Question

Siamese fighting fish, also called betta fish, are popular aquarium fish. Betta fish are territorial and very aggressive. When threatened, betta will respond by puffing out their gill covers to look bigger as a form of intimidation. Betta fish can become threatened by movement or a change of scene in their environments.



Wild betta fish are naturally drab colors such as grey, brown, and dull green. Wild betta fish will only turn bright colors when aggressive or during courtship. Betta fish that are sold at pet stores have been bred to permanently display their bright colors.



The table below shows the reactions of a brightly colored, male pet betta fish to stimuli or things placed on the outside of its aquarium to provoke a response.



The table shows five stimuli and the Betta Fish Response to each stimulus. The betta fish swims toward and away or shows no reaction to a plastic aquarium plant. The betta fish shows a flaring of gills to a mirror. The betta fish shows no reaction to white paper. The betta fish shows a flaring of gills to colored paper. The betta fish swims toward and away or shows no reaction to black paper.



Select the stimulus that would most likely make a betta fish feel threatened.


grey paper


black pebbles


red ball


white fork

Answer 1

Red ball

Colored objects (like the colored paper that caused gill‑flaring) provoke a threat/aggressive response in bettas; neutral colors (white, black/grey) did not.