A History Of Breeding Betta Fish

Some interesting facts about the history of breeding betta fish:

Betta Fish are said to have gotten their name from an ancient clan of Asian warriors called the “Bettah” because of the popular sport that involved the fighting of two of these warrior fish. The sport was so popular 150 years ago that it was taxed and regulated by the King of Siam. Unlike other animal fighting, betta fish fights were not to the death but to see which one of the betta fish stopped fighting first.

According to historical accounts, Dr. Theodore Cantor received a pair of Betta fish from the King of Siam in 1840 for breeding and was one of the first documented studies of breeding betta fish. Several pairs of breeding Betta fish where sent to Germany in 1896 and then in 1910, Mr. Frank Locke of San Francisco California imported several Betta fish to the U.S.A. One of the fish that Mr. Locke received had unusual red fins and thinking it was a new species, he named it “Betta Cambodia.” In reality, he had one of the first of the Betta fish that had developed natural new colors and characteristics through breeding. Since than, breeding Betta fish has produced betta fish with all of the vibrant colors and varied fin shapes that we find today.