During my stay in Bangkok, I usually go to Chatuchak Market several times a week, but Thailand has also declared a state of emergency due to the new coronavirus, and stores other than those selling bait are closed (Japan's business hours are closed). (Unlike self-restraint, there are penalties).
So it's been a long time since I've been here.
It seems that Japan is the same, but this is an unavoidable measure to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
It is important to avoid creating situations where people gather for the time being in order to prevent cluster outbreaks.

The Thai government's new coronavirus countermeasures were considered to be too strict compared to Japan's, but by the end of April, the number of new infections was in the single digits, and the effectiveness of the measures was clearly visible.
As for Japan, unfortunately it seems like it will take some time for the situation to settle down.
I'm sure many people are tired of the coronavirus and say they've had enough talk about the new coronavirus, so let's leave this topic alone and move on to the main topic.
Since it became difficult to obtain a model for photography at a Chatuchak betta store, I contacted a betta breeder that I have a close relationship with.
In this day and age, I was thinking of refraining from visiting if I felt even slightly disliked, but my worries were unfounded.
Exports have been canceled due to airline circumstances and other reasons, and I think their business has suffered quite a bit, but I heard that they would welcome me, so I was happy to visit them.
He can speak English, which is unusual for a Thai breeder, so we have no problem communicating with him.
I always receive valuable information about betta fish and market trends.

After greetings, we talked about recent trends in the Thai ornamental fish industry, and then we were shown some fish.
It seemed like there were a lot more high-quality specimens left than usual, probably because there were no foreigners visiting to purchase.
Among them, his wife recommended Nemo Betta's Half Moon Double Tail.
As readers of this column may already know, the half-moon double tail is called a full moon because of its overall shape.
In this series, I have been introducing various breeds related to Nemobeta since its appearance, but there are some breeds that I have not introduced because I have not yet found a model that satisfies me.
It's Nemobeta's Half Moon.
Nowadays, there are quite a few Half Moons on the market, and it's not that difficult to obtain.
The price is also reasonable.
However, although the color may be good, the shape of the fins is poor, and I have yet to meet a fish that I can confidently introduce to you.
Of course, it is important to keep track of the variety, so I have selected and photographed a fair number of fish.
However, I have yet to photograph an individual that I would confidently introduce in this column.
So, it looks like it will be a while before we can introduce Nemobeta's Half Moon.

The full moons recommended at the farm this time were of a high quality, and all of them made me want to photograph them the moment I saw them.
It feels a bit strange to introduce them in this order, but this time I'd like to introduce Nemobeta's Full Moon.
Until the end of last year, I had been checking out Chatuchak's betta shops quite a bit, but I don't remember seeing this variety, so it must have only recently become available for release.
At the showroom, customers first choose a model from among the specimens that are kept in a glass case for easy viewing.
Apparently there are farms with rows and rows of growing bottles, so I asked them to tell me where they were, and then I checked each bottle one by one.
As always, I am impressed by how they know which varieties are in which size in a farm where tens of thousands of breeding bottles are lined up.
I have a bad memory, so if I don't write down a memo and stick it up, I'll definitely forget it.
Selecting betta fish at a betta farm may seem like torture to those who are not interested in it, but for those who like it, it is as exciting as a treasure hunt.
Nothing can replace the satisfaction you get when you occasionally find a treasure-like specimen.
However, the intense heat of the tropics and the physical pain involved in bending over, many people say that once they experience it, it's enough.
The bottles displayed at the farm are dirty, making it difficult to check the fish inside.

First, check the color, then the morphology of the fins.
With Full Moon, there are more items to check than with other varieties, so it's tough.
First of all, there is the balance of the tail fin, which is divided into two parts.
It is best if the sizes are close to equal.
The large dorsal fin that is unique to the double tail is also an important checkpoint.
There are quite a few individuals with concave or distorted front dorsal fins, so checking is essential.
After making a rough selection in this way, final selection is made again.
It is often at this stage that you notice shortcomings that you had overlooked.
If I select Betta for about half a day, I can sleep very well that night.
It's such a tiring work.

In this way, we selected the individuals pictured here.
I try to avoid using similar colors as much as possible and choose individuals with different color patterns.
There are some standards when it comes to form, but when it comes to color preference, individual preferences vary considerably.
Currently, as flights from Africa, South America, and Europe have been suspended due to the new coronavirus, imports of ornamental fish seem to be having a significant impact.
Fortunately, although the number of flights has decreased, it is still possible to export from Bangkok.
That being said, there seems to be no particular problem with the supply of betta fish to Japan.

Normally, the consumption of betta fish would increase from now on because they can be kept without heat insulation.
In a situation where people are refraining from going out and staying at home, raising ornamental fish is a great way to kill time and relax.
I hope that more people will take this opportunity to raise betta fish, which are beautiful and have interesting ecology.