The Conditioning of Respiration Rate in Goldfish (Carassius Auratus) Using Water Temperature

The Conditioning of Respiration Rate in Goldfish (Carassius auratus) Using Water Temperature and Visual Stimuli

Donna Tehrani and Patrick Schafer Department of Biological Sciences Saddleback College Mission Viejo, California 92692

Goldfish (Carassius auratus) is are a domesticated species of tropical fish that is are often used in psychological and physiological experiments. They have been demonstrated to respond to classical (Pavlonian) conditioning and even alter their homeostatic processes based on various stimuli, including color. (wording is awkward) Twenty goldfish were trained to associate the color red with a decrease in water temperature and the color green with no change in water temperature. An experiment was run to see whether goldfish exposed to the color red would change their respiration rates even without a change in temperature by filming and recording their operculum movements. (run on) The change in operculum movements for one minute before and after exposure to the stimuli was compared to a control group, which was shown the color green instead. A two-tailed t-test was performed to ascertain the difference between the changes in respiration rates between the two groups. There was no significant difference (p=0.084), . This which suggests that some fish do not alter their respiration rates in anticipation of temperature changes.

Project Summary

Most species of tropical fish, including carp and goldfish, have superior color vision when compared to humans or other mammals, due to the structure of their retina. Therefore, it is unclear to what extent fish use visual cues to anticipate environmental changes, since they can respond to stimuli that are too subtle for humans to notice. They can respond to stimuli that are too subtle for humans to notice. Therefore, it is unclear to what extent fish use visual cues to anticipate environmental changes. They Fish also possess the ability to be psychologically and physiologically conditioned as a response to visual stimuli. Previous research suggests, that it may be possible that goldfish can anticipate changes in their environment and modify their homeostatic processes. Goldfish possess color vision, and have demonstrated color constancy in a laboratory setting (Ingle 1985). It has also been shown that because Due to the structure of the brain and eye, goldfish are more adept at recognizing colors than patterns, especially different shades of green and red (Ingle 1965). In laboratory studies, goldfish have been shown to lower decreased their respiration rates in response to lower temperatures (Schmidt-Nelson 1997). Also, Japanese carp, a closely related species, have demonstrated the possibility of respiratory conditioning using electrodes (Woodard 1971, Otis 1957). However, no research was found regarding the possibility of conditioning goldfish using temperature and color as a visual stimuli. We The investigators hypothesized that when goldfish were trained to associate a specific color with changes in water temperature, they would alter their respiration rates when shown the stimuli, but without a change in temperature. This research could shed light on the extent that aquatic creatures regulate their homeostatic processes based solely on sensory information.

Methods and Materials

Twenty feeder goldfish were purchased from Petsmart and were trained over a period of two weeks two week period. Training consisted of placing an individual goldfish with 0.5 L of water at 18-23 ̊C into a cylindrical plastic container that was 18 centimeters across and 46 centimeters high. The Each goldfish was given five minutes to acclimate itself to its surroundings, ; after which the container was completely surrounded by a red letter-size folder and 0.5 L of water at 000 C were poured in added to decrease the respiration rate. (Did you know for certain that by pouring in cold water the respiration rate would decrease?) The goldfish was kept in this condition for another five minutes, before being returned to one of two common tanks. After a couple hours, the same goldfish was placed in the same container with the same amount of water. After five minutes, the container was surrounded with a green letter-sized folder instead and 0.5 L of room temperature (note temp) water was poured inside the container. Each fish was exposed to both temperatures and colors daily, . and the order in which they were placed in each condition was varied The order of placement varied. After 14 days of conditioning, an experiment was run where 10 ten of the goldfish were randomly placed into the glass container and filmed by a Canon SX 150IX camera. Randomization was achieved by removing the goldfish from their two common tanks, one at a time, and alternating between placing them in the control and experimental group. After a four minute acclimation period, the number of operculum movements in one minute was were recorded. The red folder was then displayed, but 0.5 L of room temperature water, (note temp) were poured instead, and . The number of operculum movements in the one minute after the water was added was were recorded. The procedure was repeated with the other 10 fish, except the green folder was displayed instead. The change in respiration rates between the two groups was recorded and an unpaired two-tailed t-test was performed between the groups. (There is a lot of use of the word “after”. Sentences could be structured differently to avoid this)

Results

The mean change in respiration rates in the experimental group was 2.9 ± 3.2 (±SEM, n=10), and mean change in respiration rates in the control group was -1.4 ± 6.7 (±SEM, n=10). The two groups were graphed against their mean change and we obtained a p- value of 0.084 was obtained, using a two tailed t-test, which corresponds to no significant difference in the number of operculum movements between the two groups (Figure 1). Therefore, our data suggest the null hypothesis. Data concludes a null hypothesis.

