Influence of Commercial and Laboratory Diets on Growth, Body Composition, and Reproduction in the ZebrafishDanio rerio

Abstract

The value of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model organism continues to expand. In developing the model, current feeding practice in zebrafish laboratories includes the use of commercially available diets. In this study, we compared outcomes in growth, body composition, and reproduction among zebrafish fed five highly utilized commercial diets and one formulated chemically defined reference diet. Wild-type zebrafish larvae were raised on live feed until 21 days postfertilization and then fed diets for 16 weeks. All fish received a daily ration of >5% of body weight (adjusted biweekly). Growth varied among diets throughout the feeding trial, and at study termination (week 16), significant differences among diets were observed for terminal weight gain, body condition index, body fat deposition, and reproductive outcomes. In addition, the proportion of viable embryos produced from females fed the formulated reference diet was high relative to the commercial diets. These data suggest that metabolic profiles, most likely reflecting nutrient/energy availability, utilization, and allocation, vary relative to diet in zebrafish. Undefined differences in metabolic profiles could result in erroneous predictions of health outcomes and make comparisons among laboratories more challenging. We recommend that dietary standards should be defined for zebrafish to support their common utility in biomedical research.

Effect of Long-Term Consumption of Poultry Egg Products on Growth, Body Composition, and Liver Gene Expression in Zebrafish, Danio rerio

“…In the last decade, zebrafish have been identified as a relevant model for the study of human nutrition, as they are an omnivore with similar protein and lipid requirements ( 14 ). Zebrafish exhibit diet-induced obesity [DIO ( 15 )] and have similar genomic responses as seen in human DIO ( 16 ). Additionally, zebrafish show obesity-related comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes ( 17 ).…”

Performance of Co-Housed Neon Tetras (Paracheirodon innesi) and Glowlight Rasboras (Trigonostigma hengeli) Fed Commercial Flakes and Lyophilized Natural Food

“…The last two decades have seen a near-exponential growth of biological research conducted worldwide on an emerging laboratory species, which also happens to be an ornamental danionid—the zebrafish [ 125 ]. Not surprisingly, along with the overabundance of studies in which D. rerio is used only as a model organism, more and more published papers focus on the species itself, analyzing and discussing various aspects of breeding and rearing, including nutrition during all life stages, from larvae [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ], through juveniles [ 45 , 49 , 51 , 126 , 127 ], up to adults [ 46 , 47 , 48 , 50 , 78 , 128 , 129 , 130 , 131 , 132 ]. Obviously, to compare zebrafish husbandry in research facilities to the reality of household or shop aquaria is a far-reaching simplification, at best.…”

A Systematic Analysis of Metal and Metalloid Concentrations in Eight Zebrafish Recirculating Water Systems

“…For zebrafish, husbandry studies included the roles of anesthesia and euthanasia, 46 diseases and pathogens, 47,48 behavior, [20][21][22][23]49,50 housing, 39,45,[49][50][51] nutrition, 52,53 and reproduction. [54][55][56] In this study, we explored concentrations of metals and metalloids in different CRWS that are used in biomedical zebrafish research facilities. In this regard, our study could serve as a reference for troubleshooting when there are indications of diseases related to deficiency or excess of some elements.…”

“…For zebrafish, husbandry studies included the roles of anesthesia and euthanasia, 46 diseases and pathogens, 47 , 48 behavior, 20–23 , 49 , 50 housing, 39 , 45 , 49–51 nutrition, 52 , 53 and reproduction. 54–56 …”