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Historical Facts of Tropical Betta Fish
When you explore the dynamics of Tropical Betta Fish you will find that their beauty is not the only sophisticated characteristic they have but that it will take special care to keep them from infections and diseases. To keep them as a pet, you must be aware of not only their beauty but because they are delicate creatures great detail is warranted in the environment they are kept. One of their naughty characteristics is that they are very mean and selfish. Nevertheless, like all tropical fish of various species they make great pets.
From the halls of Ancient history Betta Fish are said to have gotten their name from an ancient clan of Asian warriors called the “Bettah”. Just like other species they love to fight to show their fierceness to the female to impress them. Because of the popularity in the sport that involved the fighting of the betta fish as warriors, hence “bettah”. This sport became so popular that is was regulated and taxed by the King of Siam.
While there are bad results involving dog fighting and cock fighting, the fish tournaments that had Siamese fighting fish as one of their events were actually put on to test the bravery of the fish. They were not made spectacles to see how much damage could or would be inflicted. In fact, these were not death matches.
While history gives us the preceding facts, it does not tell us how long a particular fish would fight. The records do show that the fish would only fight once or twice. They live the remainder of their lives being pampered and breeding.
Natural Habitat
In order for Tropical Betta Fish to breathe, they need to surface frequently. Therefore, tropical water is their natural habitat. They frequently are found in slow moving streams and fresh water ponds. Believe it or not, they have been known to thrive in large puddles.
Breeding
Dr. Theodore Cantor, a very close friend of King Siam sent him a pair of betta’s a male and female. Dr. Cantor studied them and decided to breed in his study. He studied the species for several years and did eventually write a scientific research paper. He gave the tropical betta fish a new name. To nobody’s surprise because of his profession he gave them a new Latin name “Macropodus Pugnax.” After the publication of his paper he later discovered that the Latin name he gave the beta fish already existed. Therefore, he gave the tropical beta fish another name of “Beta Splendors.”
In 1896 several Beta fish were sent to Germany for further study. Also Mr. Frank Locke of San Francisco imported a pair of Tropical Beta Fish in 1910 to the U.S.A.
Beta Splendors during breeding naturally developed new colors and characteristics. Mr. Locke thought he had discovered a new species and as a result he named the species “Beta Cambodia”. But in reality he did not.
Breeders have been known to breed tropical betta fish with a variety of vibrant colors. Even today they come in many varied fin shapes. Tropical Betta breeding is one of the most profitable and ongoing passions for many people today. Many of whom started only with a pair of Tropical Betta Fish.
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