Measuring Larval Zebrafish Behavior: Locomotion, Thigmotaxis, and Startle

Abstract

Olfactory responses develop early in larval zebra fi sh and are important throughout life to direct physiological and behavioral responses. Responses are evoked by odorants, which act as ligands to the olfactory neuron receptors. A response of immediate relevance is the detection of food odors (i.e., amino acids) which fi sh have an excellent ability to detect. Characterizing responses of fi sh to distinct odorants, especially during developmental stages, allows for a robust endpoint to compare to genetically or chemically altered organ- isms. The following protocol describes the use of automated video analysis to detect changes in olfactory function apparent through a simple behavioral endpoint.