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<p>Behavioural consistency in fishes reflects stable individual differences in traits such as boldness, activity, and exploration across ontogeny, while social interactions play a key role in modulating behavioural and physiological responses. This study evaluated the ontogenetic repeatability of air-breathing frequency (<i>f</i><sub>AB</sub>) and the social modulation of air-breathing and antipredatory behaviour in the African catfish, <i>Clarias gariepinus</i>. Repeatability of <i>f</i><sub>AB</sub> was quantified across 115 days spanning the fry (~ 0.4&#xa0;g) to sub-adult (~ 175&#xa0;g) developmental stages in 29 individually-housed fish. Variance-component estimation yielded a statistically significant repeatability estimate of <i>R</i> = 0.106, indicating that individuals differed consistently in their average air-breathing frequency across repeated observations. In a separate trial, air-breathing and antipredator responses were assessed in individually- and communally-housed fish following a simulated aerial bird strike. Isolated fish exhibited significantly higher overall <i>f</i><sub>AB</sub> and also resumed air-breathing significantly faster following the strike (99.3 ± 27.1&#xa0;s) than grouped conspecifics (537.5 ± 42.6&#xa0;s), with 87% of grouped fish exhibiting complete cessation of surfacing within the post-strike observation window. These findings establish <i>f</i><sub>AB</sub> as a repeatable, individually stable trait in <i>C. gariepinus</i> and demonstrate that social housing history significantly modulates both baseline respiratory behaviour and antipredatory responses in this species.</p>

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Ontogenetic repeatability of air-breathing behaviour and social modulation of respiratory and antipredatory behaviours in the air-breathing teleost, Clarias gariepinus

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年8月5日

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  • Kwasi Adu Obirikorang,
  • Michael Sedohia,
  • Jesslyn Akrokoh,
  • Anthony Amoah,
  • Stephen Gyamfi,
  • Jedida Osei Bediako

摘要

Behavioural consistency in fishes reflects stable individual differences in traits such as boldness, activity, and exploration across ontogeny, while social interactions play a key role in modulating behavioural and physiological responses. This study evaluated the ontogenetic repeatability of air-breathing frequency (fAB) and the social modulation of air-breathing and antipredatory behaviour in the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus. Repeatability of fAB was quantified across 115 days spanning the fry (~ 0.4 g) to sub-adult (~ 175 g) developmental stages in 29 individually-housed fish. Variance-component estimation yielded a statistically significant repeatability estimate of R = 0.106, indicating that individuals differed consistently in their average air-breathing frequency across repeated observations. In a separate trial, air-breathing and antipredator responses were assessed in individually- and communally-housed fish following a simulated aerial bird strike. Isolated fish exhibited significantly higher overall fAB and also resumed air-breathing significantly faster following the strike (99.3 ± 27.1 s) than grouped conspecifics (537.5 ± 42.6 s), with 87% of grouped fish exhibiting complete cessation of surfacing within the post-strike observation window. These findings establish fAB as a repeatable, individually stable trait in C. gariepinus and demonstrate that social housing history significantly modulates both baseline respiratory behaviour and antipredatory responses in this species.