Abstract: Animals are constantly display agonistic behavior to speed along the process of natural selection. To truly understand the mechanics of agonistic behavior, the causes and various stimuli that encourage agonistic behavior must be studied. This research investigated three Betta splendens and their response to various stimuli in order to depict whether or not they reacted most strongly against each other. It was found that to a minimal degree, Betta splendens exhibited more aggressive behavior to other Betta splendens as opposed to when faced with a mirror. This insinuates that natural selection is occurring amongst Betta splendens at an effective rate. Further studies in this area may determine stimuli that move other species to behave aggressively and thus find cure for psychological disease that involve excessive aggression.
Introduction:
Betta splendens are Thai fighting fish that exhibit agonistic behavior. The aim of this study was to examine Betta splendens depicting agonistic behavior. This study was achieved through the usage of Betta splendens up against each other as well as the Betta splenden against a mirror to stimulate agonistic behavior. As agonistic behavior is defined as behavior that results in aggressiveness or submissive behavior, Betta splendens are known for tendency promote aggression, often resulting in death (Simpson, 968). To promote aggression, Betta splendens take measures to appear larger to the other fish (or its on reflection through a mirror,) including operculum flares, dorsal fin flares, and caudal fin flares. They have a strong sense of terriroty and will defend it all costs, often resulting in biting or maiming (Bronstein, 1983). It is hypothesized that Betta splendens will display agonistic traits more frequently when exposed to another fish as to when exposed to a mirror.
Materials and Methods: The dependent variable of this study was whether or