Environmental Color of Preference Increases Feed Intake of Bettas (Betta splendens)

The manipulation of environmental color has been recognized as an important factor influencing behavior, welfare, and productive performance in fish. The present study evaluated environmental color preference and its effects on the productive performance of bettas (*Betta splendens*). In the first experiment, behavioral preferences of male and female bettas were assessed in response to different environmental colors (red, blue, yellow, green, and white) using a completely randomized factorial design. Sixteen males and sixteen females were individually evaluated over five consecutive days. In the second experiment, the effects of preferred environmental color on productive performance were investigated over 56 days in a completely randomized design with three treatments and fifteen replicates. Forty-five juvenile bettas were randomly distributed among 45 aquaria. Results demonstrated that *B. splendens* exhibits preferences among environmental colors, with greater time spent in the green environment and avoidance of the red environment, regardless of sex. Rearing juveniles in their preferred environmental color increased feed intake, suggesting that suitable visual environments promote positive behavioral responses and may affect productive performance. These findings highlight environmental color as an enrichment strategy with practical implications for ornamental fish management and welfare.