A modified electronic shuttlebox for joint thermoregulatory and toxicological studies

Abstract

This paper presents a modified electronic shuttlebox for studies of behavioral thermoregulation in fish. The apparatus incorporates continual water replacement, the water temperature being controlled by the fish. Such a design facilitates long-term studies, with or without a chemical agent. Additionally, the absence of a temperature gradient permits strict response-conditioning experimentation. Fingerling rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) maintained a mean temperature of 18.1 ± 0.6 °C, thermoregulating with a degree of regularity and precision similar to the findings of other workers using different devices. Fish have been able to successfully thermoregulate in this apparatus for periods of up to 6 weeks.