Eye fluke (Tylodelphys clavata) infection impairs visual ability and hampers foraging success in European perch

Visual performance and environmental conditions can influence both behavioral patterns and predator-prey interactions of fish. Eye parasites can impair their host's sensory performance with important consequences for the detection of prey, predators, and conspecifics. We used European perch (Perca fluviatilis) experimentally infected with the eye fluke Tylodelphys clavata and evaluated their feeding behavior and competitive ability under competition with non-infected conspecifics, in groups of four individuals, for two different prey species (Asellus aquaticus and Daphnia magna). To test whether the effect of T. clavata infection differs at different light conditions, we performed the experiments at two light intensities (600 and 6 lx). Foraging efficiency of perch was significantly affected by infection but not by light intensity. The distance at which infected fish attacked both prey species was significantly shorter in comparison to non-infected conspecifics. Additionally, infected fish more often unsuccessfully attacked A. aquaticus. Although the outcome of competition depended on prey species, there was a general tendency that non-infected fish consumed more of the available prey under both light intensities. Even though individual prey preferences for either A. aquaticus or D. magna were observed, we could not detect that infected fish change their prey preference to compensate for a reduced competitive foraging ability. As infection of T. clavata impairs foraging efficiency and competitive ability, infected fish would need to spend more time foraging to attain similar food intake as non-infected conspecifics; this presumably increases predation risk and potentially enhances transmission success to the final host.