Protocol for assessing visual stimulus discrimination in Danionella cerebrum and Danio rerio using habituation/dishabituation.

Abstract

Here, we present a protocol to assess visual discrimination in fish, specifically Danionella cerebrum and Danio rerio. We describe steps for the familiarization of subjects to reduce contextual novelty and habituation through repeated presentation of a constant feature stimulus. We then detail procedures for a dishabituation session that introduces a stimulus change. In this protocol, the recovery of behavioral response provides a measure of change detection and feature discrimination. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Zanon et al.¹.