Hobbies And Interests
History
The Siamese fighting fish have been bred for over 1000 years. They were kept as ornamental fish as well being an important part of Thai culture. Contests between two fish were -- and still are -- very popular; large crowds would bet large sums of money on the outcome of bouts. Generally the two fish fight until one retreats. This can take a few minutes, although some have been bred to fight for hours.
Description
The Siamese fighting fish is a very colorful fish, known for its bright hues and its prominent tail plumes that are deployed when threatened or stressed or as part of a mating ritual. In the wild the fish are much less colorful -- generally brownish to silver but the ornamental fish have been bred to display huge variety of color as well as different shaped tail plumes.
Diet
The Siamese fighting fish is a carnivorous fish and has an upturned mouth and mainly feeds on surface dwelling foods. It is known to eat crickets, flies, grasshoppers and larvae. They also eat shrimp and plankton as well as daphnia. As ornamental fish it is better to feed them live foods but they can also eat brine, bloodworm and flake food.
Habitat
The Siamese fighting fish inhabits the waters of rice paddies and other small bodies of water and around the Mekong River delta of Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia. They are also known to inhabit very small bodies of water, such as the hoof prints of water buffalo. It is thought that their small territoies makes them naturally aggressive.