# Wild Type



## BettaMommaHeather (Jan 22, 2016)

Forgive me if this was covered in another post.
I was browsing Aquabid(why did I look?!) and saw the wild type Bettas they are very pretty but what is a wild type Betta? is it one that was caught in the wild? not tank bred? I am just curious.


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## Kingcrimson (Sep 3, 2015)

A wild type betta is another name for the species of bettas that aren't domesticated. Or Betta Splendens in it's natural form. Most of the ones on Aquabid are wild-caught, but a few are tank bred.


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## Olivia27 (Nov 26, 2015)

I disagree. There's no such thing as a "natural Betta splendens". All wild types are completely different from our splendens. Betta is a genus, not a species. Under that umbrella we have many many many species. One of them, our favorite, is the splendens. As far as I know they can no longer be found in the wild. Everyone else, however, still is. That's probably where the shorthand "wild types" come from. Despite the name, I don't recommend purchasing a wild caught individual. It's just unethical, and that fish would most likely be hard to care for. Aquarium-raised wild type can *maybe* tolerate a broader range of water conditions, but still they have unique needs.


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## BettaMommaHeather (Jan 22, 2016)

Thank you for the information. I dont think I will ever own one,for the simple factor what you said about it being unethical and tank life definitely not ideal for them.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

There are over 70 species of fish that fall under the genus of 'Betta'. These 70 odd species are then organised into groups usually called 'complexes', which consist of closely related species.

Betta splendens is a member of the 'Splendens' complex, along with five other species. One of the main threats facing Betta splendens in the wild, is hybridisation with the released/escaped ornamental or fighting strains of Betta splendens. 

The ornamental form of Betta splendens that the majority of us on this forum keep, is a purely man-made strain. To me, the term 'wild betta' simply means a fish where there's been no selective breeding undertaken to alter appearance or behaviour. This is why you can have a captive bred 'wild betta'. It has nothing to do with whether or not the fish is actually wild-caught. 

You can still find Betta splendens in the wild, it's just that pure specimens are considerably rarer. 

There's always the debate over ethics when it comes to wild-caught fish. Sadly many species of wild betta are teetering on the brink due to habitat destruction. Their only future is in the hobby, and so it's important that these fish find their way into hobbyists' tanks. All of my foundation breeding stock is wild-caught, except for my Betta persephone as the particular locality I have is now extinct in the wild as I think a highway got built over/through their habitat. 

Wild-caught bettas usually integrate well into life in captivity. In fact if you walked into my fish room, you would not be able to tell the difference between the wild-caught individuals and the captive bred individuals as they are equally 'friendly' and curious. The male in my display photo is a wild-caught fish, and I can assure you, he would not look like this if his needs weren't being met.


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

+1 LBF
Arent guitar smaragdina only found in a tiny little patch by an airport somewhere now? If we didnt catch and breed them then they would have been extinct long long ago.

Wild caught is often the only way to keep species alive


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## BettaMommaHeather (Jan 22, 2016)

Didn't mean to ruffle anyone's feather with the question. I did not know that they were so endangered in the wild though. Looking at it as a way to conserve them is something I had not considered and it is a positive thing. Thank you for expanding my knowledge on this topic. As my knowledge grows so do my questions, as with anything. I appreciate the well written and informed answers.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

No feathers were ruffled here. The capture of fish from the wild is not all positive. There is certainly the danger of over-fishing, and in fact, I believe some species of fish are endangered in the wild because of over-fishing for the aquarium trade. I assume there are also a great many fish that die long before they reach the hobbyist's tank. There are also species of fish that are taken from the wild that are ill-suited for life in captivity, although this seems to relate more to marine fish. 

However, in the case of wild bettas, I do believe it is important that (sustainable numbers of) fish are taken from the wild with the goal of long-term species preservation. With the scale of habitat destruction that seems to be taking place in South-East Asia, I am sure there are species of fish that have been lost before they were even discovered.


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## Detectorist (Jan 8, 2016)

I don't understand why purchasing wild type bettas is *unethical*. It may be quite the contrary. One may be able to strengthen one of the overly bred types by mating with a wild betta.


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