Abstract:
This dataset is derived from a series of flume choice experiments using Bicolor Damselfish (Stegastes partitus) and Mahi Mahi (Coryphaena hippurus). Flume choice experiments used an experimental chamber with two streams of water, control seawater and seawater with an olfactory cue, moving through the chamber and kept separate by laminar flow. Fish position in the chamber, in or out of the cue, was recorded every five-seconds for two minutes and the percent time that an individual fish spent in the olfactory cue was calculated. Bicolor Damselfish and Mahi Mahi were tested with a chemical alarm cue derived from the skin of conspecifics and with dilutions of crude oil. Bicolor Damselfish were additionally pre-exposed to a 24-hr incubation of a crude oil dilution and re-tested in the flume choice system with the conspecific chemical alarm cue and control seawater. Mahi Mahi were additionally pre-exposed to a 24-hr incubation of crude oil dilutions and re-tested in the flume choice system with dilutions of crude oil and control seawater.
Suggested Citation:
Shlenker, L., Grosell, M. 2017. Flume choice experiments with Bicolor damselfish and Mahi Mahi. Distributed by: Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information and Data Cooperative (GRIIDC), Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/N7KH0KQ9
Purpose:
Testing the ability of Bicolor Damselfish to avoid a conspecific alarm cue in a flume choice test under control conditions and 1, 3, and 8 days post-oil exposure and the ability of Mahi-Mahi to avoid oil in a flume choice test under control conditions and post-oil exposure.
Data Parameters and Units:
Sample ID, Control tank, PAH Sum (%), Initial tank concentration, GEOMEAN of Sum PAH (mg/L), Standard error of the mean (mg/L), Test date (MM/DD/YYYY), Treatment, Days post-oil exposure, Cue type, Unique fish number, Cue side, Sum control side counts, Sum cue side counts, Cue side, Control side, Sum control side counts, Sum cue side counts, Total count in cue, Total count in control, HEWAF concentration (0%, 0.2%, 0.6%, 2%, or 6%) PAH Data represents the sum PAH concentration (micrograms per liter) of 50 listed PAHs as part of either a 24-hr treatment or as part of a cue flume that was introduced to the flume choice test. PAH Data represents the sum PAH concentration (micrograms per liter) of 50 listed PAHs as part of either a 24-hr treatment or as part of a flume of water that was introduced to the flume choice test. % HEWAF refers to the dilution level of 100% HEWAF in seawater. ‘Cue type’ refers to the cue tested in the flume system where the alternate side was always control seawater. ‘Unique Fish Number’ refers to an individual identifier for an individual fish. For some experiments fish were tested repeatedly and in other experiments fish were only tested once. For experiments where no oil was used in the flume a two-sided test was run (i.e., the side of the flume the cue was on was switched, test duration was 2 minutes each side and 4 minutes total) and for experiments where oil was used as a cue in the flume only a one-sided test was run to avoid contaminating both sides of the flume (the side of the flume the cue was on was not switched and the test duration was 2 minutes total). For all tests, fish position (left or right) was noted every five seconds. ‘Sum Control Side Counts’ and ‘Sum Cue Side Counts’ refer to the number of times in a one-sided test that a fish was on a particular side in the flume while ‘Total Count in Cue’ and ‘Total Count in Control’ refer to the total counts for a two-sided test that a fish was on a particular side in the flume.
Methods:
Surface slick oil from the DWH spill was prepared as a high-energy-water-accommodated fraction (HEWAF) to generate environmentally relevant PAH concentrations and compositional profiles. Conspecific alarm cues were prepared by euthanizing a conspecific, making 6 cuts in the skin with a scalpel, and rinsing the cut area with seawater into a header tank with 10L of seawater.
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