Our BEHAVIOR product monitors the behavioral welfare of fish. By measuring SWIM SPEED and SWIM TILT, BEHAVIOR provides valuable insights into the conditions within the pen and can alert to changes in the fish’s overall welfare and stress levels. Speed and tilt are continuously monitored, and data is updated in the User Portal every hour. BEHAVIOR also automatically stores video clips from the pen that can be shared with colleagues.
BEHAVIOR is a supplement to our two other welfare monitoring products, WISE Welfare and LICE.
Swim Speed
In BEHAVIOR, swim speed data is presented both as daily averages and in the form of graphs. Speed is measured in body lengths per second (bl/sec), and abnormally high swim speeds are highlighted with color codes, making it easier to detect and respond to critical changes.
Graphs make it easy to observe changes in swimming speed that may be due to elevated stress levels or welfare-related challenges. Changes in swim speed can also reveal shifts in biological and environmental factors that affect the fish’s behavior and welfare. Examples of this may include an increased presence of algae or variations in oxygen levels.
In submerged pens, where swimming speed data needs to be documented, BEHAVIOR will replace time-consuming and inaccurate manual measurements.
Swim Tilt
Swim tilt monitors the fish’s horizontal tilt (the position and angle of the head relative to the direction of movement) during swimming. A high tilt, where the fish’s head is consistently higher than the rest of the body, can be an indication that the salmon is unable to maintain proper buoyancy. A known cause of such behavior is when the fish does not have sufficient access to air and therefore cannot refill its swim bladder.
In open surface pens, refilling the swim bladder is usually not a challenge, as the salmon can surface to do so. In submerged pens, where the salmon must obtain air from a dome, a sudden increase in tilt may indicate critical issues with air supply. The consequences of this can include reduced growth, welfare challenges, and, over time, an increased risk of mortality.
In BEHAVIOR, data for both swimming speed and swimming tilt is updated hourly, providing early warnings if something is wrong.
Automatic video recording
BEHAVIOR automatically stores four short video clips from each hour during which data is collected. These videos, available in the User Portal, can be used to verify changes and deviations in the fish’s swim speed or swim tilt. The system archives clips for the last 30 days, allowing the videos to also document long-term changes in water quality, welfare, and other critical parameters.
In BEHAVIOR, all stored videos can be easily shared with colleagues who have access to the Aquabyte User Portal.
Video files from the last 30 days are automatically stored in BEHAVIOR and can be easily shared with others who have access to the Aquabyte User Portal.
