Swimming Flumes as a Tool for Studying Swimming Behavior and Physiology: Current Applications and Future Developments

Swimming flumes enable fish swimming behavior, physiology, and performance to be quantified in ways that are not practicable for fish swimming through open water. By placing fish in a water flow, speed can be controlled, fish can be instrumented to monitor a wide range of physiological parameters, and the exchange of materials between the fish and water can be quantified. This can provide vital information regarding fish fitness and health. If meaningful data are to be obtained, however, careful consideration must be given to flume design and operation, experimental protocol and the physiological state of the fish. Modifications to standard flume designs can potentially allow for accommodation of a wider range of species and experimental conditions that will enhance basic understanding of fish physiology and behavior and can potentially be applied in optimizing aquacultural techniques.