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Betta Behavior Lab

Natural Science Biology Lab


University of Akron
#NSB2014
1
Todays Lab will allow
student to:

Demonstrate an unerstaning of
ethology t!roug! careful
observations"

Unerstan t!e i#erence bet$een


cues, stimuli, and triggers.

Di#erentiate bet$een betta in t!e


wild% versus betta raise in captivity"

&om'are an contrast interspecifc


an intraspecifc be!aviors"

Describe betta be!avior $it!out using


anthropomorphic terminology"
#NSB2014
2
Ethology = study o animal
behavior

Behaviors are res'onses to various


stimuli

A stimulus is anyt!ing t!at triggers


a response (ie" lig!t% sig!t of foo%
rival male)

*ne of t!e most common be!aviors


among animals (incluing !umans) is
fghting
!"#$$%&
'
#NSB2014 +
The importance o animal
contests
,!y o animals -g!t.

/oo

Defense

Social status

0erritories for breeing1s'a$ning


#NSB2014 4
Betta splendens: the
!iamese (ighting (ish

2ales !ave evolve to be e3tremely


aggressive

#gonistic behaviors are e3!ibite


bet$een males to assert ominance

Dominant males !ave greater access to


females an t!us !ig!er ftness
#NSB2014 4
%n lab today we will be)

Stuying t!e be!aviors of betta -s!


in res'onse to various stimuli,
cues, and triggers

5nter'reting t!ese be!aviors in t!e


conte3t of natural selection (,!y
$oul certain be!aviors be c!osen
for.)

Avoiing anthropomorphisms like


6t!is -s! is ma7 or 6t!at guy $as
scare7
#NSB2014 8
*here are bettas ound in
the wild+

$ice
"addies

!low
moving
streams
#NSB2014 9
,ow can bettas survive in
mur-y, muddy rice paddies+

Labyrinth organ

Allo$s -s! to 6gul'


air7

/is! s$ims to t!e


surface an takes a
gul' of atmos'!eric
o3ygen% $!ic!
su''lements t!e
o3ygen receive
t!roug! t!e gills

Still foun in
omesticate bettas
#NSB2014 :
*ild Betta brederi .di/erent
species0
#NSB2014 ;
!elective breeding has produced
ama1ing color variations
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%ntraspecifc behaviors

Agonistic be!aviors

/in <ickering

0ail beating

=aising -ns

Ni''ing or biting

Aggression against your own


species
#NSB2014 11
%nterspecifc behaviors

5niviuals of di/erent
species com'ete for
resources"

>3am'les ? foo% living


s'ace% sunlig!t

Stuents observing
bettas may a#ect t!e
e3'eriment
#NSB2014 12
&ote about animal
ethics

/is! get 6stresse7 muc! t!e same as $e


o

/ollo$ t!e guielines escribe in t!e lab to


minimi@e unue stress

All Animal researc! one in an Accreite


University !as to go t!roug! 5A&U&
(%nstitutional #nimal 2are and 3se
2ommittee0 $!ic! 'rovies intense%
researc!Abase 'rotocols"

Beo'le cannot Cust o animal researc! ?


must be groune in t!eory% use stanar
'rotocols% an be as et!ical as 'ossible
#NSB2014 1+
5f you $ere a betta -s!% $!at $oul
your $orl look like% from insie t!at
tiny tank.
#NSB2014 14

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