Whole Body Motor Adaptation in Goldfish Using Fish Operated Vehicle

Abstract

Motor adaptation is crucial for animals to move in diverse environments, including fish. Here, we develop a novel experimental platform that allows for precise control of sensorimotor transformations and direct comparison with established paradigms used in mammalian studies. We show that goldfish operating a fish operated vehicle (FOV) adapt swimming behavior to achieve targets when vehicle movement is perturbed by a rotational transformation. Goldfish gradually adjusted their swimming patterns to compensate for the perturbation and had aftereffects when the perturbation was removed. Fish showed improved performance when the perturbation was reintroduced, although their initial learning rate in the second exposure was slower compared to the first exposure. These findings reveal that although goldfish can adapt to novel dynamics, their adaptation mechanisms may differ from those of mammals. This study broadens our understanding of motor adaptation across species, contributing to a more comprehensive view of motor learning in vertebrates.