Siamese fighting fish
#also known as the Betta fish
A popular species of freshwater aquarium fish. The wild ancestors of this fish are native to the rice paddies of Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam and are called pla-kad (lit. biting fish).
Betta fish have an organ known as the labyrinth organ which allows them to breathe air at the water's surface. It is often wrongly thought that this organ allows Betta fish to be kept in unmaintained aquaria.This is a misconception as poor water quality makes all tropical fish, including Betta Splendens more susceptible to diseases such as fin rot.
Males and females flare or puff out their gill covers (opercula) in order to appear more impressive, either to intimidate other rivals or as an act of courtship. Other reasons for flaring their gills is that they are startled by movement or change of scene in their environment.
The aggression of this fish has been studied by ethologists and comparative psychologists.These fish have historically been the objects of gambling; two male fish are pitted against each other in a fight and bets are placed on which one will win. One fish is almost always killed as a result. To avoid this, male Siamese fighting fish are best isolated from one another. Males will even respond aggressively to their own reflections in a mirror
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