A quantification of goldfish behavior by an image processing system.
We developed a computer-image processing system to quantitatively score the goldfish behavior. The system was composed of two CCD cameras, set in the upper and side directions of a water tank, two graphics I/O boards (video interface) and an IBM PC/AT compatible computer. From the top and side views through the two CCD cameras, 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional positional coordinates of fish freely moving in an aquarium were acquired over a long period (60 min). A positional distribution histogram of the goldfish was made by measuring the number of coordinates. Goldfish have a tendency to move at the circumference and bottom of a water tank. The velocity of moving goldfish was calculated from the time and distance. The average velocity of goldfish was in the range of 6-36 mm/s. A directional histogram (go straight and turn right or left) of a moving goldfish in an aquarium was made to measure an angle formed by two vectors, which were defined as three (middle to terminal against initial to middle) points in a unitary length (50 mm) of the path of goldfish. Three directions (go straight, right turn and left turn) were quantified as a percentage (59 +/- 12%, 20 +/- 4% and 20 +/- 4%, respectively) of a 1-h-event of moving goldfish. This image processing system thus can make an easy and quantifiable behavioral analysis of moving goldfish.
Department of Neurobiology, NIRI, University of Kanazawa, School of Medicine, Japan. satoru@kenroku.ipc.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
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Kato
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Tamada
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Shimada
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Chujo
D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006054:Goldfish / Q000502:physiology*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D012984:Software