Tagging of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).
Domestication is the adaptation of a population through a selection process that involves human guidance to some extent. This process often involves artificial selection for specific traits as well as rearing under conditions different from the wild environment. Thus, domestication induces changes in both the genetic composition of the whole population and individual phenotypic expression. The objective of this project is to track those changes throughout domestication in controlled lab conditions and at an individual level. We want to identify individually each of 5590 fish throughout its lifetime by means of passive transponders (PIT tags) and/or Visible Implant Elastomers (VIE). Both marking procedures can induce mild stress to fish and will be performed under anesthesia.
The 3Rs principles have been addressed by i) careful handling during the transfer to different tanks and anaesthesia during individual marking , ii) utilizing the same biological material for multiple molecular and chemical analyses and iii) humanely sacrificing the larvae and adults with an overdose of anaesthetic. The results obtained from this study will contribute significantly to our understanding of the fish phenotypic changes induced by domestication process, which is highly relevant in the context of need for increased aquaculture performance.
The 3Rs principles have been addressed by i) careful handling during the transfer to different tanks and anaesthesia during individual marking , ii) utilizing the same biological material for multiple molecular and chemical analyses and iii) humanely sacrificing the larvae and adults with an overdose of anaesthetic. The results obtained from this study will contribute significantly to our understanding of the fish phenotypic changes induced by domestication process, which is highly relevant in the context of need for increased aquaculture performance.