Predator videos and electric shock function as punishers for zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Abstract

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are a promising animal model for studying the effects of gene–environment interactions on behavior. Two experiments were conducted to assess punishment effects of presenting predator videos (Indian leaf fish; Nandus nandus) and electric shock on operant approach responses in zebrafish. In Experiment 1, the predator video and shock stimuli were presented upon a response maintained by a single variable‐interval schedule of food reinforcement in different groups of fish. In Experiment 2, the predator video and shock stimuli were presented upon one of two response alternatives maintain by concurrently available variable‐interval schedules of food reinforcement in different groups of fish. Responding decreased when the predator video and shock stimuli were presented relative to their absence in both experiments. Moreover, responding on an unpunished alternative did not reliably decrease in Experiment 2. These results indicate that the decrease in responding resulted from the punishment contingency rather than from elicited species‐specific defense responses or conditioned avoidance. Thus, the predator video and electric shock functioned as punishers of operant behavior for zebrafish. Identifying punishers for this species could lead to research on how gene–environment interactions influence individual differences in sensitivity to punishment.

Zebrafish choice behavior is sensitive to reinforcer rate, immediacy, and magnitude ratios

“…Baum et al, 1999). The overall patterns of findings from the present experiments add to the existing choice literature suggesting that zebrafish choice behavior follows the behavioral principles as with a range of other species (Colwill et al, 2005; Kuroda & Mizutani, 2018; Kuroda et al, 2017a, 2017b, 2019; Li, 2013; Manabe et al 2013).…”

“…A device described elsewhere (Kuroda et al, 2019; Manabe et al 2013) was used in each experiment for measuring discrete approach responses and for delivering reinforcers. The device, which consisted of two sensors and a feeder fixed on a Plexiglas plate, was placed in the home aquarium of each fish during sessions.…”

“…Therefore, fish behavior tracked the exclusive sources of reinforcement. In addition, arranging shock or predator images contingent on one of two concurrently reinforced responses produced a selective decrease on the punished response (Kuroda et al, 2019). These findings demonstrate that operant choice behavior in zebrafish can be flexibly allocated based on the prevailing consequences.…”

“…Zebrafish learning has been examined with conditioned responses to stimuli predictive of food (e.g., Braubach et al, 2009), electric shock (e.g., de Castro et al, 2009), and drugs (e.g., Darland & Dowling, 2001). Moreover, zebrafish operant behavior is controlled by positive reinforcement (Kuroda & Mizutani, 2018;Manabe et al 2013), negative reinforcement (Li, 2013), punishment (Kuroda et al, 2019), and can be modulated through stimulus control (Colwill et al, 2005). Zebrafish also show flexibility in operant behavior to changes in reinforcement and extinction contingencies, as well as recovery/relapse of previously reinforced and then extinguished behavior (Kuroda et al, 2017a(Kuroda et al, , 2017b(Kuroda et al, , 2020(Kuroda et al, , 2021.…”

Effects of signaled and unsignaled delays of reinforcement on response maintenance in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

“…The zebrafish is increasingly a popular subject for behavioral and neuroscience research (e.g., Gerlai, 2015;Kuroda et al, 2021;Manabe & Dooling, 2020; see Darland &Dowling, 2001 andStewart et al, 2014 for reviews of its properties and uses), in part because it shares in common behavioral effects to many parameters of reinforcement and punishment, choice, and stimulus control (e.g., Colwill et al, 2005;Kuroda et al, 2017Kuroda et al, , 2019Kuroda et al, , 2021. Delay of reinforcement, however, may have somewhat different effects on the operant behavior of zebrafish relative to other species.…”