News
New episodes of our Fish Talk podcast!
FishEthoBase programme is a series of very brief audios of our Fish Talk podcast, which are focused on fish species with profiles already published in our FishEthoBase database. The idea is to give information about natural needs, behaviours or farming conditions of fishes and other aquatic farmed animals in less than 3 min.
Last week we released new episodes of FishEthoBase programme. This time the episodes are focused on Mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala), Catla (Labeo catla) and Roho labeo (Labeo rohita) fishes.
If you would like to listen to these new episodes (series 9) and to know our podcast, click here.
(posted on Oct. 26, 2022)
New short profile published at FishEthoBase!
FishEthoBase is the first online and open access database to assemble ethological scientific knowledge on farmed fishes systematically. This database targets scientists and practitioners, but also NGOs, the general public, and other possible stakeholders. And it is always growing.
We have published one more short profile in our FishEthoBase. It is about the Tinfoild barb fish, scientifically known as Barbonymus schwanenfeldii. It is an Asian cyprinid fish that was already introduced in the southeast of the USA, Philippines, Indonesia, and Ivory Coast. Tinfoil barb is commercially important for the ornamental fish trade and is a promising species for aquaculture. Such profile was authored by Caroline Marques Maia.
If you would like to know more about Tinfoil barb, visit its profile at our database here. For a general overview of this fish species, click here.
(posted on Oct. 21, 2022)
Our participation in ForoAcui XXIV!
Disseminating scientific-based knowledge is one of our activities to help improving the welfare of farmed fishes and other aquatic species in a practical way. Good communication is fundamental to effectively reach our goals. Thus, making presentations at scientific events is also an important part of our actions.
Last week, Pablo Arechavala and João Saraiva from our team participated of the 'Foro de los Recursos Marinos y de la Acuicultura de las Rías Gallegas' - ForoAcui XXIV, in O Grove, Spain. Pablo made a presentation about 'Enriquecimiento ambiental: una estrategia para mejorar la producción y el bienestar de los peces en cautividad' and João gave a talk about 'El bienestar de los peces: un objetivo común'.
Another great opportunity to spread the word and share knowledge about farmed fishes that are relevant to assess and improve their welfare conditions!
(posted on Oct. 12, 2022)
Participation in Aquaculture Europe (EAS) 2022!
Making presentations at scientific events is also an important part of our activities to spread the word and share knowledge about fish behavior and welfare. We believe that scientific dissemination is as important as any other of our actions to help improving the welfare of farmed fishes in a practical way.
As part of this, João Saraiva, María J. Cabrera-Álvarez and Ana Rita Oliveira from our team participated of Aquaculture Europe (EAS) 2022 meeting, in Rimini, Italy. This is the biggest European aquaculture congress and counted with more than 2000 participantes this year.
João participated of the plenary section 'The Move towards Circularity'. He moderated a session about welfare - the largest one of the congress - and presented a talk about 'Domestication and Welfare on Farmed Fish'. Moreover, María presented a talk about 'Husbandry procedures affect heart rate of broodstock of gilthead sea bream' and Ana Rita gave a talk about 'Structural enrichment effects on the welfare of gilthead seabream sparus aurata broodstock'.
It was a very successful and fruitful opportunity to share our ideas and exchange knowledge!
(posted on Oct. 3, 2022)
Pond loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus)
Pond loach is a freshwater fish native to Asia that lives and feeds on the bottom. It is scientifically known as Misgurnus anguillicaudatus. Besides its commercial value as meat, it is also used as live bait and as a popular ornamental fish and has an important value for Chinese medicine. Sadly, the increasing demand for this fish has caused a major decline in its natural populations over the years.
Pond loach is very resistent to thermal variation, high stocking density, and hypoxia – it can use atmosphere oxygen for respiration! It is also considered a fast-growing species with a flexible omnivorous diet; all this making it an interesting species for aquaculture. Pond loach is farmed in many East Asian countries and was already introduced in European and North American countries as well as Australia, despite its high invasive potential. In captivity, a good way to improve the welfare conditions of this fish is providing sand, silt or mud with plants, as it is naturally found on such substrates.
If you would like to know more about Pond loach, please take a look at its overview page here and its short profile here in our FishEthoBase.
(posted on Sept. 29, 2022)
New episodes of our Fish Talk podcast!
Yesterday we released new episodes of FishEthoBase programme at our Fish Talk podcast! This time the episodes are focused on Milkfish (Chanos chanos), Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) and Pond loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus).
FishEthoBase programme is a series of very brief audios that are focused on fish species with profiles already published in our FishEthoBase. The idea is to give information about natural needs, behaviours or farming conditions of fishes and other aquatic farmed animals; all this in just a few words (less than 3 min).
If you would like to know the programme and to listen the new episodes (series 8), please click here.
(posted on Sept. 22, 2022)
FishEthoBase has a new short profile!
Recently we have published one more short profile in our FishEthoBase. It is about the Pengba fish, scientifically known as Osteobrama belangeri. It is a cyprinid fish that naturally inhabits rivers and lakes in India, Myanmar, and China. Despite Pengba can be considered a potential species for diversification of carp culture with a high price and a great demand, it is vulnerable to stress and diseases... Such profile was authored by Caroline Marques Maia.
FishEthoBase is the first online and open access database to assemble ethological scientific knowledge on farmed fishes systematically. This database targets scientists and practitioners, but also NGOs, the general public, and other possible stakeholders.
