Survival Strategies and Color Preferences of Mandarin Fish () and Mud Carp (): Implications for Aquaculture.

This study evaluated the habitat coloration preferences of and in both solitary ( = 1) and group ( = 3) settings across six colors. The results indicated that both individual and group spent the majority of their time in and made frequent visits to the black area, followed by the blue area. While individual spent the majority of their time and visits in the blue region, groups showed a preference for the blue and white regions. These findings highlight the distinct habitat coloration preferences of and in different group states, suggesting that habitat coloration has an important effect on fish behavior and environmental adaptation. From a behavioral ecology perspective, these preferences may be closely related to the survival strategies of fish. Notably, 's strong preference for blue and white backgrounds may reflect anti-predator behavior, helping avoid predators, such as , in natural environments, thereby improving its chances of survival. This study provides a scientific basis for optimizing aquaculture environments, emphasizing the importance of considering habitat coloration and substrate type in designing environments to enhance fish welfare.