Relationship between Feeding Behavior and Habitat Of the Opsanus Beta as an indicator of adaptability Darius Hollis Davis Johnson

Taxonomy Common Name- Gulf Toadfish/Orange Toadfish Order - Batrachoidiformes Family - Batrachoididae Genus - Opsanus Species - beta Opsanus Beta

Head is large, wide, flattened Lower jaw extending beyond its upper jaw. Mouth is wide and has many sharp teeth Males have specialized swim bladder muscles that are used to produce mating calls. Darkest, more consistent colored areas are on the head and body. Reaches a maximum length of 12.8 inches (Bester, 2011) Biology

Reproduction: o Best suited temperatures are around 67ºF o Males attract females with long calls (up to 15 minutes) of toad-like sounds produced by the swim bladder. (Bester 2011) o The female will lay her sticky eggs on top of the nest. o The female normally leaves and the male stays to protect the eggs o Eggs will hatch after 1 month Behavior

Wild: Seagrass beds, sandy and rock rubble bottoms, located in bays, lagoons, and shallows coastal areas, as deep as 820 feet (250 m). (Bester,2011) Tank : Coarse sand bottom, four porous rocks which create caverns/caves and no actinic light. Wild Habitat v.s. Tank Habitat

Prey items of this voracious carnivore include small fishes such as gobies, crustaceans (shrimps and crabs), annelids, and mollusks. (Bester, 2011) Very steady feeding schedule. Most Opsanus Beta feed everyday or at least every other day, varying depending upon the amount of prey that wanders close to the Opsanus. (Barimo, 2006) Opsanus Beta average Feeding

Does the toad fish’s decreased aggression reflect a less territorial nature than average toadfish due to stress or the effects of aquarium domestication, which has decreased the necessity or effectiveness of its predatory nature as an ambush predator? Can urea be tested for in the water, and if so do the levels of urea change significantly enough in the tank between tests to indicate pulsatile urea excretion? If the Toadfish is found to be undergoing pulsatile urea excretion, does this automatically mean he is stressed and cortisol levels are high? (pg. 167) How can we change his environment, eating habits or other aspects of his life in order to encourage more aggressive normal behavior? How would a new predator fish, such as the lion fish, react with the current tank dynamics? Would the lionfish perhaps encourage a more territorial nature? Original Research Questions

How does the Opsanus adapt to changes/additions to its habitat based on feeding? How does the Opsanus' feeding, activity and location change when the lionfish (potential competition) is present? Will the Opsanus change its most frequented location when the rocks are rearranged and will the new arrangement alter feeding? How does the Opsanus interact with the Peppermint Shrimp and does the dynamic change as the habitat is changed? Research Questions Revised

The Opsanus Beta will eat Mysis Shrimp quicker before changes to its habitat are made, including the rearrangement of rocks and the addition of a Lionfish, demonstrating. Hypothesis

Materials o Rubber Lionfish o Rocks o Mysis Shrimp o Toadfish(Opsanus Beta) o Peppermint Shrimp o Phone Camera Sample Ethogram Methods Time of DayRock 1Rock 2Rock 3Rock 4OutsideActiveFeeding Morning After School

The Control Phase

How does the Opsanus' feeding change when the lionfish (potential competition) is present?

Will the Opsanus change its most frequented location when the rocks are rearranged and will the new arrangement alter feeding?

Cohabitation Changing Dynamic How does the Opsanus interact with the Peppermint Shrimp and does the dynamic change as the habitat is changed?

Increased Mobility Adaptability over time Increased feeding time How does the Opsanus adapt to changes/additions to its habitat?

We reject our hypothesis Background research supports that less confined conditions result in better feeding. Alternative Explanation: The Opsanus Beta's feeding behavior has a direct correlation to habitat. When the habitat is more spacious and reflects a competitive situation, the Opsanus feeds quicker. Conclusions

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