Although this column has introduced many Betta fish so far, there is one breed that I have never mentioned before. That is the Churn Betta that we will be introducing this time.
This species was developed in Thailand and is characterized by its large pectoral fins. Locally it is called Hu (ear) Chang (elephant) or Chang.
In Japan, it seems that the D○zney character Dumbo is often used as a product name, but I don't use this name because there seems to be trademark issues. If there is a common name, I would like to use the original name used in the country where it was created as much as possible.

I remember the first time I saw this unique betta fish was around 2011.
Looking at the folder of photos I took, I see that I took my first photo in the fall of 2011.
When I first saw this variety at the Sunday Market in Bangkok, I had no idea that I would try to improve it from such an unusual perspective! I was surprised.
Even before the Churn Betta appeared, some lavender and mustard gas bettas had noticeable white pectoral fins, so some breeders must have noticed that this was interesting.
It was also surprising that later guppy varieties with similarly large pectoral fins were created.

Early Churn bettas had a strong impression of lacking variety in terms of colors such as lavender and mustard gas, and this situation remained unchanged for a long time. In addition, in the early days of release, the left and right pectoral fins were different in size, and many had loose edges on each fin, making it very difficult to choose a model to photograph. Perhaps the genes that make the pectoral fins larger are linked to the genes that cause the edges of other fins to become wobbly.

Even now, when selecting a churned betta, it is essential to check each fin.
Even if you find an individual with an interesting color, there are often problems with the edges of each fin, making model selection one of the most difficult of all solid fish.
Although it seems that the variety of colors has increased considerably recently, it still has the disadvantage that it lacks the variety of other varieties.
Early Churn bettas had pectoral fins that were about twice the size of normal fish, but improvements have been made in this regard, and now it is common to see fish with magnificent pectoral fins that are larger than the tail fin.
This pectoral fin is a characteristic of this breed, but there are some points to be careful of when breeding. Unlike other fins, the Churn Betta's pectoral fins are difficult to regrow if they are torn or injured.
In the case of placats, even if the caudal and anal fins are slightly torn or damaged, they will heal back to normal within a few days, but the churned betta's pectoral fins may not have this healing ability, but they remain injured. I often put it away.

Therefore, when scooping up fish with a net, it is important to handle them as gently as possible to avoid damaging the pectoral fins. This is a problem for our photographers, but photographing a churned beta is extremely difficult and takes about 10 times as long as a regular plastic cut. The characteristic fluttering pectoral fins cannot be photographed in a beautiful manner, and the strobe light casts a shadow on the body, making it more difficult than other flatfish. Not only is it difficult to choose a model, but it's also difficult to photograph, so I've unconsciously avoided them as subjects, and there are by far the fewest in my stock of solid photos. Therefore, recently I have been making a conscious effort to photograph a good specimen when I find one.

At first, only placuts were available as Churn bettas, but soon Halfmoon also appeared, and Halfmoon Churn, which has large fins, is very popular. The movements of the Churn Betta fish in the aquarium are comical and cute, but when I went to a Betta breeder and saw many young fish swimming in a concrete pond from above, I noticed that the white pectoral fins of many young individuals were visible. It was very impressive to see it moving slowly. Although the Churn Betta has a short history, it is well-recognized as a betta breed, and it will become even more popular in the future as more colors become available.