Around the spring of 2016, when I was doing some research on Smaragdina guitars, I came across an interesting video on YouTube. There, there was a battle between Betta, which is said to be a hybrid of Mahachaiensis, Smaragdina guitar, and Styctos. There was also a green fish and a blue fish fighting each other with the same body shape and pattern. He has a slender body and clearly has some wild blood in him. What caught my attention were the thin patterns on each fin, especially the irregular black spots on the anal fin, a feature that is not seen prominently in any wild fish. It's not a big feature, but it had a strangely strong impact and burned into my memory. At that time, I didn't think to pursue it any further, thinking that it was probably a hybrid that had been created by chance, and I forgot about it in the back of my mind.
In the fall of 2016, I had the opportunity to go to Thailand again, and as I was wandering around the betta shops at the Sunday market, I saw a fish with a familiar characteristic in the corner of a familiar shop! That's right, the hybrid in that video. When I asked the price, it was higher than I expected, so I decided to think about it calmly and not make an impulse purchase. The idea was that it would not sell quickly at this price. The fact that there were only males was also a factor in reducing impulse purchases. At this time, I had to go to a neighboring country, so I did not purchase this fish.

In 2017, I went to Thailand for work at the end of January to escape the cold. She didn't have to do much work this time, so she was able to take her time and watch the betta fish that she likes. I suddenly remembered a hybrid betta that I had seen before, and when I told a friend of mine at a betta shop that I was looking for that fish, he told me that the shop had just arrived! The betta that hasn't been opened yet is in a plastic bag. Moreover, there are even females. What a coincidence! I have to cherish this kind of chance, so I'll be honest with myself and buy it on impulse. The price is definitely the highest among the wild bettas at the store. However, it can't be helped since it's work. When photographing, I use two male fish of similar size, and conveniently, there are two types of male fish: green and blue. I carefully selected two pairs from among several pairs: green and blue. These are the fish we are introducing here.

Normally, wild betta fish are completely plain in color during normal times, but many species display vivid colors during battles, as if transforming. However, this hybrid has a dazzling body color even in normal times. In the case of wild betta fish, there are many nervous species and individuals that will not fight and become frightened if two males are placed together. However, these fish immediately started fighting and showed off their beautiful appearance. This combativeness is on par with Prakat. There is no other model that photographers would be grateful for. The shooting was completed successfully in just about an hour.

Now, this hybrid betta. I thought it was an F2 or F3 interspecific hybrid, but surprisingly it has been in this form for about two years. In this case, it is more of an improved variety than a hybrid. In the world of aquarium fish hobbyists, hybrids often have the impression that they are one step inferior to purebred species. A hybrid whose blood was mixed by mistake and a hybrid whose blood was crossed for a purpose are completely different things. The fish I'm introducing this time doesn't seem to have a good name even in Thailand, so I'll call it Triple Cross for convenience. If it becomes available on the market and a more appropriate name is given, it would be a good idea to call it by that name. However, it is a wonderfully improved variety that is difficult to call a hybrid, so I just want to give it a name that will not be misunderstood.

I asked an acquaintance about the type of crossbreeding used to create this betta fish, so I would like to introduce it here. However, please understand that I have not tried this myself, but have only heard about it, so I cannot be held responsible for its authenticity.

The first parents were Mahachaiensis green and Betta stictos, but it is unknown which one was used for the male and female. It seems that the offspring obtained from this crossbreeding were crossed twice, but they were not satisfied with the color of only the heads, so they crossed them with a new fish. That type is called the Beta Smaragdina guitar (which was also introduced in this column). It seems that the child obtained through this process was once again combined with a Smaragdina guitar. It seems that the prototype of the Triple Cross was thus completed. Their body shape and fin patterns are almost fixed, and even if you watch a video from a year ago, there are almost no changes. The coloration of males seems to be divided into green-based colors and blue-based colors. The ratio is not 50%, and it seems that blue appears slightly more frequently. The two colors of green and blue appear in the Mahachaiensis green lineage. The black spots that appear along the soft rays of the caudal fin are clearly characteristic of Styctos, and the irregular black spots on the anal fin are thought to originate from Mahachaiensis. The blood of Smaragdina guitars may be inherited from the color.

Wild betta fish have recently become popular in Thailand, and regional variations such as Smaragdina and Inveris are being carefully maintained. In a different direction, various improved varieties of wild betta have also been created. Although they are rarely introduced in Japan, Mahachaiensis green and blue and Smaragdina copper have already become standard. In addition to the triple cross introduced this time, new types will likely be created through various crosses in the future. We would like you to enjoy the world of improved wild betta fish in a different category from improved breeds such as Plakat and purebred wild betta fish.