Siamese fighting fish

For the rock band, see Siamese Fighting Fish (band).
"Betta fish" redirects here. For the genus, see Betta.

Siamese fighting fish
Varieties bred of Siamese fighting fish, the Halfmoon male displaying his flared opercula.
Halfmoon male
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anabantiformes
Family: Osphronemidae
Genus: Betta
Species:
B. splendens
Binomial name
Betta splendens
Regan, 1910

The Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens), commonly known as the betta,[2] is a freshwater fish native to Southeast Asia, namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam.[3][4] It is one of 76 species of the genus Betta, but the only one eponymously called "betta", owing to its global popularity as a pet; Betta splendens are among the most popular aquarium fish in the world, due to their diverse and colorful morphology and relatively low maintenance.[5][6]

Siamese fighting fish are endemic to the central plain of Thailand, where they were first domesticated at least 1,000 years ago, among the longest of any fish.[6][7][8] They were initially bred for aggression and subject to gambling matches akin to cockfighting. Bettas became known outside Thailand through King Rama III (1788–1851), who is said to have given some to Theodore Cantor, a Danish physician, zoologist, and botanist.[7][failed verification] They first appeared in the West in the late 19th century, and within decades became popular as ornamental fish. B. splendens long history of selective breeding has produced a wide variety of coloration and finnage, earning it the moniker, "designer fish of the aquatic world".[9]

Bettas are well known for being highly territorial, with males prone to attacking each other if housed in the same tank; without a means of escape, this will usually result in the death of one or both fish. Female bettas can also become territorial towards one another in confined spaces.[10] Bettas are exceptionally tolerant of low oxygen levels and poor water quality, owing to their special labyrinth organ, a characteristic unique to the suborder Anabantoidei that allows for the intake of surface air.[11]

In addition to its worldwide popularity, the Siamese fighting fish is the national aquatic animal of Thailand,[12][13] which remains the primary breeder and exporter of bettas for the global aquarium market. Despite their abundance as pets, B. splendens is listed as "vulnerable" by the IUCN, due to increasing pollution and habitat destruction. Efforts are being made to support betta fish breeders in Thailand as a result of their popularity as pets, cultural significance, and need for conservation.

  1. ^ Vidthayanon, C. (2011). "Betta splendens". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T180889A7653828. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T180889A7653828.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ ibcadmin. "About Betta splendens – International Betta Congress". Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  3. ^ "All About The Betta Fish". IDZ AQUARIUM. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference native was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Fish Identification". www.fishbase.org. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  6. ^ a b Adisorn Monvises; Bunlung Nuangsaeng; Namkang Sriwattanarothai; Bhinyo Panijpan. "The Siamese fighting fish: Well-known generally but little-known scientifically]" (PDF). Institute for Innovation and Development of Learning Process, Mahidol University, Rama 6 Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
  7. ^ a b Sermwatanakul, Amonrat (2019). "Capacitating the local farmers to enhance global marketing of Thailand's national aquatic animal, the Siamese fighting fish" (PDF). Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  8. ^ Roth, Annie (14 May 2021). "The 1,000-Year Secret That Made Betta Fish Beautiful". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  9. ^ About Betta splendens International Betta Congress.
  10. ^ "Guidelines released for keeping Fighters". Practical Fishkeeping Magazine. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  11. ^ Rehn, Jeremy (October 2019). "Betta Fish: The Dazzling Siamese Fighting Fish". livescience.com. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  12. ^ "Siamese fighting fish confirmed as national aquatic animal". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  13. ^ AFP (5 February 2019). "Thailand makes Siamese fighting fish national aquatic animal". Business Standard India. Retrieved 29 July 2019.