FRESH-WATER FISHES OF SIAM, OR THAILAND 457 



The common human custom of making animals compete among themselves fov 

 individual supremacy, and of laying wagers on the outcome of the contests, has, 

 among the Siamese, been directed particularly to fish. At least four different 

 kinds of fishes belonging in three families are employed by the Siamese in 

 matched encounters, but only one of these has ever attained national importance 

 or international celebrity. 



Just hovF early in Siamese history the fighting fish acquired its reputation is 

 not known, but for several hundred years its pugnacious qualities have been 

 recognized and utilized in popular contests. 



Up to the year 1850 or thereabouts, the use of the fighting fish in sportive con- 

 tests in Siam was confined to fishes obtained in open waters ; but, in order to 

 insure a regular supply for fighting and betting purposes, domestication and 

 cultivation were then instituted and have since been conducted on an increasingly 

 large scale. It may be noted, however, that in recent years cultivation has been 

 less important as a factor in fighting contests and has represented a better 

 appreciation of the fish's beauty of color and form. 



While many kinds of fishes exhibit a belligerent attitude both among themselves 

 and toward other species, it seems probable that in few other fishes is the com- 

 bative instinct so highly developed as in Betta splendens. It is certainly true that 

 in no other fish has the fighting ability been so much improved by cultivation. 



The fighting instinct is peculiar to the males and is so strong that a normal 

 fish exhibits it under every condition and at every opportunity. One might rea- 

 sonably infer that the fighting instinct would develop at the approach of maturity. 

 As a matter of fact, the pugnacious tendency shows itself at an early age ; and in 

 captivity fish only 2 months old and less than half -grown should be separated to 

 prevent continual scrapping. 



Because of their ever-present eagerness to fight, adult male fish must not only 

 be kept in separate aquaria but the view of rivals in nearby vessels should be cut 

 off by pieces of cardboard; otherwise their vitality and fighting ability will 

 become impaired by incessant futile effort. 



The fighting fish has responded well to efforts to produce changes to meet the 

 popular demand. Even in the hands of persons ignorant of the laws of heredity, 

 noteworthy improvements in form, size, coloration, and fighting ability have been 

 brought about ; and there is reason to believe that still further improvements may 

 be made. 



A person seeing for the first time a wild fighting fish would never suspect the 

 wonderful possibilities in coloration that have been realized under cultivation. 

 The most noteworthy of the color phases that have been established, in addition 

 to intensified reds and blues, are lavenders, iridescent greens, cornflower blue, 

 blue and white, and yellowish and reddish creams with bright red fins. The 

 latter, first produced about 1900, are known to the Siamese as pla kat khmer 

 (Cambodian biting fish), probably from having originated among fanciers in 

 French Indo-China. 



Along with the development of intensified and new colors, there has come 

 about an increase in the size of the vertical fins, culminating in graceful crapelike 

 effects, which vie with those in the veiltailed and other highly cultivated Jai>- 

 anese goldfish, so that there are now fighting fish whose caudal fins are about as 

 long as the head and body combined. 



Fishes caught in open waters and taken indoors will, after a few days, readily 

 respond to an opportunity to fight. The fighting stamina of the wild fishes, how- 

 ever, is not sufficiently developed for present-day requirements in Thailand, and 

 practically all matched combats are now between fishes that have been bred 

 in captivity. Wild fishes may fail to show any pugnacious spirit after a few 



