Assessing Habituation Phenotypes in Adult Zebrafish: Intra- and Inter-Trial Habituation in the Novel Tank Test

Although adult zebrafish are increasingly utilized as a model organism in neurobehavioral research, their habituation responses have only recently been evaluated in detail. When exposed to a novel environment, zebrafish demonstrate marked habituation responses, similar to the behavioral response of rodents. Representing an adaptive response to novelty and a simple form of spatial memory, both intra- and inter-session habituation can be easily assessed in adult zebrafish using novelty-based paradigms, such as the novel tank test. Alterations in zebrafish habituation can also be evoked by pharmacological manipulations, collectively representing a useful tool for drug screening and behavioral phenotyping. Here, we outline a simple protocol for evaluating zebrafish intra- and inter-session habituation to novelty in the novel tank test.