Fish fighting can be traced back two hundred years to Siam, and a warrior clan called the "Bettah". The Siamese fighting fish got this tag because of its aggressive behavior, and fish fighting became such a common occurrence that the King of Siam taxed it! While it is not as widespread today, fish fighting is still an acceptable form of gambling in some cultures.Betta fish fighting gets a bad rap, and it is undeserved in some respects. Even going back to its origins in Siam (Taiwan now) and Vietnam, betta fish are not fought to the death, such as in a dog fight. Fish fighting is judged more on bravery than bodily injury. Fish owners do not want to see death and injury, more domination and surrender. The winner is the fish that continues to attack and harass his opponent even after the weaker fish has turned tail. Fish fights last from a few seconds to a couple of minutes, and the fish are both removed by their owners.
Most fish fought only a couple of times, and if they won both fights, were bred and lived much as a stud horse today, being kept in the best surroundings. Fish fighting was only found in Siam and some parts of Vietnam, and when the King of Siam gave Teddy Cantor a pair of breeding betta fish in 1840, he did not realize he was introducing this beautiful little fighter to the world.
Mister Cantor bred and studied his fighting fish for years, and eventually wrote a scientific paper on them, giving them the scientific name of Macropodus Pugnax. After realizing that name was already used, he renamed them Betta Splendens, or splendid betta. In 1896 several breeding pairs were sent to Germany, where they began their move to Europe, and in 1910 a pair were sent to an American businessman, where they exploded, and have since become one of the most popular pet fish, and are still only fought in Taiwan and Vietnam, where you can bet on betta fish fights in street markets.
When Frank Locke received one of these early pairs, he noticed a bright red coloration on its fins, and thought he had discovered a new species. What had happened was due to years of breeding, resulting in a new color scheme. Now due to two hundred years of breeding, bettas can be found in almost any possible color scheme imaginable, and can even be seen in banks, retail stores and other public places.
"Want to know all about Fish Fighting and total betta set-up and care? I have enjoyed raising healthy, happy bettas for over 20 years. Head to http://www.BettaFacts.info and subscribe to my blog for a FREE Betta mini-course (limited time offer). See you there!"
Elizabeth Christopher
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_Christopher
No comments:
Post a Comment