Betta splendens from Tallaght fighting between males.
Displays a sparkling body color during fights
Betta fish come in a variety of colors and fin shapes, but the ones with big, showy fins are all improved varieties created by humans. The original Betta splendens, which is rarely introduced, has small fins and a color that is not as flashy as the improved variety. This original species, betta, seems to have originally been widely distributed in the plains of Thailand. However, due to the destruction of their habitat due to human life, they can now only be seen in some areas.
Additionally, as improved varieties are released into the wild, hybridization has occurred, making it extremely difficult to find the true original species.
The original species of Betta splendens, which is the basis of the improved variety, lives in the plains of Thailand centered around Bangkok, while the related species Betta smaragdina lives in northeastern Thailand, and Betta inbellis grows in southern Thailand. is inhabited. An undescribed species called Betta Mahachai also lives in the brackish waters near Bangkok. Since these species are closely related, crossbreeding with Betta splendens is possible in captivity.
Compared to males, each fin is shorter and the coloration is more subdued.
Irregular horizontal stripes appear on the sides of the body during breeding.
A Klong Yai fish courting a female (back of photo)
A young male betta splendens.
Just like during the battle, the red and blue colors became darker,
Transform into attractive colors
At the end of the year before last, I received a call from an acquaintance of a certain national broadcaster who wanted to photograph this original species of Betta splendens. There are many opportunities for marine fish to be featured on TV, but there are very few opportunities for freshwater tropical fish to be broadcast. I saw this as an opportunity to let the general public know about the appeal of tropical fish, so I was happy to take on the job. From mid-March to mid-April last year, I stayed in the original habitat of the betta splendens in eastern Thailand for this photo shoot, and in addition to guiding the local field, I gave advice on breeding and breeding. This program was aired last September when Darwin came! It was broadcast on the new legend of living things, ``Air Magician Fighting Fish Betta,'' so many readers may remember seeing it.
It was edited for the general public, so it might not have been enough for enthusiasts, but it was a good opportunity to get to know the betta fish.
A male Betta splendens from Talat, eastern Thailand.
The number is very small, but sometimes like this
You can also see fish with different shapes of tail fins.
Betta spren in Khlong Yai, eastern Thailand
Dense habitat.
They live among the grass in shallow areas near the shore.
The original habitat of Betta splendens is shallow grassy wetlands and waterways. They do not live in very deep places, preferring shallow places such as the shade of grass near the water's edge.
During the dry season when the water level has dropped, they build bubble nests in the same location and breed. During the breeding season, males become darker in color and their fins become more beautiful, giving them a unique appearance. In terms of color, it is somewhat similar to the Betta inbellis, but Betta splendens has two red lines on its cheeks.
Recently, some original species of Betta Splendens have been imported, so if you are interested, please try breeding them.
Breeding is easy, and if you have both males and females, you can even enjoy interesting breeding. They don't really like artificial feed, so live bait or frozen bloodworms are suitable.
