Protocol for controlling visual experience during zebrafish development and modulation of motor behavior

Sensory experience instructs neurodevelopment and refines sensory processing. Here, we describe a minimally invasive protocol to immobilize zebrafish during early development to control visual experience. We describe how to prepare larvae for embedding in agarose at two separate timepoints in development. Then we describe how to build a behavior rig and use software to track zebrafish behaviors. Finally, we detail analyzing behavioral data to validate the protocol and determine outcomes of sensory dependent plasticity. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Hageter et al. (2023).1 [Display omitted] •Protocol for controlling visual experience to one or both eyes•Visual control can be performed during different developmental windows•Flexible behavioral rig for recording photo-mediated larval zebrafish behavior•Straightforward programs for data analysis to describe zebrafish movement Publisher’s note: Undertaking any experimental protocol requires adherence to local institutional guidelines for laboratory safety and ethics. Sensory experience instructs neurodevelopment and refines sensory processing. Here, we describe a minimally invasive protocol to immobilize zebrafish during early development to control visual experience. We describe how to prepare larvae for embedding in agarose at two separate timepoints in development. Then we describe how to build a behavior rig and use software to track zebrafish behaviors. Finally, we detail analyzing behavioral data to validate the protocol and determine outcomes of sensory dependent plasticity.