The Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens, ), also known as the betta, is a popular species of freshwater aquarium fish. The name of the genus is derived from ikan bettah, taken from a local dialect of Malay. The wild ancestors of this fish are native to the rice paddies of Thailand, peninsular Malaysia and Cambodia and are called pla-kad in Thai or trey krem in Khmer
Betta (pronounced BET-TUH, not BAY-TUH) Splendens, also known as 'Siamese Fighting Fish', derive from Asia. The bettas in the wild look very different than the ones we know and have been captivated by. In the wild, speed and agility are more important than color and beauty. With this in mind, you can envision the wild betta with short fins and dark, mottled coloring. The wild bettas are very interesting and beautiful in their own way.
Bettas also are known to inhabit the shallow rice patties in Asia. These rice patties are very shallow, muddy waters, not our ideal habitat for a fish. This is where their hardiness resulted from. They use a special organ called the labyrinth to enable them to breathe oxygen straight from the surface of the water. If they did not have this ability, they would not be able to survive in their natural habitat due to the low oxygen levels. This aspect of their lives also makes it easier for modern bettas to survive in those little cups that you see in pet store. If you haven't noticed, many pet stores find it unnecessary to clean the bettas water. It is easy to imagine that the water in those cups would lose it's oxygen content very quickly with a gill-breathing fish. Since the bettas breathe from the surface, this allows them to survive these conditions. The conditions they are forced to survive in are still unhealthy and I hope that someday pet store owners will realize this.
Bettas were originally discovered in Siam. This is where the term 'Siamese Fighting Fish' came from. The males, as well as females, are very aggressive and territorial fish. If you put a male in another males eyesight, it will result in a display of fins and color to intimidate the other male. The bettas used in Siam to fight were, again, not like our Betta Splendens of today. We now only breed to share their beauty with the world.
Betta (pronounced BET-TUH, not BAY-TUH) Splendens, also known as 'Siamese Fighting Fish', derive from Asia. The bettas in the wild look very different than the ones we know and have been captivated by. In the wild, speed and agility are more important than color and beauty. With this in mind, you can envision the wild betta with short fins and dark, mottled coloring. The wild bettas are very interesting and beautiful in their own way.
Bettas also are known to inhabit the shallow rice patties in Asia. These rice patties are very shallow, muddy waters, not our ideal habitat for a fish. This is where their hardiness resulted from. They use a special organ called the labyrinth to enable them to breathe oxygen straight from the surface of the water. If they did not have this ability, they would not be able to survive in their natural habitat due to the low oxygen levels. This aspect of their lives also makes it easier for modern bettas to survive in those little cups that you see in pet store. If you haven't noticed, many pet stores find it unnecessary to clean the bettas water. It is easy to imagine that the water in those cups would lose it's oxygen content very quickly with a gill-breathing fish. Since the bettas breathe from the surface, this allows them to survive these conditions. The conditions they are forced to survive in are still unhealthy and I hope that someday pet store owners will realize this.
Bettas were originally discovered in Siam. This is where the term 'Siamese Fighting Fish' came from. The males, as well as females, are very aggressive and territorial fish. If you put a male in another males eyesight, it will result in a display of fins and color to intimidate the other male. The bettas used in Siam to fight were, again, not like our Betta Splendens of today. We now only breed to share their beauty with the world.
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