Kat Espinoza
Experiment 1
10/07/13
Professor Forkosh
Schooling Behavior in Zebra Fishes

Abstract: This paper looks at the experimental observations of the schooling behavior of fishes. On the control group there was three different beakers placed in a fish tank. The first one containing many zebra fishes, the other without any zebra fishes and the middle one with an individual zebra fish. Then the single fish was released and data was collected from which side the fish spent more time on. In the experimental group there was three different beakers placed in a fish tank. The first one contained several zebra fishes; the second one had an individual zebra fish and the third had colorful marbles. Then the data was recorded from how much time the fish spent on either side of the tank. The results were that the one individual zebra fish did indeed spend more time in one side than the other side of the tank.

Introduction: the purpose of this experiment is to observe the “schooling” behavior of a zebra fish. A school of fishes consists of a group of fishes that stick together to feel more protected from predators. Two experiments will be performed.

Control group/experiment 1:
Hypothesis: an individual fish of a schooling species was selected to be a member of the larger group of fish.

Null hypothesis: the single fish will spend equal amount of time on both sides

Alternative hypothesis: the single fish spends more time on one side. Experimental group/experiment2:
Hypothesis: an individual fish of a schooling species will select to be a member of the larger group of fish.

Null hypothesis: the individual fish will spend equal amount of time on both sides

Alternative hypothesis: the single fish spends more time on one side.

Methods & Materials:
3 beakers
Rubber bands
Cheese cloth
Test fish
Test aquarium
Datasheets
Marbles stopwatch Control group/experiment1: in the control group there will be three different beakers placed in a fish tank. The first one containing many zebra fishes, the other without any zebra fishes and the middle one with an individual zebra fish. Then we would release the single fish and measure how much time it spends on either side.

Experimental group/experiment2: there will be three different beakers placed in a fish tank. The first one will contain several zebra fishes; the second one will have an individual zebra fish and the third will have colorful