If you would like to know more about Pengba, please visite its profile at our database here.
(posted on Sept. 16, 2022)
New short profile at FishEthoBase!
Recently we have published one more short profile in our FishEthoBase, the first online and open access database to assemble ethological scientific knowledge on farmed fishes systematically. This database targets scientists and practitioners, but also NGOs, the general public, and other possible stakeholders.
The new short profile is about Pirarucu fish, scientifically known as Arapaima gigas. It is a carnivorous and long-living fish species with parental care that is found in lowland with slow-flowing waters of the Amazon River basin. Such profile was authored by Caroline Marques Maia.
If you are interested, please visit the short profile of Pirarucu at our database here.
(posted on Sept. 9, 2022)
New episodes of our Fish Talk podcast!
FishTalk is our podcast, which is updated monthly. FishEthoBase programme is a series of very brief audios of Fish Talk that is focused on fish species with profiles already published in our FishEthoBase. The idea is to give information about natural needs, behaviours or farming conditions of fishes and other aquatic farmed animals in a few words.
Last week we released new episodes of FishEthoBase programme. This time the episodes are focused again on carps, more specifically on Bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), Black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) and Silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix).
If you are interested, please listen to the new episodes (series 7) here.
(posted on Aug. 31, 2022)
New short profile published at FishEthoBase!
FishEthoBase is the first online and open access database to assemble ethological scientific knowledge on farmed fishes systematically in profiles. This database targets scientists and practitioners, but also NGOs, the general public, and other possible stakeholders.
This month we have published one more short profile at FishEthoBase. This one is about Channel catfish, which is scientifically known as Ictalurus punctatus, a nocturnal species native to North America. Such profile was authored by María J. Cabrera-Álvarez, revised by Caroline Marques Maia and revised and edited by Jenny Volstorf.
If you are interested, please visit the short profile of Channel catfish at our database here.
(posted on Aug. 23, 2022)
Black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus)
Black carp is a freshwater fish scientifically known as Mylopharyngodon piceus. It is native to rivers and lakes of Asia, being considered one of the four Chinese major carps.
Black carp is a carnivorous fish associated to the bottom. Large juveniles and adults use their heavy pharyngeal teeth to crash molluscs shells and feed on them. So, this carp is cultured not only to be sold as meat, but also for biological control in polycultures with other carps or even other fish species – like catfish ponds in USA – because it feeds on molluscs that can be intermediate hosts for diseases.
Despite its highly marketable potential, wild information about Black carp is rare. Much information related to farm conditions for this species is also missing, which makes it difficult to address and improve its welfare conditions in farms. So, more research about basic information from wild and cultured Black carp is urgently needed.
If you want to know more about Black carp, visit its short profile in our FishEthoBase here.
(posted on Aug. 10, 2022)
New short profile published at FishEthoBase!
Recently we have published one more short profile in our FishEthoBase, the first online and open access database to assemble ethological scientific knowledge on farmed fishes systematically. This database targets scientists and practitioners, but also NGOs, the general public, and other possible stakeholders.
This new short profile is about the Orangefin labeo fish, scientifically known as Labeo calbasu. It is an Asian cyprinid fish with a demersal habit that is important for commercial and recreational fisheries, and also being frequently used in game fishing in ponds and reservoirs. Such profile was authored by Caroline Marques Maia, revised by María J. Cabrera-Álvarez and revised and edited by Jenny Volstorf.
If you are interested, visit the short profile of Orangefin labeo at our database here.
(posted on Aug. 5, 2022)
New paper!
The open access paper "Finding the “golden stocking density”: A balance between fish welfare and farmers' perspectives" by João Saraiva and Pablo Arechavala from our team, together with Patricia R. Lopez, was recently published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science journal.
It is difficult to set minimum and maximum stocking density levels that are able to protect fish welfare. However, there is no doubt that too low or too high stocking densities can have negative impacts on fish welfare and/or production. So, the authors propose a way to select density on captive fish and monitor its potential effects by integrating solid welfare assessment and good management practices.
If you are interested, access the full paper here.
(posted on July 28, 2022)
New episodes of our Fish Talk podcast!
FishTalk is our podcast, which is updated monthly. FishEthoBase is a Fish Talk programme that is composed of series of brief audios focused on fish species with profiles already published in our FishEthoBase. The idea is to give information about natural needs, behaviours or farming conditions of fishes and other aquatic farmed animals in less than 3 min.
Now we just released new episodes of FishEthoBase programme. This time the episodes are focused on Common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), Mexican four-eyed octopus (Octopus maya) and Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris).
If you are interested, please click here to listen to the new episodes (series 6).
(posted on July 19, 2022)
New paper!
We believe that solid scientific knowledge is fundamental to improve the welfare of fishes and other farmed aquatic animals in a practical way. Thus, the publication of good quality papers that help filling the knowledge gaps on the welfare of such animals is the main basis for this.
In this line, a new paper from Joao Saraiva and Pablo Arechavala from our team, together with Patricia R. Lopez, was recently accepted for publication in Frontiers in Veterinary Science journal. This open access paper is about density and welfare in farmed fishes, which is more complex than it seems.
The authors bring their views on this important topic, proposing a way to select density on captive fish and monitor its potential effects by integrating solid welfare assessment and good management practices.
If you want to access the paper abstract, click here.
(posted on July 12, 2022)
