Skip to main content
Log in

Pentobarbital sodium and attack behavior in male siamese fighting fish

  • Original Investigations
  • Published:
Psychopharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

An experiment was undertaken to determine the effects of pentobarbital sodium on intraspecific attack behavior in male Siamese fighting fish in an attempt to extend earlier findings with chlordiazepoxide and secobarbital sodium. Pairs of fish fought while immersed in 20 μg/ml or 40 μg/ml pentobarbital sodium or plain water. The 40 μg/ml group showed significantly less attack (e.g., biting, jaw locking) than either control or low dose groups without producing a change in general arousal. Quasisexual behavior, seen in an earlier chlordiazepoxide study, did not occur in the present study.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Figler, M. H.: The relation between eliciting stimulus strength and habituation of the threat display in male Siamese fighting fish, Betta splendens. Behaviour 42, 63–69 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Figler, M. H.: The effects of chlordiazepoxide (Librium) on the intensity and habituation of agonistic behavior in male Siamese fighting fish. Psychopharmacologia 33, 277–292 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Figler, M. H., Bennett, R. W.: Secobarbital sodium (Seconal) attenuates attack behavior in male Siamese fighting fish. Fed. Proc. 33, 46 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Figler, M. H., Klein, R. M., Radford, R. B.: Effects of chlordiazepoxide (Librium) on the attack behavior of male Siamese fighting fish, Betta splendens. Proc. Annu. Conv. Am. Psychol. Assoc. 8, 1027–1028 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Figler, M. H., Klein, R. M., Thompson, C. S.: Chlordiazepoxide (Librium)-induced changes in intraspecific attack and selected nonagonistic behaviors in male Siamese fighting fish. Psychopharmacologia 42, 139–145 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Miczek, K. A., Barry, H., III.: Pharmacology of sex and aggression. In: Behavioral pharmacology, S. D. Glick, J. Goldfarb, eds., pp. 176–257. St. Louis: Mosby 1976

    Google Scholar 

  • Winer, B. J.: Statistical principles in experimental design. New York: McGraw Hill 1971

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Figler, M.H., Klauenberg, B.J. Pentobarbital sodium and attack behavior in male siamese fighting fish. Psychopharmacology 69, 207–208 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00427651

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00427651

Key words

Navigation