Jehiel Smith, “Environmental Enrichment in Zebrafish”
Mentor: Micheal Carvan, Freshwater Sciences, Freshwater Sciences (School of)
Poster #123
This study investigates the impact of environmental enrichment in Zebrafish. In this study we will be using a novel object (Legos) to distinguish cognitive function in enriched and standard environments. The zebrafish are divided into two groups: a **Test Group**, which is inhabited with Legos at 15 days post fertilization. The control group is housed in standard zebrafish habitat. Each group was recorded over time to track locomotion, anxiety, memory, and sociability, and decision making by the behavior observation box. To test memory every 30 days we will place a certain amount of zebrafish from each group into a y maze. To test anxiety, every 30 days we will separate zebrafish from each group into a separate tank. This experiment seeks to answer the question how zebrafish will be affected by neurobehavior. I hope to align this research with the effect of humans being in an enriched environment versus not.