Fin clipping does not increase opercular beat rate in tricaine-treated zebrafish

Abstract

To carry out research with genetically modified animals, their genotype has to be assessed. A standard protocol to obtain required tissue samples from zebrafish is finclipping. However, some studies reported considerable stress induced by this protocol. We therefore assessed ventilation as a read-out for stress in zebrafish that underwent finclipping during routine genotyping in our fish facility. Our analysis could not confirm a strong increase of ventilation as had been previously reported. Instead, handled zebrafish showed ventilation rates in the range of controls that remained in their holding tanks. Additionally, we detected a slight reduction of ventilation rates up to an hour after anaesthesia in zebrafish treated with tricaine only, suggesting a prolonged protecting effect by this anaesthetic.