• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

How beta fish use fighting.

The article doesn’t explain how the researcher determined which genes are turned on or off to synchronize fighting choreography. Is it genes or neurons in the brain that synchronize fighting choreography? Genes are located in the chromosomes of every cell, not just inside the brain. The researcher doesn’t seem to draw the distinction.

Wild betta don’t instinctively fight to death or serious injury as most aquarists believe or else the species would go extinct. A betta breeder told me that he has raised betta fry to maturity without separating out the males. Given enough tank space and vegetation sight barriers, male betta eventually set up territories and pecking order in combative harmony without killing one another. So their fighting behavior is not substantially difference from some aggressive cichlid of which males will fight to death in small quarters.
 
The article doesn’t explain how the researcher determined which genes are turned on or off to synchronize fighting choreography. Is it genes or neurons in the brain that synchronize fighting choreography? Genes are located in the chromosomes of every cell, not just inside the brain. The researcher doesn’t seem to draw the distinction.
It's not just me then. :)
It seems to be saying that something happens, but we don't know what, why or how.
 
Given enough tank space and vegetation sight barriers, male betta eventually set up territories
I've had this happen inadvertently. I had a nice blue male in a 4ft planted tank. One day I didn't see him and thought little of it, as the tank was really densely planted. After a couple of days, I started searching for him, peering round the ends of the tank, putting a mirror behind it etc. No sign of him. :(
After not seeing him for over three weeks, I decided he must have died, so when I saw a nice red male in a shop I bought him and introduced him to that tank. He swam around happily for a couple of days, then I saw two males, the red and the blue, one near each end of the tank. They couldn't see each other clearly (if at all) and ignored each other. Unless one or the other wriggled through the plants into the other's end of the tank; then there was a bit of displaying, which was very impressive to see, and the intruder would go back to his own end. I never saw them go beyond display and progress to fighting, and never saw any injuries or fin damage.
Two different males may behave more (or less) aggressively, so I wouldn't recommend trying to duplicate it. :)
 
Back
Top