I have recently been doing an observational research project on Betta fish and how they are connected to humans. Betta fish are those colorful fish that you see at the pet store in tiny dishes by themselves. I would always wonder why they were kept alone until about a month ago when my research team and I learned of their aggressive nature.
Bettas were originally from Southeast Asia and bred to fight. Acts of aggression and situations that can cause heightened aggression include:
· Charging another fish
· Fin flaring
· Gill flaring
· Territorial conflicts
· Finding mates
· Protecting eggs
Our research group considered their aggressive behavior at a genetic level and found that both the fish and humans share the HTR1A gene which codes for serotonin, and when this gene becomes inactive displays of aggression and depression can form as a result. This gene between humans and the Betta fish is only one of many genes that humans share with other species. For more information and a list of references please visit my research page at the following link https://msu.edu/~conleya8/
A.C.
This is very interesting. I never knew that these type of fish were aggressive in nature due to the fact that they are a very common pet because of their beauty. It was very interesting that you connected it to the chemical makeup of various species. I'm curious as to if you've looked further into other genetic similarities between humans and different species?
ReplyDeleteThank you! My semester long project only focuses on aggression in fish and humans but some of my other classmates are doing interesting studies with humans and other species.
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