Effects of habituation on threat display and dominance establishment in the Siamese fighting fish,Betta splendens

In three separate experiments, maleBetta splendens were exposed, respectively, to mirror images, a variety of conspecifics, and to future opponents, prior to combat with unexposed subjects. Threat display to mirror images and to live opponents habituated significantly, but the outcomes of dominance-subordinance tests were not significantly affected by prior exposure to any of the threat-eliciting stimuli. Results are discussed in terms of stimulus and response specificity and possible chemical suppression of agonistic behavior.