Novel Husbandry Practices Result in Rapid Rates of Growth and Sexual Maturation Without Impacting Adult Behavior in the Blind Mexican Cavefish.

ABSTRACT: Animal model systems are dependent on the standardization of husbandry protocols that maximize growth and reduce generation time. The Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, exists as eyed surface and blind cave dwelling populations. The opportunity for comparative approaches between independently evolved populations has led to the rapid growth of A. mexicanus as a model for evolution and biomedical research. However, a slow and inconsistent growth rate remains a major limitation to the expanded application of A. mexicanus. Fortunately, this temporal limitation can be addressed through husbandry changes that accelerate growth rates while maintaining optimal health outcomes. Here, we describe a husbandry protocol that produces rapid growth rates through changes in diet, feed

SUBMITTER: Kozol RA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10123811 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature