THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 26, 1994 TAG: 9410250084
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: MARY REID BARROW
LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines
Today small wild betta fish still swim around in the rice paddy ditches of southeast Asia, defending their bubble nests from all intruders.
Though feisty, the fish are far removed from their domesticated relatives, commonly called Siamese fighting fish.
Wild bettas will fight to defend their territory but they are street fighters compared to the Sweet Pea Whitakers of the pet trade, the domesticated bettas. The street urchins are nowhere near as colorful, nor are their fins as long and as handsome as their domesticated counterparts.
But the genes are there. When a betta - wild or tame - confronts another betta, they both react instinctively. Their body color deepens dramatically, as if flushed in anger, and their trailing fins flare open and sit up, erect like a fan ready to combat the summer heat.
For centuries in Asia the little fish were bred in captivity only for their aggressiveness and fighting ability. The fish were paired off by their owners to fight, often to the death, much like a cock fight, explained betta hobbyist Mike Arsuaga. Arsuaga was chairman of a betta show sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Organization of Betta Breeders last weekend at the Virginia Marine Science Museum.
Today fighting is not sanctioned or condoned by the International Betta Congress, Arsuaga said. Instead betta breeders breed their fish to enhance their beauty, taking advantage of the physical characteristics of aggression.
Over the years the betta has been bred for more and more beautiful color variations and longer more handsome flowing fins. Bettas now come in shades of yellow, blue, green, red, black and turquoise. They come in bi-colors and they come with a pale iridescent look as if they had been coated with mother of pearl. At betta shows, there are 48 different color classes in which to compete.
Owners take advantage of the fish's fighting instincts to show off their colors and fins at their finest for betta show judges. The fish are shown individually in small glass bowls and are prevented from seeing fish in adjacent bowls by pieces of card stock.
When the judges come around, the card stock is lifted and the bettas eye each other through the glass. Their colors become vibrant and their fins rise and spread like fighters cocking their fists.
``They are judged on purity of color, extraordinary finnage and deportment,'' Arsuaga said.
Deportment is not behavior. It's how well the fish swims and how alert it is.
That's what a betta show is all about - lifting those pieces of cardboard and letting the bettas do the rest. Last weekend Arsuaga was looking after about 400 bettas. Many of the fish came minus their owners. They were shipped in by air express from places as far away as California. Most of the fish were to be judged and some were to be sold at the show's auction.
Several humans came from Pennsylvania to show and buy. Many came from other parts of Virginia. Chester Velasco, a beginning betta hobbyist, drove down from Rockville, Md., for the show. He was returning home with a golden yellow betta he purchased for $25.
``The ones at the pet store are not all that good looking,'' Velasco said, ``but these are really attractive.''
A teal green betta that turned a deep turquoise and flared his fins better than all others was judged best in show. The fish was purchased for $22 by Ken Muller, president of the Mid-Atlantic Betta Breeders. Bettas have been known to sell for more than $150. Although betta breeders would like to recoup their expenses, they know better than to think they will make a lot money off their fish.
``You don't do it for profit,'' Arsuaga said. ``You do it for the satisfaction of breeding the animals.''
Most betta breeders are fin-deep into their hobby. Take Arsuaga. The Croatan resident has been raising bettas for 40 years. Today, he keeps about 150 of the fish in plastic jars in his fish room, a converted garage. On top of that, he's also raising several hundred tiny baby bettas in large aquariums.
As Betta Breeders member Randy Martin of Dale City said, ``We have a mental illness toward fish.''
If you are interested in joining the betta mania, contact Arsuaga at 425-7084.
P.S. GO TO THE FARMER'S MARKET FALL FESTIVAL Saturday and learn about farming years ago in old Princess Anne County. Louis Cullipher, director of the Agriculture Department, and longtime Blackwater farmer Stuart Ives will be interpreting the market's farm museum between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Ives also will bring along some old photographs taken over the years at the Ives Farm.
LEARN ABOUT 17TH CENTURY SUPERSTITIONS from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday or Saturday at the Adam Thoroughgood House. The family tour costs $3 for adults and $2 for children. Call 664-6283 for reservations. MEMO: What unusual nature have you seen this week? And what do you know about
Tidewater traditions and lore? Call me on INFOLINE, 640-5555. Enter
category 2290. Or, send a computer message to my Internet address:
mbarrow(AT)infi.net. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MARY REID BARROW
Mike Arsuaga has been raising bettas for 40 years. He keeps about
150 of the fish in plastic jars in his fish room, a converted
garage.
by CNB