Animal personality refers to behavioural differences that are consistent across time and contexts. Consistent traits and their link with farming performance have already been shown in several fish species. However, the underlying mechanisms of fish personality and its development over time remain unclear. Covering this gap would improve fish welfare and its link with farming performance.
Moreover, the consistency of fish behavioural traits is often examined over short periods of time, despite the goal of improving welfare throughout the entire development of the fish, from hatching to slaughter. Thus, examining personality traits over longer time periods would enhance current knowledge about fish welfare.
Juvenile Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) from an Icelandic aquaculture strain were raised either in plain tanks or with the presence of a shelter. The fish were kept in a bi-parental design to account for family effects. Shortly after first feeding, eight fish per tank were VIE tagged. Then they were individually submitted to an open field test and an emergence test to assess boldness and exploration, respectively. Each fish underwent both tests three times to evaluate the repeatability of these traits. We then assessed the relationship between boldness, exploration, and individual growth. Additionally, we compared boldness and exploration of fish between the two treatments and among families. To assess long-term repeatability of those traits, the same fish will be tested for these personality traits again later this year. This oral presentation aims at providing the preliminary results obtained for boldness, exploration and growth in the early stages of development.