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The Journal of Experimental Biology 204, 4335-4343 (2001)
© 2001 The Company of Biologists Limited

Growth and metabolism of larval zebrafish: effects of swim training

B. Bagatto^1,*, B. Pelster² and W. W. Burggren¹

¹ Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, 76203, USA and
² Institut fur Zoologie und Limnoligie, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria

*Author for correspondence at present address: Department of Biology, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, 44325-3908, USA (e-mail: bagatto{at}uakron.edu)

Accepted 1 October 2001

Larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) of three different age classes (‘yolk-sac’ larvae, 96 h; ‘swim-up’ larvae, 9 days old; and ‘free-swimming’ larvae, 21 days old) were trained for 2, 6 and 11 days, respectively, to swim at 0 body lengths per second (BL s^–1), 2 BL s^–1 and 5 BL s^–1. Survival was significantly diminished in larvae trained at 5 BL s^–1 compared to controls (0 BL s^–1). Although training produced no significant differences in mass and length, the youngest larvae absorbed their yolk at a faster rate during training. Routine oxygen consumption (_O2r) and mass-specific routine oxygen consumption (_O2r,m) were not significantly affected by chronic training in the yolk-sac larvae and swim-up larvae. However, trained free-swimming larvae had a significantly higher _O2r (after 11 days of training) and _O2r,m (after 8 and 11 days of training) compared to control larvae. Trained free-swimming larvae consumed significantly less oxygen during swimming compared to control larvae, as measured by closed-system respirometry. Trained yolk-sac larvae exposed to increasing hypoxia levels were more effective O₂ regulators. Additionally, training enhanced survival during exposure to extreme hypoxia in all age groups. Thus, physiological acclimation to chronic swimming occurs in the earliest stages of life in the zebrafish.

Key words: development, oxygen consumption, larvae, swimming, hypoxia, zebrafish, Danio rerio.

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				B. Pelster, A. M. Sanger, M. Siegele, and T. Schwerte Influence of swim training on cardiac activity, tissue capillarization, and mitochondrial density in muscle tissue of zebrafish larvae Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, August 1, 2003; 285(2): R339 - R347. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]