Environmental Enrichment with Aquatic Plants: Impact of the Environment of Choice on Performance of Bettas.

Abstract

  This study aimed to evaluate the choice between environments with aquatic plants and the impact of the environment of choice on the performance of bettas (Betta splendens). First, the choice between environments with natural and artificial plants was evaluated. Adult betta fish were evaluated in circular tanks subdivided into a central compartment (neutral) and four side compartments: white, green, natural Elodea (Egeria dense) and artificial Elodea. Ten fish of each sex individually tested for five days. The experimental design was completely randomized in a factorial scheme (time, sex, and compartment). In the second experiment, the effect of the compartments of the first study on fish performance was evaluated. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with four treatments and five replications. Female bettas were divided into 20 tanks at a density of four fish per tank. In the first experiment, there was a gradation in the choice between different enrichments and both sexes demonstrated a preference for environments with natural plants. In the second experiment, the environmental enrichments with aquatic plants did not affect the performance of female bettas.