GoFish: a foray into open-source, aquatic behavioral automation.

Area of Science:

• Comparative Cognition
• Behavioral Ecology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Fish are the most species-rich vertebrate group, offering unique opportunities to study behavior and cognition evolution.
• Fish are underutilized as animal models in comparative cognition research.
• A need exists for accessible, automated tools for behavioral experiments in aquatic species.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and present GoFish, a fully automated platform for behavioral experiments in aquatic species.
• To address the gap in utilizing fish as models for comparative cognition studies.
• To facilitate high-throughput, reproducible behavioral research in aquatic organisms.

Main Methods:

• GoFish platform features closed-loop control of task contingencies via real-time video tracking.
• Includes presentation of visual stimuli and automatic food reward dispensers.
• Integrated data acquisition and open-source software components ensure accessibility and customization.

Main Results:

• The GoFish platform enables automated, customizable, high-throughput behavioral experiments.
• Facilitates efficient acquisition of rich behavioral data in aquatic species.
• Provides an inexpensive and accessible hardware solution for researchers.

Conclusions:

• GoFish is a valuable tool for advancing research in comparative cognition, behavioral ecology, and neuroscience.
• The platform promotes refined and reproducible behavioral experiments in aquatic species.
• Encourages broader use of fish as model organisms in scientific research.