Fins of Fury or Fainéant: Fluoxetine impacts the aggressive behavior of fighting fish (Betta splendens)

2021 ◽  
pp. 104544
Author(s):  
Susan M. Greene ◽  
Allen D. Szalda-Petree
Keyword(s):  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Betta Splendens

scholarly journals De novo transcriptomic characterization of Betta splendens for identifying sex-biased genes potentially involved in aggressive behavior modulation and EST-SSR maker development

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Yang ◽  
Yaorong Wang ◽  
Chunhua Zhu ◽  
Guangli Li ◽  
Hai Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Function Analysis ◽  
Differential Expression Analysis ◽  
Betta Splendens ◽  
Research Progress ◽  
Behavioral Regulation ◽  
Commercially Important ◽  
Genetics And Genomics ◽  
And Function

AbstractBetta splendens is not only a commercially important labyrinth fish but also a nice research model for understanding the biological underpinnings of aggressive behavior. However, the shortage of basic genetic resource severely inhibits investigations on the molecular mechanism in sexual dimorphism of aggressive behavior typicality, which are essential for further behavior-related studies. There is a lack of knowledge regarding the functional genes involved in aggression expression. The scarce marker resource also impedes research progress of population genetics and genomics. In order to enrich genetic data and sequence resources, transcriptomic analysis was conducted for mature B. splendens using a multiple-tissues mixing strategy. A total of 105,505,486 clean reads were obtained and by de novo assembly, 69,836 unigenes were generated. Of which, 35,751 unigenes were annotated in at least one of queried databases. The differential expression analysis resulted in 17,683 transcripts differentially expressed between males and females. Plentiful sex-biased genes involved in aggression exhibition were identified via a screening from Gene Ontology terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways, such as htr, drd, gabr, cyp11a1, cyp17a1, hsd17b3, dax1, sf-1, hsd17b7, gsdf1 and fem1c. These putative genes would make good starting points for profound mechanical exploration on aggressive behavioral regulation. Moreover, 12,751 simple sequence repeats were detected from 9,617 unigenes for marker development. Nineteen of the 100 randomly selected primer pairs were demonstrated to be polymorphic. The large amount of transcript sequences will considerably increase available genomic information for gene mining and function analysis, and contribute valuable microsatellite marker resources to in-depth studies on molecular genetics and genomics in the future.

The effects of uncontrollable shocks on the aggressive behavior of the Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens).

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-57
Author(s):  
Paula Danielle Palheta Carvalho ◽  
Marcus Bentes de Carvalho Neto ◽  
Amauri Gouveia
Keyword(s):  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Siamese Fighting Fish ◽  
Betta Splendens

Effects of menthol on aggressive behavior in Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens).

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 290-296
Author(s):  
Paula Danielle Palheta Carvalho ◽  
Paulo César Morales Mayer ◽  
André Walsh-Monteiro ◽  
Amauri Gouveia
Keyword(s):  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Siamese Fighting Fish ◽  
Betta Splendens

Fish on Prozac: a simple, noninvasive physiology laboratory investigating the mechanisms of aggressive behavior in Betta splendens

2007 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 358-363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon E. Lynn ◽  
Joseph M. Egar ◽  
Brian G. Walker ◽  
Todd S. Sperry ◽  
Marilyn Ramenofsky
Keyword(s):  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Betta Splendens ◽  
Physiological Mechanisms ◽  
Laboratory Exercise ◽  
Short Term Exposure ◽  
Important Regulator ◽  
Aquarium Water ◽  
Physiology Laboratory

The neuromodulator serotonin is an important regulator of aggressive behavior in vertebrates. Experimentally increasing synaptic levels of serotonin with fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, has been shown to reliably decrease the expression of aggressive behavior. Here, we describe a method by which fluoxetine can be noninvasively administered to male Betta splendens (an attractive model for the study of aggressive behavior) and describe a simple laboratory exercise that allows students to experimentally investigate the physiological mechanisms of aggressive behavior. We demonstrate that relatively short-term exposure (3 h) of male bettas to as little as 3 μg/ml of fluoxetine-treated aquarium water is sufficient to reduce the expression of specific aggressive behaviors. We emphasize the physiological concepts that can be addressed with this exercise, including the role of the serotonergic system in regulating aggression, and the interplay of environmental contaminants and physiology in regulating the expression of behavior. We also highlight important aspects of experimental design. This exercise can be flexibly altered to accommodate one or several laboratory periods. It is also low cost, is low impact to the animals, and requires minimal preparation time for instructors.

Timing of isolation from an enriched environment determines the level of aggressive behavior and sexual maturity in Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens)

BMC Zoology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eri Iwata ◽  
Kyouhei Masamoto ◽  
Hiroyuki Kuga ◽  
Miho Ogino
Keyword(s):  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Sexual Maturity ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Siamese Fighting Fish ◽  
Mirror Image ◽  
Enriched Environment ◽  
Betta Splendens ◽  
Adult Fish ◽  
Environmental Manipulation ◽  
Image Test

Abstract Background Teleost fish are known to respond to environmental manipulation, which makes them an ideal model animal for testing relationships between the environment and behavior. The Siamese fighting fish, Betta splendens, is a solitary, highly territorial fish that displays fierce stereotyped aggressive behavior toward conspecifics or members of other species. Adult fish, especially males, are generally housed in isolation in captivity. Here we report evidence that an enriched rearing environment can decrease the level of aggression in bettas and enable adults to be housed in groups. Results B. splendens individuals were hatched in our laboratory and raised in groups in an enriched environment. At the juvenile or subadult stage, some individuals were relocated to a poor environment and kept in isolation. To evaluate aggression, a mirror-image test was conducted at the juvenile, subadult, and adult stages for each fish, and body parameters as well as plasma concentrations of 11-ketotestosterone, estradiol, and cortisol were evaluated. Male and female adult bettas raised in a group showed lower levels of aggression than other adult fish. The magnitude of threatening behavior was greater in adult bettas isolated as subadults, whereas the magnitude of fighting behavior was grater in adult bettas isolated as juveniles. The influence of rearing conditions on behavior was greater in females than in males. Plasma cortisol concentrations of adult bettas isolated as subadults after the mirror-image test were higher than those in other experimental groups. Adult males isolated as subadults had significantly higher plasma concentrations of 11-ketotestosterone than males raised in a group and isolated as juveniles. Females isolated as subadults had a higher gonadosomatic index than females raised in a group and females isolated as juveniles. Conclusions These results indicate that bettas can be kept in a group under enriched environments and that the timing of isolation influences the aggression and sexual maturity of bettas. Female and male bettas responded differently to environmental manipulation. Judging from their level of sexual maturity, bettas isolated as subadults show proper development.

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