"It's In Their Nature"
The fighting of these fish in captivity have gone back as far as 100 years. These fish originated in Thailand which was know as Siam long ago. Most people think that fighting these fish are cruel. It's true that these fish are sometimes fought for money. I will try to explain "why these fish are still fought" from a game breeders perspective.
There are 2 different types of bettas. The Plakat Morh (Short Finned)and the Plakat Cheen (Long Finned). The Plakat Cheen are not and should not be fought. These are beautiful fish and have been selectively breed for there beauty and long flowing fins. With that said, the Plakat Morh was selectively breed for fighting, not to say that it is any less beautiful than the Plakat Cheen.
Over the years as the Long Finned was selectively breed into Veil tails, Double tails, Crowntails, and Halfmoons, the Plakat morh was also going through a selective breeding process to develope heart, stamina, strength, and target.
I have had many disagreements regarding fighting these fish. I will go to say that "Only A Fighter Should Participate In A Fight". These fighters can be compared with boxers, kickboxers, martial artist, etc. Only those that are well trained and conditioned should participate.
Fighting these fish is not as simple as just "placing two males together and watching them tear each other to pieces". Before a fight, the plakats go through an intensive training course. The training is to bring out and harden the best fighting attributes of the fighter. Like getting a boxer hyped up for a fight.
A fight rarely ends with either fish dying. The loser will normally run from the fight as it ends. After a fight, the fish are then placed back into clean waters and are treated for there wounds. The winners are then breed, retired, or cured and condtioned for another fight. The loses are not thrown away but are cured of their injuries and sometimes given away, if possible released back to nature, or breed into a long tail family to strengthen the long tail family.
Breeders will sometimes fight siblings to see who will be the champion fathers hier. Fighting will also increase breeding drive. In Nature, the Plakats have to fight and be a winner in orders to breed. Fighting is also used as a grading system to grade 3 star, 4 star, and 5 star fighters. Fighting has also helped to develope the reiterated hit. You can now acquire Plakat Morh that will strike a certain area such as the head, mouth, lip, eye, stomach, etc.
In the long and short, "Fighting these fish is to PRESERVE the fighting game and species," just like Boxing matches and Martial Arts contests. All For Preserving The Game.
It's In Their Nature.
