To automate Zebrafish experiments, you need reliable tracking and a robust set of tools for analysis
ANY-maze can track both zebrafish larvae and adults and provides hundreds of results including distance travelled, speed, mobility, time in zones, etc.
Use the tabs below to learn more. We've included some videos of real zebrafish tests, so you can see the system in action, as well as details of recommended equipment, such as suitable cameras, and a list of results that are especially useful in this test.
Track multiple animals simultaneously
Increase your throughput by tracking in up to 48 apparatus simultaneously, either live or from pre-recorded videos. This is especially valuable when using multi-well plates.
Tests in each apparatus can be run independently, or you can choose to start or stop test in all apparatus at once.
Analyse behaviour in different zones
In ANY-maze you define zones that are specific to how you want to perform tests in your apparatus – nothing’s prescribed.
For example, in the apparatus shown here, zones have been set up to score how much time the animal spends in the perimeter vs. the centre.
In fact, for every zone ANY-maze reports more than 60 different measures, so you’ll learn much more than just how long the animal spent in each location. And best of all, you can add, edit or remove zones at any time, even after tests have been performed, without needing to retrack the tests.
Follow an intuitive test schedule
ANY-maze automatically maintains a schedule showing the status of all the tests in your experiment.
Break an experiment into multiple stages containing repeated trials – for example, Pre-treatment and Post-treatment.
The schedule is flexible – select the order, skip tests, retire animals, or just add tests as you go along.
View the animal's track
ANY-maze makes it easy to view track plots (or heat maps) of tests for a qualitative assessment of behaviour.
Plots can be tailored to your requirements, perhaps to show just a certain part of the test, or to highlight sections where the animal was moving quickly.
Track plots can be exported for presentation, either as bitmap or vector images, or as videos.
Easily analyse results
You can perform statistical analysis and generate graphs directly from within ANY-maze. As shown in the image to the right, you can also analyse data across time, or choose a custom time period for analysis – you’re not restricted to evaluate only the full test duration.
And as you perform more tests, these analysis tools will update in real time so you can quickly assess how your experiment is progressing.
Results
ANY-maze can provide hundreds of results for any test, but some that are particularly useful in zebrafish experiments include:
- Total distance travelled
- Average speed
- Number of zone entries
- Time spent in a zone
- Latency to enter a zone
- Distance travelled in a zone
- Time spent mobile
- Time spent moving faster (or slower) than a certain speed
Tracking larvae in a 6-well plate
In this video, ANY-maze is tracking six zebrafish larva in a multi-well plate.
Each well has been divided into a centre and perimeter zone, with the centre zone being highlighted when the animal is in it.
ANY-maze can track in as many as 48 apparatus simultaneously.
Cameras
USB Camera
The ANY-maze USB camera is an excellent choice for tracking zebrafish adults or larvae. We recommend fitting this camera with a varifocal (zoom) lens, so you can zoom in and out until the tank or well plate nicely fits the camera's view.
Learn moreWeb cam
A webcam provides an inexpensive alternative to the ANY-maze camera. If you intend to test in normal lighting conditions (>= 100 lux), then a webcam should work well.
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