Brennan Carter

Honors in Marine Biology

Major: Marine Biology

Minors: Chemistry and Leadership Studies

Supervisor: Ileana Clavijo, Biology and Marine Biology

Effects of Transportation Stressors on Spawning Anemonfishes

During the summer of 2008, mating pairs of the anemonefishes Amphiprion ocellaris and A. percula were transported from the Natural Science Building to the renovated Friday Hall. The process of moving the pairs included moving all fish from aquaria in the temporary building, resulting in pairs being separated from their protective shelter (a clay flower pot). Pots are also used as the spawning substrate where eggs are laid. Pairs that had egg clutches (n=2 for A. percula, n=3 for A. ocellaris) at the time of the move were also separated from them for up to six hours. The objectives of this study were to determine if the potential stress of the move and temporary separation from egg clutches affected reproductive patterns in the spawning pairs. Stress could have been caused by the separation from egg clutches or temperature decreasing during the move. The study compared spawnings, days of rest between spawnings, and time of egg development during four months before the move and four months after the move. For A. ocellaris, data showed there was no significant difference before and after the move for number of spawnings, days of rest for three pairs, and days of development for four pairs. There was a significant difference before and after the move for days of rest for one pair. For A. percula, data showed there was no significant difference before and after the move for number of spawnings, days of rest for four pairs, and days of development for two pairs. There was a significant difference before and after the move for days of development for two pairs. A follow-up experiment was conducted to estimate temperature change during the move. Four pairs of A. ocellaris were used. Three of the pairs currently had egg clutches and one did not (control). The fish were separated from eggs for six hours, during which the temperature of the water decreased by a mean temperature of 3.725 degrees Celsius for the pots and 3.7 degrees Celsius for the fish. After reuniting the fish with their eggs, the fish returned to their normal parenting behavior within five minutes and the eggs appeared to hatch normally.