Betta Recognition

[Eric Schreiber]

So here's a weird question that popped into my head the other day...

Bettas as sold in stores look almost nothing like their wild
relatives. Breeders have produced such an enormous variety of colors,
fin and even body shapes, that if you didn't know better, you might
think the domestic and wild fish were totally different species.

So, how is it that two male bettas in separate bowls can always
recognize one another so well, when they barely resemble what
countless generations of instinct have taught them to react to?



--
www.ericschreiber.com

[luminos]

A good question, but they react to other fish as well...so it only requires
certain criterial features to set them off.

"Eric Schreiber" > wrote in message
...
> So here's a weird question that popped into my head the other day...
>
> Bettas as sold in stores look almost nothing like their wild
> relatives. Breeders have produced such an enormous variety of colors,
> fin and even body shapes, that if you didn't know better, you might
> think the domestic and wild fish were totally different species.
>
> So, how is it that two male bettas in separate bowls can always
> recognize one another so well, when they barely resemble what
> countless generations of instinct have taught them to react to?
>
>
>
> --
> www.ericschreiber.com

[yelohk]

Thought this was intriguing. Someone's personal account, so can't
guarantee facts. Talks about release of "domesticated" bettas into wild
- they release bettas that don't fight well. I guess not all betta
strains fight either. According to this account the domesticated bettas
prodigeny progressively become more like wild bettas, at least in
appearance.
http://202.57.163.151/siamensisorg/survey/s017e.asp


A post on myfishtank.net -talks a bit about training of bettas as fighters
http://www.myfishtank.net/freshwaterprofiles.php?profile=92


So basically, I guess it's breeding. They're bred for finnage and
fighting. Same way people breed certain dogs for fighting, or other
attributes, I guess.


Eric Schreiber wrote:
> So here's a weird question that popped into my head the other day...
>
> Bettas as sold in stores look almost nothing like their wild
> relatives. Breeders have produced such an enormous variety of colors,
> fin and even body shapes, that if you didn't know better, you might
> think the domestic and wild fish were totally different species.
>
> So, how is it that two male bettas in separate bowls can always
> recognize one another so well, when they barely resemble what
> countless generations of instinct have taught them to react to?
>
>
>
> --
> www.ericschreiber.com


--

direct replies: yelohk AT yahoo