"Bettaphilia" would be an applied term that is not currently practiced. It wouldn't be wrong if we look at it in terms of animal husbandry, specifically our beloved bettas.
As we covered in our article "Strategy for the Development of Bettas with Superior Genetics: the challenge of breeders" on our website, there are different stages that the betta breeder will go through if he continues in the hobby to its summit, in the same way that occurs with horses, dogs, cattle, pigs, canaries and so many others.
In our article "strategy for the development of bettas with superior genetics" we highlight the different stages of the journey of the animal breeder, especially bettas, directing the study and knowledge for genetic improvement of the stock of bettas (regional, national, worldwide).
Analogous to cynophilia, there is not currently in the world of bettas the same care as the animals mentioned. Do you agree?
What | Dogs | Bettas |
|---|---|---|
Study of basic management or maintenance | Yes | Yes |
Study of reproductive management (how to breed bettas in captivity) | Yes | Yes |
Study of breeds and classification (physical and aesthetic standards) | Yes | No. There are many gaps in some and controversial points among others. In addition, breeders in general do not deepen their study and knowledge in this aspect in general. |
Study of genetics, phylogenetic tree, evolutionary relationships | Yes | No. The massive majority of breeders don't know it or try it, but without effectively consistent results. |
Study of competition patterns | Yes | No. There are countries with greater progress in the study, but still the massive population of breeders does not know it. |
Exchange between breeders of matrices aiming at bettas of genetic quality (selective breeding) | Yes | Very weak in relation to dogs. Many crosses without direction or focus, generating litters without genetic quality |
Consented criteria in specialized exhibitions | Yes | Very weak. Each exhibition has its criteria, analogous to cynophilia. |
In the case of dogs, horses, cattle, pigs, poultry and so many others, there are well-defined and consensual breeds.
In the world of bettas, this does not occur. And, as an aggravating factor, fish without genetic quality are being given trade names to increase their market share.
We are not against these animals at all. Just as there are dogs without a defined breed, there are bettas without breed or lineage. They should be cared for with much love and affection by their enthusiast, but we do not recommend their reproduction for obvious reasons: the loss of genetic quality in the world population of bettas.
Of course there are breeders who value this care, names, designations, classification. However, there is also the opposite, unfortunately.
As it turns out, there are many gaps in the world of bettas.
Would aiming to pursue well-defined color and shape patterns in the world of bettas be overkill? We are of the opinion that it is not. It would be enough study and knowledge in the selection of matrices, resulting in the practice of selective breeding.
Our purpose with the Betta Project – A DNA Experience – is to generate congruence, in order to maintain and reproduce bettas of higher quality, associating genetics and aesthetics, as well as a certain degree of temperament in the litters.
The materials available on this subject are very scarce, shallow, presenting concepts of the genetics of the betta of the 1960s and there is a lot of incongruous information on the web, without practical basis, detached from reality.
Dr. Gene Lucas pioneered the study of betta genetics. He was brilliant! It dates back to 1960.
However, the genetics of the betta have changed in certain respects in these 63 years (today, 2023), with the mixture that has been made in the crossing of bettas.
Our greatest desire is to have bettas categorized with consistency in an ideally unanimous manner, creators studying and deepening their knowledge aiming at high standard bettas, along with materials that support these premises.
Since 2010 (even before the publication of the site) we started on this journey.
We have today the following materials already published that can support this idea:
Course on Betta Genetics
Our proposal for classification of bettas
Analysis of the lineages and new strains that emerge over time (always updating)
Course on reproductive management
Logic and interfaces of a worldwide platform for research and registration of bettas
Instructional videos released on social media (Youtube and currently used social networks)
and the continued development of articles that support this idea.
We know that initiatives in this direction are emerging, under new clothes, didactics, adjacent materials, and so on. This is very positive, because didactics must always be improved, new concepts applied, new lineages developed, new creators emerging and others leaving, and so is the hobby.
In this sense, cynophilia created straight and direct paths for the world of dogs to be oriented.
With the bettas could we do the same? We are of the opinion that it is!
We wish you success with your bettas!