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Drug Elicitation of the Aggressive Display in Siamese Fighting Fish, Betta splendens

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Date Issued:
1969
Summary:
Experiment I tests the hypothesis that sympathomimetic amines serve to facilitate or trigger the aggressive display of the Siamese fighting fish. Three drugs were used to test this theory: amphetamine, norepinephrine and Dibenzyline. Amphetamine was administered to a group of six females while norepinephrine and Dibenzyline were given to males. Fish were all maintained in the laboratory for one week before any testing began. Each of the three parts of Experiment I was conducted in the same way. The Bettas were tested first with no drugs in their water to determine their baseline level of activity. Two to four days later, the fish were tested with either 40 mg of amphetamine, 70 mg of norepinephrine or 4.5 mg of Dibenzyline. Another control trial was run two to four days later and then another experimental trial after the same period of time. Results indicated that amphetamine increased fin flaring frequency and duration in female Bettas. The norepinephrine had the effect of increasing gill plate extension frequency and duration. Also the norepinephrine increased time to habituation. Dibenzyline was shown to influence fin flaring frequency and duration. A strong adrenergic blocking agent, Dibenzyline greatly decreased the aggressive display activities but did not significantly alter general activity. The measure of general activity used was latency to feeding. All fish were deprived of food for four days and considered to be hungry. In Experiment II, 16 female Bettas, eight experimental and eight control, received a 25-day treatment with either methyl testosterone dissolved in alcohol or plain alcohol. All fish were tested before any treatment was given and assigned to groups on the basis of the behavioral measure of fin flaring so as to match the experimental and control groups as closely as possible. The experimental fish then were given .2 cc of methyl testosterone (1mg/cc) and the controls were given .2 cc of alcohol. The treatment in all studies was added to the water of the living tank. After 25 days, all Ss were retested to determine what, if any, effects the testosterone had on the display activities being measured. The hypothesis that testosterone would cause an increase in growth rate and colorfulness was not supported by the data. There were, however, significant increases in fin flare frequency and duration and in the average length of a fin flaring response. There was some tendency toward an increase in gill plate extensions as well, but this was not large enough to gain statistical significance.
Title: Drug Elicitation of the Aggressive Display in Siamese Fighting Fish, Betta splendens.
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Name(s): Smith, Elaine A.
Singer, Jav J., Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 1969
Date Issued: 1969
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 92 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Experiment I tests the hypothesis that sympathomimetic amines serve to facilitate or trigger the aggressive display of the Siamese fighting fish. Three drugs were used to test this theory: amphetamine, norepinephrine and Dibenzyline. Amphetamine was administered to a group of six females while norepinephrine and Dibenzyline were given to males. Fish were all maintained in the laboratory for one week before any testing began. Each of the three parts of Experiment I was conducted in the same way. The Bettas were tested first with no drugs in their water to determine their baseline level of activity. Two to four days later, the fish were tested with either 40 mg of amphetamine, 70 mg of norepinephrine or 4.5 mg of Dibenzyline. Another control trial was run two to four days later and then another experimental trial after the same period of time. Results indicated that amphetamine increased fin flaring frequency and duration in female Bettas. The norepinephrine had the effect of increasing gill plate extension frequency and duration. Also the norepinephrine increased time to habituation. Dibenzyline was shown to influence fin flaring frequency and duration. A strong adrenergic blocking agent, Dibenzyline greatly decreased the aggressive display activities but did not significantly alter general activity. The measure of general activity used was latency to feeding. All fish were deprived of food for four days and considered to be hungry. In Experiment II, 16 female Bettas, eight experimental and eight control, received a 25-day treatment with either methyl testosterone dissolved in alcohol or plain alcohol. All fish were tested before any treatment was given and assigned to groups on the basis of the behavioral measure of fin flaring so as to match the experimental and control groups as closely as possible. The experimental fish then were given .2 cc of methyl testosterone (1mg/cc) and the controls were given .2 cc of alcohol. The treatment in all studies was added to the water of the living tank. After 25 days, all Ss were retested to determine what, if any, effects the testosterone had on the display activities being measured. The hypothesis that testosterone would cause an increase in growth rate and colorfulness was not supported by the data. There were, however, significant increases in fin flare frequency and duration and in the average length of a fin flaring response. There was some tendency toward an increase in gill plate extensions as well, but this was not large enough to gain statistical significance.
Identifier: FA00000830 (IID)
Degree granted: Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1969.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Subject(s): Siamese fighting fish--Behavior
Aggressive behavior in animals
Siamese fighting fish--Physiology
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000830
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
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Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.