Winner of the 2015 Journal of Zoology ‘Paper of the Year’ award

Biochemical correlates of aggressive behavior in the Siamese fighting fish

M. D. Regan, R. S. Dhillon, D. P. L. Toews, B. Speers-Roesch, M. A. Sackville, S. Pinto, J. S. Bystriansky and G. R. Scott

Aggressive interactions between individuals of the same species can result in the evolution of exaggerated body traits that improve success in these interactions, and subsequently, access to resources such as food and mates. Although conspicuous morphological adaptations such as antlers are usually what come to mind, metabolic processes that occur hidden within cells are required to sustain aggressive behaviour, so their enhancement may also be important for a successful outcome.

Siamese fighting fish, Betta splendens; photo by Dave Toews

With this in mind, we designed a study to examine the intersection of aggressive behaviour and metabolic biochemistry using the Siamese fighting fish, a staple of the world’s pet shops. Male Siamese fighting fish are notoriously…

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