Defense behaviour of Hickey Fish (Betta splendens)

Hickey fish (Betta splendens) or Cupang is one of the many types of ornamental fish popular in Indonesian society. Hickey fish much cultivated because it has a high economic value. This fish has many advantages compared with other species of ornamental fish. One of them is the body color pattern manifold.
Besides the beauty of the pattern, Hickey fish is easy to be preserved. This type of fishing requires no air pump for oxygen requirement. That's because Hickey fish has a labyrinth that can be used to take the free oxigen in the air. The fish will live in fresh water with low DO. This is consistent with the natural habitat of this species. Hickey fish naturally live in the swamps of Sumatera and Kalimantan (Borneo), these fish are also often found in the area flooded rice fields.
When we look from characteristic of hickey fish, people like keeping this fish because of its ability compete or nice fight with fellow fish hickey or other types of fish. Hickey fish is a solitary organisms. Ability to compete are actually forms of protection (defense behavior), both to protect themselves, or territory (territory). Therefore, by doing the research we want to know how self-protection mechanism that is shown on Hickey male fish .

The aims of this experiment to determine the form of defensive behavior shown by male Betta splendens who experienced domestication. We use fish that spawning by cultured and experienced in artificial ponds. Distinctive traits possessed by male hickey fish is a beautiful color, fins were long and resembles like a comb, so often called hickey serit. Meanwhile, female fish unattractive color (dull) and shorter fins form of male fish.The main reason for using a hickey fish as objects in practice is closely related to the behavior of hickey fish in their natural place.  

Hickey fish is species that naturally life in the marshes or rice fields in Sumatra and Kalimantan. The fish can live in oxygen-poor environmental conditions or low DO. Hickey fish are classified as animals anabantoid fish groups that have functioning organs such as the lungs called the labyrinth. With this organ, the fish can breathe by taking oxygen from atmospheric air taken directly (not in water). On gills are not well developed so that they can not take oxygen from the water. The ability of hickey fish take oxygen from the atmospheric air in accordance with their natural habitat, in shallow muddy puddles, in the paddy fields, which have low levels of dissolved oxygen (DO). 

Hickey fish popular with the public because of the beauty of form and color of the body and nature of the individualist. Adult fish often attack other species of ornamental fish and one species when it was nearby. Therefore, it is often used as hickey fish complaints.Betta splendens is an individualistic animals. He defend their territory by expelling or attacking other animals approaching or entering the territory. Selection of male fish is used to facilitate the observation. Based on the references obtained, females fish is less aggressive than males. 

Research design was used with a male fish together with other males. The equipment used is quite simple: a small aquarium and limiting board. The barrier boards have the same size as the width of the inside of the tank and slightly higher than the tank to ease off. This board can be made of plywood and cork. Barrier installed in the center of the tank so define into two equal areas. This board is not installed permanently so it can be removed and installed again.  

We use same size and same sex. This is to minimize the factors that can interfere with the results of the study. After all the necessary tools available and designed according to the procedure. The next step is to enter two fish in each area in the aquarium. It is used as an illustration of the territories for each fish. The fish was also left for 5 minutes to get to know the new territory. Barrier board then opened so that the fish met. Observed behavioral changes that occur and be included in the tabulation of data. 

Based on data obtained from research activities. In the first experiment in which the fish (Betta splendens) male was transferred to the aquarium. Both (A and B) is oriented to the new area. This is shown with the active fish they explore new territory. After 5 minutes, the board pulled so fish A and B meet. Phenomenon is evident fish A and B observe each other and begin to enforce fins. The resilience of the upper and lower fin is a form of behavior persist, it is a mechanism to drive the opponent intimidation. However, because the opponent does not avoid each other eventually the fish fight each other. In the first experiment showed a more dominant fish by attacking first.

Betta fish (Betta splendens) using the mouth to attack, so the mouth is a tool used for defense.In the second experiment, each fish back to recognize their new area, but the activity is not as much as in the first experiment. Each fish just up and down and instructing the air at the surface. After the board opened limiting each fish back to intimidate his opponents. Fins opened and each fish fight each other using the mouth. A more dominant and more actively attack B. On the last loop, when the divider boards are installed, each fish do the same activity with the previous experiments. They breathe air at the water surface. Limiting board reopened and re-attack the fish uses his mouth. At the time of opening delimiter board, B fish board backs in a state that does not observe the fish A. Fish A and Fish B on trial this time made the same size and gender. If the terms of the completeness of the tool both equally exhaustive, but A fish fins are longer and brighter than fish fins B is shorter and dark-colored. In the last experiment B run fish from the pursuit of fish A. thus it can be seen that body style that is owned by a fish has an influence on defense. 

Defense bahaviour exhibited by Betta splendens in the form of fins enforcement and assault with a mouth. In addition it appears that before the fish facing the other, the body in an upright condition towards the horizontal and start attacking. The ability to survive on hickey fish is also affected by body colour and long of fins. The fins are brighter and longer will improve the process of intimidation to the opponent.