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Flash photography does not induce stress in the Ram cichlid Mikrogeophagus ramirezi (Myers & Harry, 1948) in aquaria
- Source :
- Journal of Applied Ichthyology. 34:922-928
- Publication Year :
- 2018
- Publisher :
- Hindawi Limited, 2018.
-
Abstract
- The Ram cichlid Mikrogeophagus ramirezi (Myers & Harry, 1948) was used to examine whether flash photography can be a stressor for fish in aquaria. The point in time of the highest cortisol concentration in whole‐body homogenates was determined by the temporal course of the cortisol response following air exposure as stressor. Thus, the potential stress response to camera flashlight was examined 22 min after exposure to a single flash and after repeated flashes by applying 10 flashes per minute for 8 hr/day over 2 weeks. In both experiments the stress parameters cortisol and glucose were not increased due to exposure to the flash light. In contrast, after a single flash mean cortisol values tended to be lower and mean glucose values were significantly lower than in the control group, and after repeated flashes mean cortisol and glucose values were significantly lower than in the control group. Furthermore, treated fish showed less intraspecific aggressive interactions. These results can be explained by a possible dazzling or irritation of the fish by camera flashes, thus reducing the natural aggressive behaviour and, consequently, the concentration of stress hormones and mobilisation of glucose. In summary, the physiological stress parameters cortisol and glucose do not reveal that flash photography induces stress in M. ramirezi, and, on the contrary, might even reduce stress effects by lowering intraspecific aggressive behaviour of the fish.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
genetic structures
biology
Stress effects
010604 marine biology & hydrobiology
Stressor
Mikrogeophagus ramirezi
Aquatic Science
Flash light
biology.organism_classification
010603 evolutionary biology
01 natural sciences
Fight-or-flight response
Animal science
Air exposure
Cichlid
Physiological stress
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 01758659
- Volume :
- 34
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Applied Ichthyology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi...........a3fa517566a32e19dfd1856d15c43ecb