Fig. 3

Proportion of Acipenser gueldenstaedtii prelarvae exhibiting corner-gathering behavior under light (L), dim light (DL), and dark (D) conditions between day 1 and day 3. For each experimental tank (tank I, II, or III), prelarval numbers were averaged based on at least three counts by two observers (see the “Methods” section). There was a significant reduction of the proportion under D conditions (indicated by asterisks; P < 0.05), whereas there was no significant difference between the L and DL conditions (P > 0.05) based on analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Duncan’s multiple range tests. A statistical evaluation according to prelarval age (day 1 to day 3) within a given light intensity (L, DL, and D) in each tank is provided in Additional file 3: Figure S3