Bait additives

[Kappa]

I read alot about additives for example appetite stimulators or amino acids e.g. betaine. I don't believe fish can taste individual amino acids but maybe I'm wrong...

 

So with my scientist hat on, is anyone aware of any proper scientific studies on taste, appetite stimulation etc in fish?

 

EDIT I was wrong, fish can taste some amino acids ... More info later!

 

Rich

Edited April 14, 2009 by Richard Capper

[Steve Walker]

I'm not surprised if fish can taste/smell free amino acids - usually they would be leaking out of something worth eating! Humans can taste some free amino acids, glutamic acid in particular (as in MSG).

[Anderoo]

I was browsing the weeklies in Sainsbury's last week and saw a big bream (16lb+) was caught on fake corn soaked in betaine. That answered a question I asked in the big bream thread a while back (I haven't got around to adding it yet).

[Jim Roper]

Anybody ever tried this stuff?

http://www.naturalfeeds.co.uk/trapping.html

[poledark]

I would have thought that there was a vast anount of evidence that fish can and do differentiate "taste". n

 

De

[Kappa]

I would have thought that there was a vast anount of evidence that fish can and do differentiate "taste". n

 

De

 

Lots of anecdotal evidence but I'm looking for peer reviewed studies! I haven't yet had a chance to do a literature search (I'm hoping some on here will be able to speed that up) but I'll post any info I find.

 

Rich

[gozzer]

I would have thought that there was a vast anount of evidence that fish can and do differentiate "taste". n

 

De

 

Same here Den.

 

If you have a cold water fish tank, try the old worm water test.

Soak a few lobs in a small amout of water. Take them out, and gently pour the water in one corner of the tank, and watch the reaction of the fish, (especially perch).

 

John.

[Steve Walker]

This review might be worth spending $34 on:

 

The diversity of chemical stimulation in fish olfaction and gustation

 

Try:

 

Modification of the feeding behaviour of sole (Solea solea) through the addition of a commercial flavour as an alternative to betaine

 

Improvement of feed intake through supplementation with an attractant mix

in European seabass fed plant-protein rich diets

 

Bass fed a soy based diet showed better growth when supplemented with a free amino acid attractant mix.

 

See also:

 

Prey extracts evoke swimming behavior in juvenile Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus)

 

which found that a mixture of amino acids did not elicit the same response as squid extract

 

and

 

The contribution of amino acids to the odour of a prey species in the Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis)

 

which analysed the components of ragworm juice that caused an olfactory response, and found a response to amino acids. It also found a response to low molecular weight compounds other than amino acids released by live ragworms. Conclusion seems to be that sole are attracted to the amino acids in ragworm juice, but can also smell an uninjured worm by the other compounds it releases. I'd like to see the whole paper, though, that's just from the abstract.

 

I really think it's time that scientific publications became more available to people outside of academia - the whole model is wrong.

[mjbarnes12]

I am a memeber of some very good scientific journals, i will see if i can get any copies that are specific to your study!! They are more inclined towards human biology and physiology.

[Kappa]

I really think it's time that scientific publications became more available to people outside of academia - the whole model is wrong.

 

It is starting.... My last boss was a very stong supporter of open access e.g.:

 

http://www.biomedcentral.com/

http://www.plos.org/