 days. The results showed that soaking using yellow pumpkin seed extract with different concentrations had a very significant effect on the percentage of males. The percentage of male betta fish ranged from 40.00–90.00%, the percentage of female betta fish ranged from 5.00–45.00%, and the percentage of intersex betta fish ranged from 5.00–15.00%. The best concentration of yellow pumpkin seed extract was 120 mg/L with the percentage of male betta fish 90.00% in treatment D.Keywords: Betta splendens Larvae; Immersion; Maleization; Pumpkin Seed Extract

Correlations between Environmental Factors and the Distribution of Juvenile Hucho bleekeri in the Taibai River, Shaanxi, China

Sichuan taimen (Hucho bleekeri) is a national highly protected wild animal that faces significant impacts from habitat degradation and loss. To study the habitat selection by H. bleekeri, data on the Taibai River and the distribution of juvenile H. bleekeri were recorded seasonally between February 2017 and January 2018, and habitat selection was assessed using the suitability curve method. The results indicate that the average distribution density of juvenile H. bleekeri in the Taibai River is 0.08 ± 0.09 ind./m, with an optimal elevation range from 1200 to 1600 m, river sinuosity range from 1.0 to 1.2, and vegetation coverage between 0.7 and 1.0. When choosing a microhabitat, juvenile H. bleekeri individuals tend to inhabit water areas with a water depth of 0.65 ± 0.33 m, flow velocity of 0.50 ± 0.24 m/s, and offshore distance of 7.66 ± 4.25 m. Furthermore, smaller juvenile fish prefer nearshore habitats with lower flow velocities and shallower water depths. The results provide technical support for the protection and restoration of the habitat of H. bleekeri.

Boldness, activity, and aggression: Insights from a large-scale study in Baltic salmon (Salmo salar L).

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) display high levels of agonistic behavior in aquaculture farms, resulting in fin damage and chronic stress. Aggression affects fish growth and performance negatively, and presents a serious welfare problem. Indeed, it would be beneficial to identify, separate or exclude overly aggressive individuals. Research on behavioral syndromes suggests that aggressive behavior may correlate with other behavioral traits, such as boldness and locomotory activity. We aimed to develop a high-throughput method to quantify and predict aggressive behavior of individual parr in hatchery-reared Baltic salmon (Salmo salar L.). We screened approximately 2000 parr in open field (OF) and mirror image stimulation (MIS) tests. We extracted seven variables from video tracking software for each minute of the tests; distance moved and duration moving (activity), the duration in and number of entries to the center of the arena (boldness), the distance moved in and duration spent in the area adjacent to the mirror during the MIS test (aggressiveness) and head direction (lateralization). To investigate the relationship between activity, boldness and aggression we first correlated the first six variables to one another. Second, we assigned individuals to high, medium, low or zero aggression groups based on the MIS test and quantified activity and boldness in each group. Third, we analyzed whether the fish viewed the mirror with the left or right eye. Our results show that medium and low aggressive fish were the most active, while highly aggressive fish showed average activity. Aggressive groups did not differ in boldness. Activity and boldness were positively correlated. Finally, we detected a preference for fish to view the mirror with the left eye. We conclude that aggressiveness cannot be predicted from the results of the OF test alone but that the MIS test can be used for large-scale individual aggression profiling of juvenile salmon.

Study on prey preference of two indigenous larvivorous fish Trichogaster fasciata and Puntius sophore

The most effective way to control mosquito populations is through biological control methods, among them, fishes are the top contenders as natural agents to manage mosquito larvae. Fishes not only consume mosquito larvae efficiently but also readily adapt to new environmental conditions, reproduce rapidly and effectively control mosquito breeding in a self-sustaining manner. In present study two easily available indigenous fishes Trichogaster fasciata and Puntius sophore were considered to evaluate the feeding preference and the effect of alternative prey on larval feeding efficacy. For food preference test, mosquito larvae, mosquito pupae, chironomid larvae, daphnia and artificial fish food were considered. The live foods were gathered from the possible water lodging areas and artificial foods from aquarium shops. Experiments were conducted by providing equal number of different food items - mosquito larvae, mosquito pupae, chironomid larvae, daphnia and artificial fish food in the same container. Both the fish prefer maximum consumption of live and wriggly food than artificial stationery food. All length sizes of Puntius sophore consumed a maximum number of chironomid larvae, while Trichogaster fasciata prefer to consume mosquito larvae as the top choice. In both fish, as increasing length size, consumption rate of food increases significantly. Tested prey consumption data of both fishes were statistically represented by Mean±SD and significance differences of means was analysed by ANOVA. The food preferences of both fish directly depend on their feeding habits.

