Technology, Engineering & Agriculture
September 2024
A Practical Guide to Husbandry, Welfare and Research Methodology
After securing popularity in home aquariums, zebrafish have also become an essential animal for biomedical research. Ensuring they are adequately cared for in research settings is therefore of the utmost importance and this book is designed to help laboratories develop good welfare and husbandry practices, refine procedural protocols and engage with ethical obligations.
A wide range of topics are addressed, starting with husbandry aspects such as environmental enrichment, nutrition, housing conditions, diseases, health monitoring, biosecurity and larval rearing. More experimental topics are then discussed, such as genotyping, ageing, imaging, behavioural studies, experimental design and statistics. Ethical challenges are also considered through the environmental impact of aquatic facilities and the 3Rs - Replacement, Reduction and Refinement - with a focus on anaesthesia, analgesia, euthanasia and severity assessment.
Zebrafish are a shoaling species by nature but this book also takes into account their individual needs by providing:
- practical advice from experienced zebrafish caretakers;
- bridges between data acquisition and fish welfare; and
- the latest guidance for reporting, reproducibility and compliance.
This book is written for zebrafish facility personnel and for researchers who are aware of the need for robust care for their zebrafish model. It also provides an unparalleled insight for ethics committee members with the intention to provide the best care possible for this ever-important fish.
