AquaCoda Papers
Preliminary observations, methods, and ideas shared transparently with the AquaCoda community of citizen scientists, fish keepers, and researchers.
These are open-science documents — not peer-reviewed scientific publications. They exist to make emerging observations visible, invite discussion, and show how aquatic-animal communication can be studied responsibly.
Important note
AquaCoda Papers are not peer-reviewed scientific articles. They are preliminary open-science documents, similar to general-audience preprints or community reports, meant to share observations and methods openly with the AquaCoda community.
Listening to the Siamese Fighting Fish: Preliminary Documentation of Possible Vocalizations in Betta splendens
Abstract
Betta fish are splendid and captivating animals, endlessly fascinating their owners with their vibrant colours, the graceful display of their fins, and their curious, combative and interactive character. Every person who has cared for a Betta fish has developed the intuition that these animals are far more than decorative. They possess a complex repertoire of behaviours and a unique intelligence adapted to their species (Monvises et al., 2009).
Fish, and therefore Bettas, also communicate. For their survival and reproduction, they exchange informative signals. It is common to observe a Betta opening its opercula to appear more impressive and intimidating, to assert its space and territory.
Although many behaviours and communication signals are widely known and have been studied scientifically, there is currently no concrete scientific evidence that Betta fish communicate through sounds. For reviews of Betta communication and behaviour, see Simpson (1968), Bronstein (1982), Castro et al. (2006), Alton et al. (2013), and Ladich (2014, 2015).
The purpose of the BettaCoda (AquaCoda) project, presented through this paper, is to report a preliminary observation of possible sound production by one male Betta fish in a territorial context. Another individually housed female was also observed producing possible vocalisations.
Under optimal husbandry conditions, in enriched aquaria designed to support the fishes' welfare, non-invasive and passive recordings of a purely observational nature were made to document this possible sound production.
I wish to present the first results of these observations and to share a method accessible to the AquaCoda community of citizen scientists, in order to engage in a collective and educational experience of discovery that respects animal welfare.
How to cite this paper
Suggested citation
Cohen-Bodénès, S. (2026). Listening to the Siamese Fighting Fish: Preliminary Documentation of Possible Vocalizations in Betta splendens. AquaCoda / BettaCoda Papers, No. 01. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21320360
Have you observed unusual sounds or behaviours?
AquaCoda invites citizen scientists to document their observations carefully and contribute to a shared understanding of aquatic-animal communication.