Perfil do consumidor de pescado em um município amazônico às margens do rio Solimões, Brasil

This study aimed to characterize the profile of fish consumers in the municipality of Tabatinga - AM. Questionnaires were applied to 100 fish consumers. Data on socioeconomic aspects, consumer preferences, purchase, storage, processing and preparation of fish were obtained. As for consumers, 52% were female, 35% were born in Tabatinga, 51% were between 31 and 50 years old, 69% had a family income of 1 to 2 minimum wages and 47% had completed high school. Fish is part of the diet of 99% of the adult population, with 64% having it 3 times a week. At the time of purchase, there is a preference for whole fish and the preparation of 38% is roasted. The main commercialized species were Liposarcus sp., Mylossoma sp. and C. macropomum. The fish are sold in the form of bunches or kilograms, with prices ranging from 12 to 20 R$/kg. The per capita consumption of local fish is 49.6 kg/person/year. Thus, this study contributes with information to support policies for the sustainable use of fishing resources, regional development related to commercialization, the production chain and the population's eating habits.

A Study on Consumers’ Behavior and Factors Influencing the Consumption of Fish in Selected Districts of North Karnataka, India

Fish and fishery products are one of the most significant sources to meet sufficient animal-based protein. Knowledge of preference for fish is important for producers, consumers, and traders at the microeconomic level and also for policymakers and planners at the macroeconomic level. The present study has made an attempt to analyze the consumers’ preference towards fish consumption in Dharwad and Belgaum districts of North Karnataka, India. Sixty fish consumers were selected randomly from wholesale-cum retail fish markets. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analysis were employed to analyze socio-economic characteristics, consumers’ preferences, and factors influencing consumer behavior. The majority (65%) of the respondents belonged to the age group of 20 to 40 years. Most of the consumers (30%) visited the fish market occasionally and one-third (33%) of them purchased 0.5-1.0 kg/visit from the market. Two third (66%) of them preferred to buy fish in cut pieces and 68 per cent have emphasized freshness. It was observed that around 63 per cent of consumers were comfortable paying Rs. 100 to 200 per kg. Regression results revealed that age (0.168), family income (0.598), and family size (0.131) are positive and significantly influences which implies that a unit increase in age, family income, and family size will increase fish consumption by 0.16, 0.59 and 0.13 kgs, respectively. While price of fish is negative and significant impact on consumption behavior.

Predicting present spatial distribution and habitat preferences of commercial fishes using a maximum entropy approach.

The knowledge of the geographical distribution and habitat preferences of marine species is the key to protecting marine ecosystems. Modeling the distribution of marine species through environmental variables is an essential step to understanding and reducing climate change effects on marine biodiversity and related human populations. In this study, the present distributions of commercial fishes including Acanthopagrus latus, Planiliza klunzingeri, and Pomadasys kaakan were modeled using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) modeling technique and a set of 22 environmental variables. In total, 1531 geographical records belonging to three species were extracted from online databases Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS, 829 records, 54%), Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF, 17 records, 1%), and literature (685 records, 45%) during September to December 2022. The findings showed the values of area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) above 0.99 for all species indicating the high performance of this technique to reflect the actual distribution of species. Environmental factors such as depth (19.68%), sea surface temperature (SST) (19.40%), and wave height (20.71%) were the strongest environmental predictors determining the present distribution and habitat preferences of the three commercial fish species. The Persian Gulf, Iranian coasts of the Sea of Oman, North Arabian Sea, North-East areas of the Indian Ocean, and North coasts of Australia are among the areas with ideal environmental conditions for the species. For all species, the percentage of habitats with high suitability (13.35%) was higher compared to habitats with low suitability (6.56%). However, a high percentage of species occurrence habitats had unsuitable conditions (68.58%) showing the vulnerability of these commercial fishes. Significant management strategies are needed to protect preferred habitats to minimize the effect of fishery and climate change on the population stocks of these commercial fishes.

Flow and plankton availability control young‐of‐the‐year fish diet in two floodplain nurseries

AbstractIn large river floodplains, the availability of trophic resources to the fish fauna is highly variable as a consequence of seasonal environmental change and habitat diversity. Young‐of‐the‐year fishes (YOY) must find suitable habitats to settle, feed and survive. However, very few in‐depth studies are available about the food preferences of the young fishes during their first growing season. Here, we investigated the composition of planktonic assemblages and the YOY diet of three generalist fish species Alburnus alburnus (Linnaeus, 1758), Squalius cephalus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Pseudorasbora parva (Temminck &amp; Schlegel, 1846) from four floodplain sites of the French Upper Rhône River. More specifically, we studied their temporal and spatial variations in relation to five environmental variables: hydrology, dissolved oxygen, primary production, water temperature and conductivity. Stable flow conditions and the associated temperature and conductivity strongly structured the phytoplankton community in the floodplain channels, whereas water movements within channels and dissolved oxygen concentrations were significantly correlated to the zooplankton composition. A zooplankton density above ≈100 ind L−1 allowed the initiation of a YOY diet mainly based upon zooplankton for the three fish species. When zooplankton densities were insufficient, all three species used phytoplankton as their main food resource. Finally, the diet overlaps between species, differed significantly between sites. The study highlights the need to examine the diet of juvenile fishes and environmental variables in the floodplains.

