Unraveling the details of the zigzag dance required several different scientific methods. Careful observation is the starting point for all behavioral research, and it was particularly important for ethologists. Tinbergen cautioned his students not to begin experiments until they thoroughly understood the natural behavior of the animals they studied. This meant spending hours watching behavior without disturbing the animals in any way. Often this was done in the field, but in the case of the sticklebacks, Tinbergen was able to observe the fish in aquaria.