The importance of temperature,individual size and habitat arrangement on the bubble nest consruction of siamase fighting fish (Betta splendens regan, 1910)

In the present study, the importance of temperature, individual size and habitatarrangement on the bubble nest construction of Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendensRegan,1910) was investigated. 75 males and 15 females of B. splendens were used for thestudy. Ten aquariums (33 × 100 × 60 cm) were used and were divided into two sides by aglass layer. Aquariums were aerated and heated by aquarium heaters. Cartons were placed inthe wall of aquariums in order to prevent excess lighting.To observe the importance of habitat arrangement on the bubble net construction,adult of male B. splendens were maintained in aquariums having different colour raffia(white, black, gray, green, blue) or in aquariums having a natural water plant (Lemna sp.),artificial plants (made from plastic material) and raffia (white, black, gray, green and blue).Males of B. splendens were exposed to 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 oC in order to observe thetemperature range in the construction of bubble nest. Fish samples in different length wereset up in aquariums to find the relations between fish length and size of constructed bubblenests.In the present study, it is concluded that B. splendens is able to construct bubble nestin a wide range of temperature (25-29 oC), habitat arrangement gives a better result toencourage males in the construction of bubble nests, and there is a positive, but a weakrelation between construction bubble nests and individual size (r= 0.45). In addition, it wasobserved that males of B. splendens bigger than 3 cm are able to construct bubble nests.Key Words: Betta Splendens, Bubble Nest, Water Temperature, Habitat Arrangement