Zoogeographic Analysis of the Features of Temperature Preferences of Fish of the European Part of Russia

Zoogeographic Analysis of the Features of Temperature Preferences of Fish of the European Part of Russia

Plastic occurrence in fish caught in the highly industrialized Gulf of İzmit (Eastern Sea of Marmara, Türkiye)

Occurrence of micro- (<5 mm) and mesoplastics (5–25 mm) in twelve fish species caught off Gulf of İzmit in the Sea of Marmara was investigated. Plastics were found in the gastrointestinal tracks of all the analysed species: Trachurus mediterraneus, Chelon auratus, Merlangius merlangus, Mullus barbatus, Symphodus cinereus, Gobius niger, Chelidonichthys lastoviza, Chelidonichthys lucerna, Trachinus draco, Scorpaena porcus, Scorpaena porcus, Pegusa lascaris, Platichthys flesus. From a total of 374 individuals examined plastics were found in 147 individuals (39%). The average plastic ingestion was 1.14 ± 1.03 MP. fish−1 (considering all the analysed fish) and 1.77 ± 0.95 MP. fish−1 (considering only the fish with plastic). Fibres were the primary plastic types found in GITs (74%), followed by films (18%) and fragments (7%), no foams and microbeads were found. A total of ten different colours of plastics were found with blue (62%) being the most common colour. Length of plastics ranged from 0.13 to 11.76 mm with an average of 1.82 ± 1.59 mm. A total of 95.5% of plastics were microplastics, and 4.5% as mesoplastics. The mean frequency of plastic occurrence was higher in pelagic fish species (42%), followed by demersal (38%) and bentho-pelagic species (10%). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed that 75% of polymers were synthetic with polyethylene terephthalate being the most common polymer. Our results indicated that carnivore species with a preference for fish and decapods were the highest impacted trophic group in the area. Fish species in the Gulf of İzmit are contaminated with plastics, representing a potential risk to ecosystem and human health. Further research is needed to understand the effects of plastic ingestion on biota and possible pathways. Results of this study also provide baseline data for the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive Descriptor 10 in the Sea of Marmara.

Zoogeographic Analysis of the Features of Temperature Preferences of Fish of the European Part of Russia

Analyzes of temperature preferences of fish and cyclostomes 54 species, inhabiting fresh water bodies of the European part of Russia are presented. It is shown that the main temperature criteria of the fundamental ecological niche (optimum, limits, and spawning temperatures) cannot be used as a clear sign of the species attribution to a particular faunistic complex. Nevertheless, these criteria are, apparently, a certain reflection of the climatic conditions in time of the species origin and development. Among the studied fish and cyclostomes, two separate groups of “northern” cold-water and “southern” warm-water species are identified. Their presence results from the historical features of the ichthyofauna formation in the region. The outlined in recent decades climatic trend towards an increase in water temperature probably favors the spread of the southern group representatives to the north, which can lead to further restructuring of competitive relations in fish populations and cause changes in the boundaries of their ranges.

The first Late Permian fish fossils from Leszczyna quarry in South-West Poland

ABSTRACTPermian fishes and their isolated microremains are known from many localities in the Zechstein Basin. However, up to date the vertebrates have never been revealed in the southeasternmost part of this ancient sea. The new material consists of euselachian-type dermal denticles,?Listracanthus sp. dermal denticle,?Omanoselache sp. tooth, actinopterygian scales and actinopterygian teeth. Here, the detailed study of euselachian and actinopterygian remains, their stratigraphic distribution and geographical contexts is presented. Based on the qualitative analysis of teeth shapes several ecomorphotypes were described as well as the probable dietary preferences of fishes were reconstructed. These finds confirmed existence of small predators who fed on soft bodied prey as well as durophagous forms which were feeding on small shelly crustaceans or molluscs. The analysis of stratigraphic distribution of microremains, and their comparison with neighbouring sections revealed a spatially correlatable trend in increasing abundance of fishes in the more clayey parts of sections, interpreted to be positively associated with a sea level transgression event.