Adult zebrafish primarily use vision to guide piscivorous foraging behavior

• Published in: Behavioural processes Vol. 157; pp. 230 - 237
• Main Authors: Howe, Hollis B., McIntyre, Peter B., Wolman, Marc A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.12.2018; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Animal care; Animals; Captivity; Conspecifics; Danio rerio; Female; Foraging behavior; Male; Mechanoreceptors - physiology; Mechanosensation; Olfaction; Olfactory Perception - physiology; Olfactory stimuli; Piscivorous; Predation; Predatory Behavior - physiology; Prey; Prey capture; Sensory system; Vision; Visual Perception - physiology; Visual stimuli; Zebrafish; Zebrafish - physiology; Mechanosensation; Piscivorous; Vision; Olfaction; Zebrafish; Predation; Sensory system; Prey capture
• ISSN: 0376-6357; 1872-8308
• DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.10.005

•Adult zebrafish are piscivorous predators of conspecific larvae.•Prey capture by adult zebrafish is guided primarily by vision.•Olfactory and mechanosensory cues are dispensable for piscivory by zebrafish.•Zebrafish employ an active predation strategy to hunt larval fish. The sensory modalities used by predatory fish to detect and capture prey are a key dimension of their foraging strategy. Determining the sensory cues that guide predation can also further conservation efforts under environmental change, and address the welfare of research animals. Here, we experimentally manipulated the sensory modalities used by adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) when foraging for larval conspecifics in captivity. We used minimally invasive techniques to test the consequences of eliminating visual, olfactory, and mechanosensory cues for predator behavior and success. Our results indicate that zebrafish require visual cues, but not olfactory or mechanosensory input. Reducing the visual contrast between prey and their surroundings decreased capture rates, suggesting that contrast underlies visual foraging. Video recordings of zebrafish during foraging indicate that they actively hunt larval fish, rather than employing a sit-and-wait approach. Together, our findings indicate adult zebrafish rely on visual cues to guide an active predation strategy.