# Simple Betta Fish Science Fair Project



## starlight910 (Jul 25, 2014)

Hello! I have to do a science fair project for school and I wanted to do something betta fish related. I can't hurt the animal in any way. I don't want to do something too complicated but neither something too simple. I would like to win the science fair. Anyway, I need some ideas. I was thinking of doing something like how do bettas react to certain colors/shapes. Thanks in advance!


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## starlight910 (Jul 25, 2014)

Any ideas?


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Hmmm. I already gave my science project suggestion to someone else in the Lounge, lol.


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## starlight910 (Jul 25, 2014)

...


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## starlight910 (Jul 25, 2014)

hrutan said:


> Hmmm. I already gave my science project suggestion to someone else in the Lounge, lol.


Oh ok


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## whiskandbowl (Aug 21, 2012)

You could do an experiment with 2 bettas. One in a bowl, and one in a filtered tank (like a 5g) Then record which one is more active.


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## starlight910 (Jul 25, 2014)

whiskandbowl said:


> You could do an experiment with 2 bettas. One in a bowl, and one in a filtered tank (like a 5g) Then record which one is more active.


I think that would be kind of like hurting one of the bettas though. And I can't do that for my school. The rules for the science fair project say I can't harm any animals.


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## whiskandbowl (Aug 21, 2012)

Good point. (I was thinking more about the size of the tank, obviously I'd recommend doing water changes)

What about having 2 tanks of the same size, one has a lot of decor/plants, the other really plain? Which do bettas like better?


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## Animal Lover37 (Sep 14, 2012)

whiskandbowl said:


> Good point. (I was thinking more about the size of the tank, obviously I'd recommend doing water changes)
> 
> What about having 2 tanks of the same size, one has a lot of decor/plants, the other really plain? Which do bettas like better?


Ya I was gonna say something along tje same lines like have two betyas both in identical tanks no plants and on one of them just give them supplements testing if certain fish supplement s really did improve the health of your fish and what not. Like you can have three variables you have your placebo your plain betta in its tank and heather then you have the industrial enhanced betta that is in same sized tank with same heatet but I recieving supplements that can be bought at the petstore then you can have your naturally enhanced betta fish that has the same set up again accept it would have indian almond leaves and or live plants. And the ways you can measure your progress would be size, activity, coloration and even fin growth. 

And if you really wanted to make it big you can do both females and males and do a compare and contrast


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## starlight910 (Jul 25, 2014)

Hmm that would be interesting


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## Tuigirl (Aug 3, 2014)

I have been reading some scientific papers the other day on bettas,
and there were some cool experiments that were really neat.
Would be something for you using shapes and colours! And a mirror.
The first experiment uses a small T-maze (you could modify it using
different plastic shapes/ colours):
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347273800909#
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0376635703000792

Also see:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0023969072900069
http://ac.els-cdn.com/0023969072900...t=1411006526_8c02d54e7bc54fb580f03e9f5d12e817

Or you could do something like that-
isolating the fish for a while and then present him with different shapes/ colours and his mirror image:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091677377903522
http://ac.els-cdn.com/S009167737790...t=1411006467_aa1690456a6b5e063bd5e803f988cd80

The best thing is, with this, you are actually citing REAL scientific papers, not just something copied out of a book.

If done right, this could make you win! 

If you have trouble with the links or getting the pdf- send me a personal message. ;-)
I am very curious about what you find out!!!!


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## aselvarial (Feb 21, 2014)

I would do two identical tanks, make one planted with live plants, and one with typical fish store decor, same food, even same type of fish from same store, and teach both fish tricks. See if a more natural environment leads to learning faster. No fish are harmed, as both are perfectly safe environments.


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