# Science fair project?



## FishyOfTheOpera (Jul 13, 2015)

My school science fair lasts about 3 months for experimentation, and I would like to do something with betta fish, after I check out the rules with animals and all, and if it's not against the rules. I'm not going to do something cruel (like see what happens if I put two males together, put food coloring in the water, etc.) but more along the lines of sorority behavior or breeding? I have a ten gallon that I'm saving for science fair, but what experiments would you recommend? I don't want to torture a betta by doing the whole bowl vs. tank thing, and I'd like to breed or do a sorority (partially as an excuse to get more bettas...). I've been wanting to breed for awhile and it might as well be for school! Same with sororities. And the research segment would be a breeze because I already spend half my time reading about bettas. I want to do something I'd enjoy.
I'm open to any suggestions! :lol:


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## Reccka (Jul 20, 2014)

I think it'd perhaps be more interesting, and easier on your bettas, to maybe do an experiment around their intelligence. There are quite a few things you can train a betta to do. Maybe make it into something like that. And I think that serves a good purpose. It can help teach others that fish aren't the "3 second memory" pet and that they remember quite well.

That way, you have almost no risk of animals being hurt in your project like you do in breeding and sororities. I would assume that if one of your bettas were to be injured from breeding or from a sorority fight, that you may possibly get disqualified based on their rules around animals.


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## FishyOfTheOpera (Jul 13, 2015)

Reccka said:


> I think it'd perhaps be more interesting, and easier on your bettas, to maybe do an experiment around their intelligence. There are quite a few things you can train a betta to do. Maybe make it into something like that. And I think that serves a good purpose. It can help teach others that fish aren't the "3 second memory" pet and that they remember quite well.
> 
> That way, you have almost no risk of animals being hurt in your project like you do in breeding and sororities. I would assume that if one of your bettas were to be injured from breeding or from a sorority fight, that you may possibly get disqualified based on their rules around animals.


That sounds cool  how about a little maze or something? I'm not sure on the rules about animals, but I think I may do breeding, depending on the rules. I don't think the allow it without a veternarian's signature, but I'll check up on that.


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## Reccka (Jul 20, 2014)

I think a craft mesh maze or something similar could be really cool. I can't say I've seen anyone attempt to run a fish through a maze. I think that could be very impressive as a science project.

Definitely keep reading up on breeding in the breeding section and familiarize yourself with the risks and all the costs. It's not for the faint of heart. I also personally wouldn't recommend breeding a betta you think of as your pet as they can get very hurt in the process. But if you breed responsibly and truly feel prepared for it, then that could be interesting as well depending on what you decide to breed for.


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## FishyOfTheOpera (Jul 13, 2015)

Reccka said:


> I think a craft mesh maze or something similar could be really cool. I can't say I've seen anyone attempt to run a fish through a maze. I think that could be very impressive as a science project.
> 
> Definitely keep reading up on breeding in the breeding section and familiarize yourself with the risks and all the costs. It's not for the faint of heart. I also personally wouldn't recommend breeding a betta you think of as your pet as they can get very hurt in the process. But if you breed responsibly and truly feel prepared for it, then that could be interesting as well depending on what you decide to breed for.


Oh yes, I've read up on it  I would breed halfmoons and not give them names till they are sure to survive (to avoid the devastion of getting too attached) I refuse to cull fry, though, just because of indesirable traits. If I'm bringing life to this world I'm not going to pick and choose who stays and who goes


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## Reccka (Jul 20, 2014)

It's harder to home ones with undesirable traits in person, but plenty of people will adopt them here and from what I hear, some groups on Facebook that I'm not aware of. That's always a comfort. I'd still say be prepared to cull extreme deformities if they happen though. I'm personally not a breeder because I'm not hardcore enough for that, so I don't know how often that situation comes up anyway. I'm sure the people in the breeding forum can touch on that one much more. They all seem very helpful.  Good luck with your project. I hope it turns out well.


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## FinnDublynn (Feb 27, 2015)

You are planning on housing and caring for the Betta(s) after the project, too, yes?

The maze is a great idea, and general intelligence testing/training seems like a great way to go on the project!!

Make sure to include a big section about the Nitrogen Cycle because that's a HUGE part of Betta keeping, and you can devote a large section to talking about that too!! You could even, technically, use this as your project... Look at the ways different plants affect the Cycle, or how different lengths of lights affect the plants that affect the cycle or how the density of the sponge affects the establishment of the Beneficial Bacteria... denser foam would have more surface area for the bacteria to grow but could reduce the amount of flow thru it, etc etc etc. There's a lot you could do there... 

You could also, perhaps, do a memory test like Reckka suggested. Maybe hold up a dark card and a light card to the tank, and ONLY when they swim RIGHT to the dark one do they get a pellet. Repeat every 4 hours? See how long it takes them to always go to the dark one?


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

I highly suggest against breeding. Breeding requires hundreds and hundreds of dollars of equipment. Im talking about over $500 worth of equipment. Then you are stuck with at least 100+ fry that you now have to care for. So if you kept them in small containers you would have to have a properly heated fish room, and do daily water changes. You also have condition the parents for breeding. Do not breed your fish for the sake of a science fair. Breeding should only be attempted by extremely experienced fish keepers. 

Also I do not recommend sororities at all. At a minimum, you should have a 15 or 20 gallon. Not to mention you would have to get all the fish and it is best to get siblings who have always lived together, which also can be hard to find. You also must be prepared to separate all of them if things go wrong - this means usually a mix of dividers and separate tanks with heaters and such to become their permanent homes. Sororities are extremely stressful environments for bettas and more often than not or or more of your fish will end up dead or injured. 

I think you should go the intelligence route. I've trained my fish to jump out of the water and eat a pellet off my finger. I've taught them to swim through hoops. I've taught them to follow stick in the water. etc. There are a million things you can teach them. I like the maze idea. And this way you aren't putting your fish in harms way.


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## FishyOfTheOpera (Jul 13, 2015)

Yes, I've been wanting to breed for a while now, and I would care for the fry after the science fair ends  I think I'll save that for another time, though, in case they don't spawn or something. My favorite idea is the maze


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## TerriGtoo (Jul 2, 2013)

I love the idea of a maze!


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