Given the array of finery they come adorned in today, it's hard to believe that they once sported rather boring mud browns and dull grays. That was before the era of breeding betta fish for flash and sex appeal. Back in the days breeding them for color and fins had not yet become widespread. Aside from dull coloration, in the wild and under constant threat they enjoyed a rather abbreviated betta fish life span at best. While if kept for sport, those guys didn't necessarily live much longer either.
As you know, the origin of bettas can be traced back to the rice paddies of Asia. Their colors fairly resembled the muddy waters in which they strived to survive - again gray, brown or silver with specks of other colors at best. And their fins were nothing extraordinary either. Until the Thai people discovered how these fish make great fighters. (That's why they're also called the Siamese fighting fish) And from there people have become more passionate about these weeny water warriors that they developed a wide range of techniques for breeding them. Today, you see them swimming in all colors of the rainbow and then some. While flashing tails and fins that come in many fancy forms.
Maybe this is why bettas are easily and widely recognized. They do come in a sorts of tail shapes alright. Males are arrayed in brilliant colors with long flamboyant flowing fins. Besides any more they come in almost any color you can imagine. Gone are the common grays and browns displayed on limited finnage. You can get males and females even that are all colors of the rainbow. Copper. Copper Mustard. Lavender. Pale Cellophone. Dazzling super reds. Opaque whites or white platinum. Metallic. Blue Bi-colored tourquoise/orange. Black. Yellow. Purple. Royal Blue. Stunning colors that have to be seen to be believed. And even more indescribable combinations. Solids. Patterns. Butterfly. Bodies one color, fins another. Truly hues of living jewels.
Of course as is said, a picture is worth a 1000 words, which makes you wonder what a video like this one is worth?
Gorgeous fish, no? And actually having colors like those flashing in your tank is just simply a daily personal firework's like display of luminosity that won't quit, don't you think?
You can't imagine what it feels like to have fish like those. But if you had to sum that feeling up in one word, well one comes to mind after just a few seconds in the presence of such intense, iridescent coloration. And unlike contestants on the game show "Wheel of Fortune" you don't even need to buy a vowel. As that word would be "awesome"!
CONCLUSION: Wouldn't you love to feel awesome too?
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