New Empirical Study about Betta Agression - Just FYI

This is just FYI

This morning I read an empirical study that was recently done on betta splendens. The reason for the study was to measure betta agression based on their environment during the early stages of their development.

In the study, the researchers took a group of male and female bettas and separated them out like breeders do now around the 3 to 4 month age. They kept those in the standard glass jars and put them by themselves.

With the other group, they kept the bettas together, but provided 5 or more different forms of stimuli.

They would then use various means of testing agression, like the mirror test, and then they tested hormone levels of the bettas after the mirror tests. They found that the levels of hormones that make bettas aggressive were much higher in the fish that were kept apart than those in the bettas that were kept together.

The females did better than the males that were kept together in the study, but the males did show less aggression because of early socialization.

So, I guess they are trying to use the old nuture vs. nature prinicple. Anyway, if that means that there may be less aggressive forms of betta splendens in our future, I am all for that! I would love to one day be able to keep male bettas in a fraternity!!!

 

I still feel like people's obsession with sororities are people who have an obsession with stress!

But thank you, i have wondered some of those things abiut bettas myself.

 

Yeah sororities aren’t worth the risk IMO

 

I can believe that. I kept a male and a female together in a small community tank from juvenile age until they finally bred together. The male would flare and go after the female if they came face to face but would not chase to death if female took off.
Good news for those who want peaceful Bettas, but this also tells what to do to those who want to raise fighting fish. I doubt this is unknown to them though.

 

I can believe that. I kept a male and a female together in a small community tank from juvenile age until they finally bred together. The male would flare and go after the female if they came face to face but would not chase to death if female took off.
Good news for those who want peaceful Bettas, but this also tells what to do to those who want to raise fighting fish. I doubt this is unknown to them though.

I didn’t know they could be kept together male/female when not breeding... the more you know!

 

I didn’t know they could be kept together male/female when not breeding... the more you know!

Well, I assume it wouldn't work for some bettas. The aggression that's been bred into domestic bettas, mixed with breeding hormones, would likely result in quite a lot of fights. That does sound like a very interesting case though, and definitely something to consider when thinking about betta aggression.

 

I think the problem is a lot of new fish-keepers are not aware of betta behavior so they may not recognize signs of stress or aggression unless it's overt or until it's too late. A lot of beginners hear that they can have female bettas together so they put a couple together without properly monitoring them or providing them with an environment that would help minimize aggression.

 

I can believe that. I kept a male and a female together in a small community tank from juvenile age until they finally bred together. The male would flare and go after the female if they came face to face but would not chase to death if female took off.
Good news for those who want peaceful Bettas, but this also tells what to do to those who want to raise fighting fish. I doubt this is unknown to them though.

Last year, I had a male I raised as a baby next to 2 females. I ended up getting 2 more females and had a Harem & then added 2 new females to round out at 5.


Baby Boy was the most chill male Betta I ever saw.

It was like when a younger brother has a bunch of older sister, lol