Advancing Zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>) Welfare Using Immersion Analgesics

Growing evidence of pain perception in fish has raised concerns about their welfare in different contexts, including research and aquaculture, where potentially painful procedures are standard. Despite ongoing efforts to advance fish analgesia, the field remains underdeveloped, particularly regardin...

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Main Authors: Cláudia A. Rocha, Luís M. Félix, Sandra M. Monteiro, Carlos Venâncio
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Veterinary Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/6/571
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author Cláudia A. Rocha
Luís M. Félix
Sandra M. Monteiro
Carlos Venâncio
author_facet Cláudia A. Rocha
Luís M. Félix
Sandra M. Monteiro
Carlos Venâncio
author_sort Cláudia A. Rocha
collection DOAJ
description Growing evidence of pain perception in fish has raised concerns about their welfare in different contexts, including research and aquaculture, where potentially painful procedures are standard. Despite ongoing efforts to advance fish analgesia, the field remains underdeveloped, particularly regarding less invasive methods that could improve welfare, such as immersion-based analgesia. As one of the most widely used models in research, zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>) are often at the front of these concerns. This review aimed to consolidate the current knowledge on immersion analgesics by analyzing the behavioral responses of zebrafish exposed to noxious stimuli. Some promising immersion analgesics were identified; however, further research is needed to assess their effects on additional parameters and investigate potential adverse effects. These findings underscore the importance of selecting appropriate analgesics, as their effectiveness may vary depending on the duration and severity of the stimulus. Moreover, this review highlights the critical role of consistent water quality monitoring and detailed parameter reporting, as these factors may influence analgesic efficacy and compromise fish welfare. As research advances, applying these insights beyond zebrafish to other fish species will be crucial for promoting higher welfare standards.
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series Veterinary Sciences
spelling doaj-art-ddcf6ef7dba14fc38482fba71a2aced02025-08-20T02:21:52ZengMDPI AGVeterinary Sciences2306-73812025-06-0112657110.3390/vetsci12060571Advancing Zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>) Welfare Using Immersion AnalgesicsCláudia A. Rocha0Luís M. Félix1Sandra M. Monteiro2Carlos Venâncio3Centre for the Research and Technology of Agroenvironmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB, Inov4Agro), Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, PortugalCentre for the Research and Technology of Agroenvironmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB, Inov4Agro), Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, PortugalCentre for the Research and Technology of Agroenvironmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB, Inov4Agro), Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, PortugalCentre for the Research and Technology of Agroenvironmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB, Inov4Agro), Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, PortugalGrowing evidence of pain perception in fish has raised concerns about their welfare in different contexts, including research and aquaculture, where potentially painful procedures are standard. Despite ongoing efforts to advance fish analgesia, the field remains underdeveloped, particularly regarding less invasive methods that could improve welfare, such as immersion-based analgesia. As one of the most widely used models in research, zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>) are often at the front of these concerns. This review aimed to consolidate the current knowledge on immersion analgesics by analyzing the behavioral responses of zebrafish exposed to noxious stimuli. Some promising immersion analgesics were identified; however, further research is needed to assess their effects on additional parameters and investigate potential adverse effects. These findings underscore the importance of selecting appropriate analgesics, as their effectiveness may vary depending on the duration and severity of the stimulus. Moreover, this review highlights the critical role of consistent water quality monitoring and detailed parameter reporting, as these factors may influence analgesic efficacy and compromise fish welfare. As research advances, applying these insights beyond zebrafish to other fish species will be crucial for promoting higher welfare standards.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/6/571analgesiabehaviorimmersionnociceptionpainzebrafish
spellingShingle Cláudia A. Rocha
Luís M. Félix
Sandra M. Monteiro
Carlos Venâncio
Advancing Zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>) Welfare Using Immersion Analgesics
Veterinary Sciences
analgesia
behavior
immersion
nociception
pain
zebrafish
title Advancing Zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>) Welfare Using Immersion Analgesics
title_full Advancing Zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>) Welfare Using Immersion Analgesics
title_fullStr Advancing Zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>) Welfare Using Immersion Analgesics
title_full_unstemmed Advancing Zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>) Welfare Using Immersion Analgesics
title_short Advancing Zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>) Welfare Using Immersion Analgesics
title_sort advancing zebrafish i danio rerio i welfare using immersion analgesics
topic analgesia
behavior
immersion
nociception
pain
zebrafish
url https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/6/571
work_keys_str_mv AT claudiaarocha advancingzebrafishidaniorerioiwelfareusingimmersionanalgesics
AT luismfelix advancingzebrafishidaniorerioiwelfareusingimmersionanalgesics
AT sandrammonteiro advancingzebrafishidaniorerioiwelfareusingimmersionanalgesics
AT carlosvenancio advancingzebrafishidaniorerioiwelfareusingimmersionanalgesics