Many of the aquarium fish that are farmed are known to be a breed called albino, which has lost its pigment due to mutation. However, albino bettas are not the only breed that is common, or rather, it is extremely difficult to find them. There's a reason for that.
Completely albino (real redeye) betta fish are blind. This means that it is difficult for them to eat food. In an environment with plenty of food, it is possible for them to grow by eating the food that comes to their mouths even if they are blind. Among traditional betta fish, which have been farmed in large numbers for a long time, it is rare to see an albino individual raised in this way. We would like to obtain these individuals and try to breed them in order to fix them, but even here we are faced with difficulties. Albinos, who are blind and have a weak constitution, cannot be used for breeding. Even males do not build bubble nests, and since they are blind, they do not fight. Of course, courtship is also impossible.

For this reason, the albino betta breed was not established for a long time. It is unclear why betta fish do not have eyesight, even though there are albino varieties of Anabass that have eyesight, such as paradise fish.
Betta fish are very popular as ornamental fish in Thailand. However, the situation is a little different in Japan, where a breed called the Plakat with short fins is overwhelmingly popular. The speed of improvement for this plastic cut is extremely fast, and new varieties are released almost every year. Carp colored varieties are a big hit this year.

Despite being so popular and actively bred, albino animals can only be seen very rarely, even in placats. Occasionally, individuals that had no eyesight and did not fight with each other were sold, but perhaps because they were so rare, buyers were found right away. However, recently this situation has changed slightly. Instead of albinos whose melanin pigment has completely disappeared (real red eyes), albinos with grape eyes have begun to appear in small numbers.
These vine-eyed albino individuals have good eyesight and can eat food, as well as fighting with each other. It is also possible to breed because it is possible to create bubble nests. However, it seems that they are still unable to breed in large numbers, perhaps because of their weak constitution. As a result, the market price is on par with the highest class plastic cut. Thai breeders do not remain silent when it comes to selling at a high price. Currently, there are probably many breeders who are desperately trying to obtain breeding stock and raise albino bettas. This may also be a factor in the soaring prices of albino bettas.
I also wanted to photograph an albino betta, so I asked a breeder I know in Thailand to let me know if he found one.
One day, when I went to an acquaintance's shop, he secretly showed me some fish. He was an albino male with grape eyes but a nice plastic cut. When I heard the price, it was so expensive that I couldn't say I would buy it immediately. When I was thinking about whether to buy it or not, I received a kind message saying that I would like to borrow it if I wanted to use it for photography and that I could take it with me. However, it would be pathetic for Japanese people to remain dependent on this favor. He took it back to his Bangkok apartment, photographed it, and emailed it to a betta-loving friend in Japan. He immediately responded that he wanted the fish. Now, my friend gets the money from selling a betta fish, I get to photograph a beautiful albino betta fish, my friend gets a rare and beautiful betta fish, and everyone is satisfied. By the way, this photo of the albino betta will also be used in next year's Thai calendar.

This breeder I know is very famous for producing high-class crowntails, and many of their fish are also sent to Japan. Later, I received information about an albino betta again from this acquaintance. This time, instead of a plastic cut, it's his specialty, a crown tail, and what's more, it's a pair. When he showed me the fish, it turned out to be a grape eye, not a real red eye. Both males and females have visual acuity on both the left and right sides, and males actively flare at other males. This photo was taken by an acquaintance, so I emailed it to another friend who loves betta fish. As expected, I received a quick response saying I would buy it. This time, since there are only albino pairs, the price is even higher than the previous plastic cut. I'm glad that there are still such orthodox enthusiasts who invest money into their hobbies in Japan. This pair of albino crowntails was kept by an acquaintance until I returned to Japan, and I carefully brought them back to Japan. He was immediately taken to his home and welcomed to his friend's home. As always, I think that my work is made possible by the help of so many different people. It is a blessing, and I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude.