Originally Posted by
TyroneGenade
B. macrostoma is one of the
Betta species I most want.
I have seen them several times and even turned them down when offered some. I actually think they are kind of ugly, compared to Licorice Gouramis and some of the other wild bettas. They are dramatically less pretty than even very common ones, like smaragdina and coccina, IMHO.
Uncle Herby (now prisoner X) did a truly fine job of hyping them as the "Brunei Beauty" etc., but they are a mean, ugly, predatory fish with a splash of tail color. Certainly not worth the US$600 and $800 that very sickly pairs were bringing here, a few years ago. They are the Rivulus of the Betta world. :wink:
It was as close as the wild bettas came to a "fad fish" and I'm personally delighted that that fad had no legs.
My opinion, and it is just mine, is that wild fish should be kept for their natural beauty, their interesting (even sometime bizarre) behaviour, their need for species preservation, and because we can learn something from them. To keep a fish because of a (probably untrue) rumor that the Sultan would behead any collector is not what I would consider a valid reason.
I respect the right of the people of Brunei, through their Sultan, to deal with their wildlife as they see fit. I certainly would not spend a dime on supporting the fad (i.e., encoraging collection), and, as I already said, even turned down an offer of free ones. That's just me. YMMV.
Wright
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