[The effect on other individual presentations of the goldfish by FG7142 injection]

To research the emotional effects on goldfish shoaling behavior, the change in time spent by the stimulus shoal sizes (0, 1, 2, and 5) was investigated. Consequently, as for shoaling behavior, a difference was seen only in the presence of a shoal, independent of size. The experimental goldfish were then injected with beta-carboline (FG7142, N-Methyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxyamide at 0.1, 1, 2, or 4 mg/kg) or the vehicle and exposed to the stimulus fish (1). In the beta-carboline group with the 1 and 2 mg/kg dose, the time spent within 10 cm of the stimulus fish increased compared with the vehicle, and this increase was maintained throughout the trial. In contrast, the time spent was unchanged in the high-dose group (4 mg/kg). The subject fish motility was unchanged in all dose groups. These results are discussed in their relationship to predator avoidance.