Evaluating tank acclimation and trial length for shuttle box temperature preference assays

Thermal preferenda are largely defined by optimal growth temperature for a species and describe the range of temperatures an organism will occupy when given a choice. Assays for thermal preferenda require at least 24 hours, which includes a long acclimation to the tank, limits throughput and thus impacts replication in the study. Three different behavioral assay experimental designs were tested to determine the effect of tank acclimation and trial length (12:12, 0:12, 2:2; hours of tank acclimation: behavioral trial) on the temperature preference of juvenile lake whitefish, using a shuttle box system. Average temperature preferences for the 12:12, 0:12, and 2:2 experimental designs were 16.10 ± 1.07 °C, 16.02 ± 1.56 °C, 16.12 ± 1.59°C respectively, with no significant differences between the experimental designs (p= 0.9337). Ultimately, length of acclimation time and trial length had no significant impact, suggesting that all designs were equally useful for studies of temperature preference.