Abstract
Betta splendens (Siamese fighting fish) were given 10 days of visual preexposure to either Macropodus opercularis (paradise fish) or their own mirror images. Separate groups of bettas were then allowed to display aggressively toward one of the following stimuli: a conspecific, an alien species (Macropodus opercularis), or a mirror image. Bettas displayed more frequently, and for a longer duration, when tested with either another betta or their own image than when tested with a macropodus. Bettas required more time to reach a criterion of no displays when tested with their own mirror image than when tested with the macropodus fish; this measure did not differ between the betta test condition and the macropodus test condition. Strength of aggressive displays in bettas is dependent of previous exposure conditions (Miley & Burack, 1977), the particular stimuli used in behavioral testing, and measures used in recording the aggressive response.
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This research was supported by a research and professional development grant from the state of New Jersey. We wish to thank J. V. Lambert and J. Blustein for valuable ideas and data analyses aid, respectively.
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Miley, W.M., Wetzel, D. & Bonds, J. Effect of prior visual experience with a paradise fish (Macropodus opercularis) or a mirror image on strength of aggressive display in Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens) toward a conspecific, an alien species (Macropodus opercularis), and a mirror image. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 16, 455–457 (1980). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329597
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329597