Figure 1. This The bar graph displays the average change in respiration rates between the experimental (n=10) and control group (n=10). A two-tailed unpaired t-test was performed on the difference in mean operculum movements, and there was revealing no significant difference between the two groups (p=0.084). Standard error bars are shown. Italicize figure caption

Discussion

Our The results suggest that goldfish do not make immediate changes to their respiration rates even when they anticipate changes in water temperature. However, we cannot rule out the possibility that competing trends may have affected out results, since goldfish, like terrestrial animals have been shown to increase heart rate and respiration rate in anticipation of stress (Woodward 1971). (Should be more than one sentence and “however” isn’t needed. Also, take out “we” and just make it “The possibility of competing trends may have affected results.” Further experimentation might be performed by raising the temperature of the water instead of cooling it down, to see if this was the case. Also, more extreme changes in temperature might be employed to maximize the physiological stress and make a possible response more visible. Finally we could measure heart rate instead of respiration rate. (It is suggested to not put a future experiment idea because you could have done this.) In conclusion, it does not appear that goldfish physiologically prepare themselves for changes in water temperature before the changes occur. With extreme changes in water temperature caused by industrial activities such as runoff from nuclear power plants, it is essential to see the degree to which aquatic creatures are able to adapt. (eloborate, where did this statement come from?)

Literature Cited

Ingle, D. The Goldfish as a Retinex Animal. 1985. Science 4687(227): 651-654

Otis, S. Conditioned Inhibition of Respiration and Heart Rate in the Goldfish. 1957. Science 3267(126): 263-264

Schmidt-Nielsen K. Animal Physiology: Adaptation and Environment. 1997. Cambridge University Press.

Ingle, D. Interocular Transfer in Goldfish: Color Easier than Pattern. 1965. Science 3687(149): 1000-1002 Woodard, W. Classical Respiratory Conditioning in the Fish: CS Intensity. 1971. The American Journal of Psychology. 84(4): 549-554

Lit cited needs to be fixed. Journal names need to be italicized, the year is in the incorrect location, and was there really only one researcher per article? Not to mention you are missing 5 more articles.

Review Form Department of Biological Sciences Saddleback College, Mission Viejo, CA 92692

Author (s):_ Donna Tehrani and Patrick Schafer

Title: The Conditioning of Respiration Rate in Goldfish (Carassius auratus) Using Water Temperature and Visual Stimuli

Summary The object of this study was to demonstrate that when conditioned goldfish saw a color they would anticipate a temperature change even when there wasn’t one. The researchers used green construction paper to signal a neutral environment and red to signal a decrease in temperature. By counting the number of operculum movements, they could tell if the respiratory rate of the goldfish slowed when exposed to that color. The result proved statistically insignificant because p  0.05.

General Comments

Overall, this is more of a rough, rough draft than a final paper. This paper lacks in content. They explain their methods well, but they do not expand on the results in the discussion. The only section I found acceptable was the methods section. The intro needs more background information and the discussion shouldn’t talk about potential project ideas. They conclude with a statement regarding nuclear power plants, where did this come from? As for the result section, I don’t know if my computer didn’t download correctly, but I was unable to view any graph although I did see the figure caption. This paper needs to be worked on before printed. Technical Criticism There are barely any references to other articles and looks as if no, to very little, research was done at all. 5 articles are missing too. The introduction and discussion could use many more citings. The sentence structure is poor and in need of rephrasing. There are run-on’s throughout paper. The use of first person is throughout the entire paper. In the materials section the word “after” is used over and over again. Many sentences start with However or therefore, but don’t need to.

This paper was a final version X This paper was a rough draft

Recommendation

 This paper should be published as is  This paper should be published with revision  This paper should not be published