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Morphology and energetics of the wake behind a continuously swimming crucian carp at different flow velocities

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Abstract

Understanding the hydrodynamic principles underlying fish swimming efficiency is critical for optimizing fishway design and improving habitat restoration. Wake morphology and energetics of continuously swimming crucian carp were examined across flow velocities in a Brett-type swimming tunnel and analyzed using the velocity gradient method. High-speed video captured swimming behavior and two-dimensional particle image velocimetry were used to visualize the flow field generated by the fish. The critical swimming speed (Ucrit) of crucian carp was 0.85 m/s and wake vortices were observed across flow velocity gradients ranging from 0.15 to 1.2 m/s. The wake beat frequency and vorticity of the wake increasing linearly with flow velocity. Hydrodynamic efficiency of the wake vortex energy ranged from 62 to 84%. Significant changes in tailbeat amplitude, head beat amplitude, and stride length were observed near (70–88%) Ucrit (0.60–0.75 m/s), when the dimensionless Strouhal number (St) indicates efficient swimming. Thus, we conclude that 70%-88% of Ucrit is the threshold range for efficient swimming and this provides practical guidance for setting flow velocities in fishways and habitat restoration projects that will enhance fish survival.

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Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed in the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (Grant number: U2340218), the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant numbers: 2022YFE0117400, 2022YFC3203900).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Ecological Impacts of Hydraulic-Projects and Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystem of Ministry of Water Resources, Institute of Hydroecology, Ministry of Water Resources and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Innovation Team of the Changjiang Water Resources Commission for River and Lake Ecosystem Restoration Key Technology, Wuhan, 430079, China

    Yiqun Hou & Lu Cai

  2. Hubei Key Laboratory of Basin Water Security, Changjiang Engineering Group, Wuhan, 430010, China

    Xiang Wang

  3. College of Water Conservancy and Ecological Engineering, Jiangxi University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Nanchang, 330099, China

    Feifei He

  4. State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing, 210002, China

    Xiaogang Wang & Long Zhu

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  1. Yiqun Hou
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  2. Xiang Wang
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  3. Feifei He
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  4. Xiaogang Wang
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  5. Long Zhu
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  6. Lu Cai
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Contributions

Yiqun Hou and Feifei He wrote the main manuscript text, Xiang Wang, Xiaogang Wang ,Long Zhu and Lu Cai participated in the experiment and data processing. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to
Feifei He.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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The research was conducted in accordance with the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals promulgated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 1996. All experimental protocols were approved by the Institute of Hydroecology, Ministry of Water Resources, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Approval number: 2023–05). Fishing during the study was approved by the local fishery administrations of the Agricultural and Rural Bureau of Wuhan Province. The sampling location is not privately owned or protected in any way and requires no specific permissions.

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Hou, Y., Wang, X., He, F. et al. Morphology and energetics of the wake behind a continuously swimming crucian carp at different flow velocities.
Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-46672-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-46672-x

Keywords

  • Swimming
  • Flow field
  • Wake structure
  • Particle image velocimetry
  • Crucian carp

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