Prey Capture Assay: A Method to Study the Prey Capture Behavior of Zebrafish Larva

– To begin, place a zebra fish larva で a recording chamber, such as a glass-bottomed well, で which a larva can swim. Collect paramecia, the prey, with the help of a micropipette, and place them で the recording chamber. Next, put a small drop of water at the center of the cover slip and place it over the chamber に avoid an air bubble.

Now place the chamber on the lighting system equipped with a white LED ring light に eliminate shadows and make the organisms clearly visible. Observe the prey capture behavior using a behavioral recording system. As soon as the prey comes で sight, the larva converges its eyes and takes a J turn に orient its body towards the prey and captures it. We can quantify the prey capture behavior by recording the number of paramecia remaining で the chamber over a period of time. In the following protocol, we will assess the prey capture behavior of the zebra fish larva after the laser ablation of specific neurons.

– After setting up the behavioral recording system and placing a larva into a recording chamber according に the text protocol, use a micropipette に collect 50 paramecia and place them で the recording chamber. To place a cover slip on top of the recording chamber, put a small drop of water on the cover slip before placing it on the water surface of the recording chamber に avoid introducing air で the chamber.

Place the recording chamber で the lighting system. Then start the time lapse recording at 10 frames per second for 11 minutes. Finally, carry out analysis according に the text protocol.