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Betta Information | Betta Insight
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Betta Insight Betta splendens are more commonly known as Siamese Fighting Fish. They originate from Thailand and can be found in rice paddies, shallow ponds and slow moving streams.
Contrary to what many people think, Bettas do not live in muddy, small puddles all the time. It is only in the drought season that they can be found in these puddles and for most of the year they live in waist deep water. Bettas thrive in planted waters, where they can hide and rest in the roots of trees from the water banks, in reeds and under fallen leaves. This environment provides a good source of natural foods, idea places to breed and only a small current. Therefore we recommend that they be kept in a minimum of 2-3 gallons and do NOT condone them being kept in any type of bowl or ornamental vase. Bettas are anabantoids, which means they have a labyrinth organ which enables them to breathe air from the surface of the water so it's important to have a large surface area for them to come up to for air. It is also important that the surface of the water be kept clean. When using cleaning or deodorant type sprays, you may find a film of chemicals on the top of the water. This will kill your Betta, so be sure to think about what you are doing when around his or her home.
Where did your Betta come from? A brief history The Betta you see before you, swimming around your tank or at your local fish shop, has been some 150 years in the making. At that time, villagers started to catch wild Betta in the rice paddies, small streams and canals that were strewn all over Thailand, and most prominantly in the country of Siam. There are many types of wild Betta, including B.smaragdina & pugnax. These fish were fought in what was later called betta arenas, which although sound grand, was actually just a shack owned by a villager. They were fought in small bowls and the villagers would place wagers on their favourite fish. This was a good income for some of the poorer villagers, so one can see the appeal to them. N.B. I would just like to point out that I, nor anyone connected to Betta Paradise, advocate the use of any animal for fighting. Due to the Betta becoming increasingly popular in Siam, the then King of Siam, decided to licence these fights and also had Betta collected for his own gains in the fighting circle. These wild Betta were then bred by avid fight followers, which is where we get the Betta plakat. If ever there was a fish designed to fight, the plakat was it. Short fins and a heavy set body, ensured this fish was fast and strong. The breeders of these fighting fish would care greatly for their stock, as this may have been their only form of income. Each breeder had their own training methods and used various foods in order to make their fish as fit and strong as they could. These fighting fish were given the name Macropodus Pugnax, but in 1909 Mr Tate Regan advised that there was already a species called this, and it was him who gave them the name Betta splenden. These Betta were first introduced into Germany in the late 1800's and the into the USA in the early 1900's. These were still short finned and quite dull in colour, and it wasn't until around 1927 that the first indication of the colourful Bettas we see today became evident, when a new stock arrived in the USA. This obviously lead to a demand for brightly coloured Betta and hence why we know see so many varieties. Breeders have strived over the years to produce new colours and tail types with the selective breeding of suitable fish. Although Betta fighting still takes place in Asia and some other countries around the world, many of the breeders saw the financial pontential in breeding more colourful exotic Betta for the export market. Even today, the breeders in Thailand still produce some of the best specimens you are ever likely to see.  | | The Paddy Fields Where Bettas Come From |
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