Progress Update #4

This data was collected 4/3/18 and 4/4/18. More male/male trials were completed and most of the male/female trials were completed. Each pair was tested 3 times for a total of 15 minutes under inspection. The experimental tank was used for all of these trials. Experiment side A housed the focal male and contained the mirror. Experiment side B housed the bystander. The pebbles at the bottom of the experiment tank were removed due to interference with the divider.

The female fish was placed on experiment side B for Male #2, #3, and #5. There appears to be a possible reversal in the behavior that the male preferentially displays. There were low levels of activity in all fish during both days of these trials. The female attempted to interact with each male that she was placed with. she displayed her tail fin and swam the length of the divider often. She faced toward the divider and often followed the male if he swam along the divider of the tank. When Male #3 was in experiment side A and the female in experiment side B, when he gill flared at her, she responded with a gill flare. Although it was not as impressive, she was able to extend her gills partially to puff them out.

Data Collection: The Introduction of the Female Betta splendens 

Table 1: Crossed Trials with Betta splendens. Counts of gill flares and tail beats per five-minute trial. Averages of each pair were calculated. 

Photo by me